PepsiCo Foodservice CMO on linking restaurant relief to culture amid a pandemic

Scott Finlow spoke to Marketing Dive about how the food and beverage giant's purposeful efforts have tapped into what's popular now, including John Krasinski's "Some Good News."

By Peter Adams • May 26, 2020

Why QSRs must move past competitive sparring in the COVID-19 era

After years of hijacking each other's campaigns and snarky social media posts, marketers in the category will need to find new tones and tactics as coronavirus upends their business model.

By Chris Kelly • May 22, 2020

Chipotle's TikTok campaign shows off new app features

The chain unveiled a series of "TikTok Hack Menu" videos to show how people can create personalized menu items in its own app.

By Robert Williams • May 20, 2020

Chick-Fil-A, Papa John's top ranking of app performance

The best-performing brands have apps that load on mobile devices quickly to keep customers engaged in a branded experience.

By Robert Williams • May 20, 2020

McDonald's will boost US marketing $100M as dining rooms reopen

It's unclear what future marketing promotions will look like, though the fast-food behemoth is likely to highlight safety precautions early on to address consumer concerns about eating in restaurants.

By Robert Williams • May 14, 2020

Shake Shack debuts social cooking series to build brand community during quarantine

Hosted by Culinary Director Mark Rosati and Executive Chef John Karangis, "Shake Shack at Your Shack" teaches viewers tips on how to make the chain's menu items at home.

By Robert Williams • May 13, 2020

Chili's plans YouTube dinner party with DoorDash

The food delivery app will livestream the event starring performer Chantel Jeffries and celebrity guests including Britney Spears while donating funds to Feeding America.

By Robert Williams • May 12, 2020

Popeyes recruits out-of-work musicians to re-record jingle for pandemic era

A campaign initially targeting New Orleans residents is expanding nationwide and will compensate artists selected via social media submissions.

By Peter Adams • May 6, 2020

KFC hosts virtual Mother's Day dinners on Facebook Messenger

The chain created a virtual Mother's Day experience to help people celebrate the occasion while the pandemic keeps them apart.

By Robert Williams • May 5, 2020

Taco Bell, Chipotle adjust marketing around Cinco de Mayo amid coronavirus

One is leaning into an influencer-led TikTok activation, while the other is translating its experiential expertise to an at-home environment.

By Peter Adams • May 1, 2020

Starbucks to rev up marketing as US stores gradually reopen

The chain says it will keep spend within the 2020 advertising budget but squeeze those efforts into an accelerated schedule, as it uses a "monitor and adapt" strategy to reopen stores.

By Robert Williams • May 1, 2020

Chick-fil-A will launch a meal kit nationwide next week

Two years after its initial meal kit test in Atlanta, the chain expects more than half of its system to offer the $14.99 heat-and-eat chicken parmesan meal.

By Emma Liem Beckett • May 1, 2020

Sonic Drive-In spurs 5x more app downloads with RCS pilot

The fast-food chain saw a customer registration rate that was three times higher for recipients using rich messaging than for more standard MMS.

By Robert Williams • April 27, 2020

Burger King links TV ad with QR code to offer up free Whoppers

In a pair of offers, the QSR urges mobile users to scan a QR code that appears in TV ads and asks them to share screenshots of video calls with friends.

By Robert Williams • April 27, 2020

Denny's gets into gaming with presence on multiplayer platforms

The casual dining chain's Dennys247 account is on Nintendo's Switch, Microsoft's Xbox and Sony's PS4.

By Robert Williams • April 23, 2020

Red Lobster offers custom Zoom backgrounds, Spotify playlist for date nights

The restaurant hopes to drive sales by offering takeout menus and virtual ambience for those looking to recreate the experience of eating out on a date.

By Dianna Christie • April 23, 2020

ChowNow, Instagram launch commission-free online food ordering

Online ordering platform ChowNow partnered with the social media platform to enable restaurants to add "Order Food" buttons to their profiles and Stories.  

By Alicia Kelso • April 16, 2020

Chipotle's CMO on how the brand quickly pivoted in response to coronavirus

Chris Brandt explains how the QSR changed its entire marketing plan in the past month, leading it to enlist Zoom and support healthcare workers.

By Chris Kelly • April 15, 2020

Nathan's Famous upgrades tech, adds geotargeting and digital ordering

In a one-month pilot, the chain saw increased engagement at a lower cost-per-click since adding AI-enabled ad formats to its marketing mix.

By Dianna Christie • April 13, 2020

Burger King encourages people to be heroes by staying home

"Stay Home of the Whopper" salutes healthcare workers while pushing free delivery for housebound consumers.

By Dianna Christie • April 9, 2020

Tripadvisor adds delivery/takeout, gift card information to restaurant listings

The platform has launched a new feature that allows diners and travelers to buy gift cards to their favorite restaurants directly from its website. 

By Alicia Kelso • April 8, 2020

Panera, Subway sell groceries to fight coronavirus sales slump

Legacy chains are taking cues from independent restaurant strategies to open up new revenue streams, offering pantry items from cheese to frozen soup. 

By Emma Liem Beckett • April 8, 2020

Shaquille O'Neal ads drive engagement for Papa John's

The NBA star's endorsement is helping the pizza chain rebuild its image and lift delivery orders following founder John Schnatter's ouster.

By Dianna Christie • April 7, 2020

Brands recalibrate to community-building during quarantine

Social distancing mandates upended in-person activations, leading brands like Chipotle to get creative with cultivating connections online. But can they sustain momentum once the pandemic subsides?

By Natalie Black (Koltun) • April 7, 2020

Shake Shack moves into meal kits as sales sharply decline

The burger chain partnered with Goldbelly, a gourmet food delivery service, to launch a cook-at-home burger kit nationwide. They cost $49 for an eight-pack.   

By Alicia Kelso • April 6, 2020