Remember when Starbucks' rewards program was easy to understand?  Ever miss that simplicity when you find yourself incapable of doing the star math required to figure out when you're getting a free macchiato? Payments exec and entrepreneur Navneet Singh does, and more than thinking the new change is irritating, he also notes that it is just bad business on Starbucks' part. Main rule of rewards programs? They should be, you know, rewarding — not confusing or annoying.    Read More...

Reigning heavyweight champion, George Foreman, was famously defeated by the late Muhammad Ali in 1974 in the now famous Rumble In The Jungle match. Ali knew he needed to outfox Foreman if he was to win. One rope-a-dope and finishing knockout punch later, he did. Karen Webster sees some similarities in the Rumble in the Big Retail Jungle that pits physical retail champ, Walmart, against its digital challenger, Amazon, in a fight to the retail finish. How do these rivals stack up, really – and what does Webster say most people have missed about Walmart that could put everyone else – including Amazon – at the mercy of its very own retail rope-a-dope?    Read More...

Chick-fil-A is far from the biggest or most widespread fast joints out there. However, the recent release of its mobile app netted a million dowloads in three days and a spot at the top of the app stores — a space few QSR apps have managed to grab and hold. So what's Chick-fil-A's secret ingredient? Young millenial families, and their desperate need to save time. Well, that and free, delicious chicken sandwiches.    Read More...