Do restaurants understand their customers? Cancellations and failure to transform one-time visitors into regulars is eating into the industry’s $68 billion annual revenue. But, deeper customer data insights can help restaurants improve engagement by targeting promotions to more loyal patrons, says Ben Leventhal, co-founder of reservation software firm Resy. In the latest Payments as a Service Tracker™, Leventhal explains how both restaurants and software providers can stand out in a crowded field.  Read More...

There’s another tech company taking a leaf out of Amazon Go’s book. Meet SmartCart, the grocery cart that identifies items as they’re placed in the basket and charges the shopper automatically as he or she leaves the store. The technology by Imagr just rolled out in a New Zealand Four Square store, but its vision is much, much bigger than that. If Imagr brings its tech to the U.S., what could it mean for Amazon Go?  Read More...

Not all quick-service restaurants (QSRs) are the same — in taste, atmosphere or their adoption of digital technology — and some segments embrace mobile tech quicker than others.Soup, salad and bowl concepts, for example, tend to be more technologically innovative than, say, burger joints. But QSRs overall lag on innovation, with an average score of 38 out of 100 in the PYMNTS Restaurant Readiness Index. Here are five different QSRs that have taken on digital initiatives — and how these changes are impacting their businesses.  Read More...