Press Room

The Bank Customer Experience Summit, held in Charlotte from Sept. 12 to 13, will honor innovators in the space of financial customer experience during an awards ceremony. You may nominate a technology provider or financial institution for an award, as long as it’s submitted by the deadline of June 2. The Bank Customer Experience Summit, which […]

The ICXA Retail Peer Group offers retail leaders a rare chance to share insight and talk retail customer experience issues, trends and challenges. This spring marks three years from COVID-19 hitting hard in the U.S., shuttering retail stores and spurring retailers and brands full force into digital channel strategy. Yet while consumers are fully back […]

Mark the date — Sept. 11-13, 2023 — to network with peers, learn about retail innovations and get a firsthand look at the latest technologies driving customer experience in the retail environment. The ICX Association’s annual official event, the Interactive Customer Experience Summit, presents a multitude of opportunities for brands, retailers and tech partners to network, […]

The 2023 ATM & Self-Service Software Trends Report aims to give key insights into the industry by surveying financial institutions and other companies on how they are utilizing self-service software. The survey for this report is open until May 31. It can be difficult to keep up with trends in a rapidly shifting environment, especially […]

South Carolina-based Groucho’s Deli, which was founded in 1941 and is still family-owned, is the winner of FastCasual’s inaugural Excellence in Guest Experience award. The award was presented in partnership with Ovation, a restaurant guest feedback platform Zack Oates, founder of Ovation, presented the award Sunday night during the Fast Casual Top 100 Movers & Shakers […]

Mod Pizza and Five Guys took home honorable mention for their food safety efforts. Chipotle is the 2023 winner of FastCasual’s Excellence in Food Safety Award, which honors restaurants going the extra mile to protect their customers and employees by providing outstanding food safety. Ryan Dittoe, Chipotle’s director of restaurant food safety and quality assurance, accepted […]

2023 is the year of the chicken chain. Dave’s Hot Chicken took top honors Sunday night at the Fast Casual Top 100 Movers & Shakers awards gala, proving the 5-year-old brand may be new to the industry but it’s here to stay. The gala was held in Chicago at the LondonHouse. The brand’s CEO, Bill Phelps, […]

As part of its commitment to spotlighting up-and-coming fast casual brands, FastCasual is hosting its ninth annual Perfect Pitch contest Oct. 8 and is accepting nominations until June 30, said FastCasual Editor Cherryh Cansler. (Nominate your brand here.) “We’ll choose five brands to pitch their concepts to potential investors and franchisees during our annual Fast […]

One of the biggest challenges for any business is how do to understand its customers and how to act on that knowledge. The keynote address for the Bank Customer Experience Summit, held from Sept. 12 to 13 in Charlotte, North Carolina, will address this question. One of the biggest challenges for any business is how […]

Mark Stutzman, chief technology officer of AREA15 in Las Vegas, will speak on ‘Leveraging Data to Improve the Customer Experience and Journey’ at the Interactive Customer Experience Summit on Sept. 12, 2023 in Charlotte. Stutzman explains the technique and power of crafting experiences for AREA15 visitors. It’s no surprise that the entertainment industry has taken […]

New site will examine technologies for businesses and consumers that sell and or tap automation to increase productivity and enhance the customer experience. Networld Media Group has announced the newest addition to its portfolio of online B2B media brands. The website, Automation & Self-Service, provides news, research and analysis of technology that is transforming the […]

“Sometimes when I consider what tremendous consequences come from little things, I am tempted to think there are no little things.” — Bruce Barton. Elevate Awards winners will be announced and celebrated during a ceremony held September 11-13, 2023, in Charlotte, NC, at the seventh annual ICX Summit , the official event of the Interactive Customer Experience (ICX) Association. […]

The survey for the 2023 ATM & Self-Service Software Trends report is now up. This is the 16th year for the report, which is sponsored by KAL ATM Software. Five financial institution participants will be selected to receive a free pass to the upcoming Bank Customer Experience Summit, held in Charlotte, North Carolina from Sept. 12 to 13. The […]

The Bank Customer Experience Summit will analyze the cutting edge of customer and banking trends and will be held in tandem with the Interactive Customer Experience Summit in Charlotte, North Carolina from Sept. 11 to 13. The Bank Customer Experience Summit this year will analyze the cutting edge of customer and banking trends and will be held […]

The Interactive Customer Experience Summit, which is celebrating its seventh year, is a dual event in 2023 featuring the Bank Customer Experience Summit. The Interactive Customer Experience Summit will celebrate its seventh year at this year’s event taking place Sept. 11-13 in Charlotte, North Carolina. The summit brings together B2C brands to learn from industry leaders, network […]

The Top 100 list recognizes 25 executives and 75 brands in a variety of categories, including Top Menu Innovators, Top Tech Innovators, Top Growth Brands, Top Emerging Brands and Top Executives. Five brands and one executive led Pizza Marketplace’s first list of Top 100 Movers & Shakers, revealed Tuesday during an awards dinner party in Las Vegas. […]

In a keynote address at the Restaurant Franchising and Innovation Summit, three restaurant execs discuss launching Buena Onda, which now has five locations. Seven more locations have been sold. Strategic partnerships between restaurant brands and hospitality groups can result in success. That’s the thought process behind the keynote address at the Restaurant Franchising and Innovation Summit in […]

Seattle-based Dué Cucina, a fast casual Italian brand that competed in the 2019 Perfect Pitch at the Fast Casual Executive Summit, has landed a $2.5 million investment from Mac Haik Restaurant Group, a Houston-based restaurant investment company, according to a company press release. The funding, which allows Dué Cucina to open three locations in Texas within the next […]

Attendees will become mini experts in all-things NFT, digital innovation, fixing the labor shortages and meeting food insecurity needs. Speakers include Blaine Hurst, former Panera CEO, and Bryce Fluellen, executive director of Everytable. What if you could become a mini expert in all-things NFT, digital innovation, fixing the labor shortage and meeting food insecurity needs? […]

Big Chicken’s Sam Stanovich, Dog Haus’ CJ Ramirez and Ovation CEO Zack Oates will help attendees evaluate their customer experiences and provide dozens of strategies to improve them, during the Restaurant Franchising and Innovation Summit, March 20-22 in Coral Gables, Florida. Early bird pricing ends Feb. 10. For hundreds of years the restaurant guest experience […]

Nominations close Feb. 28. Wingstop was the winner of the 2022 Excellence in Food Safety award, and past winners have included Panda Express, Chipotle and Fazoli’s. As part of the 2023 FastCasual Top 100 Movers & Shakers list, FastCasual and Steritech, a provider of food safety assessments, will honor one brand with the fifth annual Excellence in Food […]

2023 will be a big year for the Bank Customer Experience Summit, which gathers bankers, self-service vendors and fintechs to network and discuss banking trends. This year, the summit will be combined with the ICX Summit from Sept. 12 to 13 in Charlotte, North Carolina. This year’s Bank Customer Experience Summit will be co-located with the Interactive Customer […]

Restaurant Franchising & Innovation Summit attendees will learn about Tony Roma’s transition into the fast casual market, Duck Donuts’ growth strategy and Tropical Smoothie’s secret to expanding in a tough market. UFG and PreciTaste leaders will weigh in on industry challenges as well. The Restaurant Franchising and Innovation Summit, being held March 20-22 in Coral Gables, […]

Kathy Doyle has been promoted to CEO of Networld Media Group, a publisher of nine business-to-business websites, including FastCasual and ATM Marketplace. She most recently served as publisher and president of the company and replaces Tom Harper, who will become chairman. Harper joined the company in 1997 following a career in radio advertising and became CEO in 2014. Doyle, […]

Winners of the third annual Self-Service Innovation Awards accepted their plaques during the Self-Service Innovation Summit in Hollywood, Florida. For the third straight year, the Self-Service Innovation Awards honored the products that earned top honors for self service excellence during the Self-Service Innovation Summit. Networld Media Group, host of the event, honored six winners during a […]

For many, December signals the start of holiday shopping and wrapping, but at FastCasual, it’s nomination season for the annual Fast Casual Top 100 Movers & Shakers. As always, the Top 100 recognizes the top 75 brands as well as 25 executives leading the fast casual restaurant industry, recognizing growth and sales accomplishments and honoring menu […]

As businesses and organizations work to extend their customer reach, 5G offers innovative opportunities previously unattainable with wired or other types of connections. During the Self-Service Innovation Summit this week in Hollywood, Florida, attendees will have a chance to learn how companies are using 5G to transform their business and lead their competition in a “Lunch and […]

We have some good news for pizza operators, franchisees and executives of pizza restaurant brands who need a little time to nominate themselves for the inaugural Pizza Top 100 Movers & Shakers. We’ve extended the deadline to Dec. 16, so you have an extra week to complete your nominations by clicking here. Winners will be notified next […]

Kiosks have been around for decades, but a variety of industries are embracing them now more than ever. Brands and retailers are finding that self-service kiosks offer an effective and efficient way to improve the customer experience for a variety of products. Some of those retailers will discuss why they’ve turned to kiosks and how […]

A host of new technologies — artificial intelligence, computer vision, machine learning and other technologies — offer convenience services operators new tools to improve operational efficiencies as well as the customer experience. While innovation brings new opportunities, identifying what technologies to add and when to introduce them has become more challenging than ever. Operators must […]

The Self-Service Innovation Awards will be presented on Wednesday, Dec. 15 at 5 p.m. at the Self-Service Innovation Summit. For the third straight year, the Self-Service Innovation Summit will honor products and companies that have excelled in improving the self-service experience. The annual Self-Service Innovation Awards are a highlight of the Summit, which will be Dec. 14-16 […]

Keeping up with all the new capabilities that technology can offer vending and related services has become one of the biggest challenges for companies active in convenience services. Which of today’s up-and-coming innovations — such as artificial intelligence, computer vision, biometric identity verification, machine learning, virtual reality, augmented reality, cryptocurrency — have proven to boost […]

This special report from Pizza Marketplace will shine a spotlight on the pizza brands and executives of pizza brands that are shaping the future of the pizza segment. Nominations are now open and close Dec. 9. Calling all pizza brand operators, franchisees and executives! Pizza Marketplace is honoring the brands and executives shaping the future […]

S.G. Ellison, president of Diversified Restaurant Group, a Taco Bell and Arby’s franchisee, spoke about how both companies innovate at the #QSRNext event hosted by Networld Media Group and sponsored by Leasecake. Diversified Restaurant Group, a franchisee of 300 Taco Bell restaurants and 29 Arby’s, is among the top innovators for both brands. Helmed by […]

Glen Ryniewski will present an overview of the self service offerings in the works at Chicago airports during a keynote at the Self-Service Innovation Summit, Dec. 14-16 in Hollywood, Florida. Travelers making connections are usually in a hurry. Which is why Chicago’s O’Hare Airport — one of the busiest airports in the country — is […]

In the interest of providing readers with insight on how fast the kiosk industry is growing and what user segments are growing the fastest, Kiosk Marketplace is asking readers for input for its annual Kiosk Marketplace Census. Readers can click here to fill out a questionnaire to the staff in compiling the sixth annual Kiosk Marketplace Census. […]

Ideation Hospitality COO Scott Campanella will join Chef Jose Garces and Ballard Brands CDO Davis Mesa in a keynote panel at the Restaurant Franchising and Innovation Summit being held March 20-22 in Coral Gables. The trio will share how they’ve created a franchise opportunity that addresses the future of the restaurant industry. Although Jose Garces […]

Attendees at the Self-Service Innovation Summit on Dec. 14-16 in Hollywood, Florida, will have a chance to hear first-hand how Luke Saunders identified the need for high quality convenience food and designed and executed a business plan to make it a reality. Who said eating on the go has to be a bad experience? People […]

As e-commerce has increased, more retailers are introducing pickup lockers, and technology providers have introduced a wealth of locker systems to allow retailers to enhance the customer journey. With all the new products on the market, how do retailers decide what systems to invest in? A panel of experts will offer insights for meeting this […]

The first-ever edition of Food Truck Operator’s free ‘Food Trucks to Watch in 2023’ report offers an insider look at two dozen food truck operations across the U.S. — from how they got rolling to marketing approaches. The first-ever edition of Food Truck Operator’s free “Food Trucks to Watch in 2023” report offers an insider […]

Recognizing that QSR leaders needed a convenient way to exchange ideas, tips and advice with one another, Networld Media Group — the publishers of QSRWeb.com and the producers of the Fast Casual Executive Summit — have created #QSRNext, a one-day virtual event taking place Nov. 9 catering specifically to fast food brands. In a session titled “The Delivery Dilemma,” Neil […]

To qualify for the list, each brand had to be no more than six years old, have at least one location open and have never appeared on this list in the past or on the annual list of Fast Casual Top 100 Movers & Shakers. Although the fast casual industry is only about 25 years […]

Following a global contest, five fledgling brands competed for a cash prize and the title of The Perfect Pitch at the Fast Casual Executive Summit on Oct. 10 in Indianapolis, Indiana. The companies’ executives addressed Summit attendees as well as a panel of advisors who offered advice on how to grow their concepts. Advising this year’s contestants […]

Five years after Amazon Go made headlines, automated stores have become one of the fastest-growing retail channels. However, retailers and restaurants face many challenges in how to utilize this expanding technology, and one size does not fit all. Attendees at the Self-Service Innovation Summit, Dec. 14-16 in Hollywood, Florida, will have an opportunity to learn from […]

Recognizing that QSR leaders needed a convenient way to exchange ideas, tips and advice with one another, Networld Media Group — the publishers of QSRWeb.com and the producers of the Fast Casual Executive Summit — have created #QSRNext, a one-day virtual event taking place Nov. 9 catering specifically to fast food brands. 1Huddle CEO and Founder Sam Caucci joins top restaurant […]

While cashless payment continues to expand, retail and convenience services industry experts say consumers continue to use cash and do not foresee its demise any time soon. Certain fast growing industry verticals, such as gaming and cannabis dispensaries, rely heavily on cash while the masses of unbanked and underbanked Americans rely exclusively on cash for […]

It is now up to the readers to vote on the nominations to decide the Reader’s Choice Innovator of the Year, to be honored at the Self-Service Innovation Summit in December. Self-service is on the move like never before, and astute consumers and businesses are finding ways to get things done faster and more effectively. […]

Recognizing that QSR leaders needed a convenient way to exchange ideas, tips and advice with one another, Networld Media group — the publishers of QSRWeb.com and the producers of the Fast Casual Executive Summit — have created #QSRNext, a one-day virtual event on Nov. 9 catering specifically to fast food brands. Katie Cavuto, the vice president of culinary of Saladworks, […]

As mobile order-and-pay options expand for consumers, some believe the role of self-serve kiosks may lessen, while others think they are more important than ever. This is just one conundrum that a panel of experts will tackle during “Mobile pay and self-serve kiosks: Partners or competitors?” which is part of the annual Self-Service Innovation Summit, Dec. […]

Recognizing that QSR leaders needed a convenient way to exchange ideas, tips and advice with one another, Networld Media Group — the publishers of QSRWeb.com and the producers of the Fast Casual Executive Summit — have created #QSRNext, a one-day virtual event taking place Nov. 9 catering specifically to fast food brands. Phil Crawford, the man behind CKE’s digital ecosystem, […]