Keeping Things Current

BurgerFi deploys new technology for improved customer experience

By Marianne Wilson

BurgerFi has deployed a new solution to ensure the digital menu and marketing boards in its stores keep pace with the most current information.

One of the nation’s fastest-growing better burger concepts, with approximately 125 locations, BurgerFi stores use digital signage to alert customers to product pricing, promotions and special offers. But the company had experienced challenges in updating information consistently across its store fleet because each location managed its own displays — the screens were not networked together within or across locations.

As a result, many screens displayed outdated and inaccurate content, with some signs showing stale images for months at a time. Also, because different locations used digital sign technology from different vendors, BurgerFi had difficulty performing regular maintenance and scheduling emergency repairs.

New Solution: To remedy this situation, BurgerFi sought a uniform, systemwide solution that that could schedule, display and manage digital menu content. The company also wanted to support dynamic pricing changes and promotional offers and integrate digital applications in its network for a better customer experience.

After reviewing options, BurgerFi

Flexible Expansion

selected a cloud-based content management system (CMS) from Hughes Digital Signage. It gives BurgerFi management anytime/anywhere access to all the digital menu boards and marketing boards across all its locations.

Hughes connected each location’s screens to the CMS, enabling the potential for branded content to be scheduled by time of day, audience and promotion. Screens now display dynamic content, including videos, social media feeds and media-rich animations — all pushed out to select screens and locations within the system. BurgerFi can vary display content by region or state, or deliver the same content franchise-wide.

Individual locations also can customize corporate-approved content by integrating social media channels and hashtags.

A flexible footprint model helps keep BurgerFi’s expansion on track.

In addition to expanding its portfolio by opening both corporate- and franchisee-owned restaurants, the fast-casual “better burger” chain is also opening ghost kitchens in Gopuff fulfillment centers across the country in response to the ongoing demand for takeout and delivery options. (BurgerFi entered into a license agreement last year with online delivery platform Gopuff to expand the delivery of BurgerFi items in up to 30 markets nationwide by the end of 2022, following a successful pilot program in Tallahassee, Fla.)

In addition, BurgerFi is expanding its presence in airports. It’s currently operating in Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, Buffalo Niagara International Airport, Jacksonville International Airport, and Raleigh-Durham International Airport.

Projected airport openings in 2023 include another location in Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport and one at Newark Liberty International Airport.

BurgerFi also integrated its digital signage system with Olo, an online restaurant ordering and delivery platform that supports its online ordering, ghost kitchens and delivery programs. The retailer uses the solution to send out daily pricing. Now, when BurgerFi adjusts pricing, the changes update automatically across all menu boards in the system.

Previously, menu board and marketing board content was updated monthly by restaurant managers or staff using a USB stick. Now, BurgerFi’s corporate marketing team can update content as frequently as desired across all locations, in an effort to better engage customers and support product promotions.

BurgerFi’s rollout of the CMS solution includes new screens with integrated signage players at many locations and new signage players on existing screens in other locations, enabling a unified player platform across all sites.

The retailer also obtains access to network management, spanning installation, proactive monitoring and fast remediation, both automated via Hughes artificial intelligence for IT operations capability and on-location, when needed, with field service personnel.

BurgerFi has access to the Hughes portal, 24/7 support, and a nationwide team of field technicians.

In another innovative in-store technology deployment, BurgerFi is leveraging the Oracle Micros Simphony Cloud POS solution as a restaurant hub. The chain is implementing new technologies on the platform such as customized tablets, contactless payments, and tabletop and kiosk ordering to enhance its in-store dining experience.

Utilizing the platform’s enterprise restaurant management capabilities, BurgerFi is also simplifying front- and back-of-thehouse business operations across in-store and online ordering functions.