3 minute read
QuickBites: Customers Demanding Digital
Huck’s foodservice offer includes grab-and-go and roller grill items, plus Godfather’s pizza and a proprietary chicken offer at select locations. Beverage options include fountain drinks, smoothies and bean-to-cup coffee at new or remodeled locations.
TECH FOCUSED
Huck’s provides food and product delivery with the help of third-party apps.
“In every area where we can be, we’re partnered with the third-party delivery services Grubhub, Uber Eats and DoorDash. At our Godfather’s locations, we have Godfather’s Online,” Grimes said.
While the chain offered curbside pickup as an option during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, there wasn’t a significant demand for it in Huck’s market area.
Huck’s is currently integrating online ordering and third-party delivery into its Huck’s Bucks Bigg Rewards app.
The Huck’s Bucks Bigg Rewards app features its near-five-star-rated loyalty program.
Huck’s is currently testing self-checkout kiosks and preparing to expand that to more locations. The chain also features bitcoin kiosks and bitcoin ATMs in several sites. And it has a gaming section in several of its Illinois stores.
Huck’s also features frictionless payment through the Skip app at all locations. Customers open the Skip app, scan the items and pay within the app. Huck’s is now working to integrate the Skip frictionless payment with its Huck’s Bucks app, so customers only need to open the Huck’s app to both pay and receive loyalty rewards in the future.
“We are also building out alternative payments (ACH, PayPal, Venmo, etc.), online ordering and digital fuel pump activation,” Bayley noted. “Currently, we are working on integrating all of these features into a single-app ecosystem to streamline the customer’s experience and be able to engage with the Huck’s brand inside, (in the) forecourt or from home.”
LOOKING AHEAD
Huck’s is eager and ready for growth in 2022, Bayley noted.
“At the end of the day, we want to be peoples’ first choice for convenience. And we want to be the first choice for food offerings. We want to be considered a viable alternative to the quickservice restaurant,” Grimes said.
“We are here to stay,” added Bayley. “We are growing. We are excited for a new year and the years to come.”
quickBites
CUSTOMERS DEMANDING DIGITAL
From dining to groceries and everything else on retail shelves, pandemic-savvy consumers now expect the option of ordering pretty much everything via their computers or handheld devices. Subscription services, curbside pickup, home delivery and even in-vehicle payment have empowered customers to have it their way — however, whenever and wherever.
ITEM OF THE MONTH CLUB
Responses from a proprietary shopper community via online surveys between Jan. 25-27, 2022, found that, for a variety of items like beverages, meal kits, clothing, pet products and more …
22% of consumers use online subscription services
Source: Acosta, “The Lingering Impact of COVID-19 on U.S. Shoppers,” Feb. 16, 2022.
KEYBOARDING FOR CULINARY
Absent from consumers' radars a few short years ago, online grocery shopping is now used by nearly seven out of 10 consumers.
68% Share of consumers who at least occasionally are shopping online for groceries
Source: Acosta, “The Lingering Impact of COVID-19 on U.S. Shoppers,” Feb. 16, 2022
DIGITALLY DELICIOUS
While pandemic fears and falsehoods may divide many consumers, digital ordering from restaurants will be a normal customer expectation moving forward, regardless of stereotypes attached to vaccination status.
Which features restaurant customers say would encourage them to spend more on food orders:
Vaccinated Very, Extremely Likely to Be Vaccinated Somewhat Likely to Be Vaccinated Slightly, Not at All Likely to Be Vaccinated
Online payment ability 32.4% 43.9% 41.3% 35.3%
Online ordering ability 29.8% 41.3% 33.8% 33.2%
CURBSIDE CONVENIENCE
Estimates say the global in-vehicle payment services sector will show a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) averaging around 45% for the next several years as automakers invest more in the technology that makes it easier for motorists to purchase everything from fuel to french fries.
IN-VEHICLE PAYMENT SERVICES MARKET IN…
2021 exceeded $600 million
2028 is expected to grow to $10 billion
Source: Global Market Insights, “In-Vehicle Payment Services Market,” February 2022
THE HANDHELD GROCERY CART
Online grocery market total sales continue to grow, according to estimates from Coresight Research. The COVID-19 pandemic drove total sales to nearly double from 2019 to 2020, yielding a 94% jump. While that trend has since slowed, projections say it will continue.
Year Projected Food and Beverage Online Sales 1-Year % Change
2021
$67.1 B 17.9%
2022
2023
$88.9 B
$110.7 B 32.4%
24.5%
2024
$134.4 B 21.4%
2025
