Stop & Shop Expands Partnership with Flashfood
Flashfood program has expanded to more Stop & Shop Stores to help shoppers save money and reduce waste. Since launching the partnership in 2021, Stop & Shop and Flashfood have together saved over 140,000 pounds of food from ending up in U.S. landfills.
With Flashfood, shoppers save up to 50% off items nearing their best-by date, purchasing available products right from their mobile device. Purchases are made directly through the app and customers can pick up their orders from the Flashfood Zone located inside their participating store.
BurgerFi Incorporates AI Phone Answering
BurgerFi has incorporated artificial intelligence (AI) phone answering systems in all 60 of its Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza & Wings locations. The system aims to reduce operating costs, expedite, and increase order size, and improve customer experiences.
Anthony's off-premises orders account for nearly 50 percent of sales, with 15 percent being phone orders. In total, the restaurants receive 500,000 phone orders a year. The AI technology will help the brand meet this demand as it is designed to handle 100 percent of calls answered and allows for an expected average check increase of 10-12 percent. Additionally, guests will be able to seamlessly integrate their loyalty numbers to earn points and rewards when ordering with AI.
Petco’s Paid Membership Plan Grows
Petco reported accelerated growth for its paid membership plan Vital Care, signaling that it is locking in more high-value shoppers. At $19.99 per month, the Vital Care program offers discounts on nutrition, cat litter and dog grooming services, among other benefits.
The Vital Care program was launched in 2020 to support the health and wellness of pets. In March, the company updated its membership plan to include more perks like 20% off all litter for cats and 10% off all nutrition. Petco has since expanded its Vital Care program to include small pets like hamsters, birds, and fish. Loyalty is a crucial growth lever for many pet retailers, and Vital Care membership has played a key part for Petco customers.