Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s upgrade digital loyalty program

The parent company of two quick-serve brands is overhauling its customer engagement and loyalty efforts across all stores.

CKE Restaurants Holdings Inc., the owner, operator and franchisor of the Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s chains, is utilizing the Par Technology Punchh customer loyalty, offers and engagement solution to introduce an upgraded digital loyalty program to all of its stores. The company is also an existing user of Par Technology Brink POS hardware and software for its corporate-owned restaurants.

CKE is rolling out the Punchh enhanced loyalty solution in phases to fully support CRM activities at both its Carl's Jr. and Hardee brands. The implementation includes the deployment of new customer acquisition tools; as well as solutions to manage marketing campaign automation, integrated offers, and data analytics.

Additionally, the company is integrating Punchh loyalty technology directly into its unified digital commerce tech stack, which includes the Olo platform for online ordering and delivery.

Another fast food hamburger chain, Jack in the Box, also leverages the ParTech Punchh platform, in an effort to update its online ordering interface and mobile app, while adding a digital loyalty program. Jack in the Box leverages the Punchh customer loyalty, offers and engagement solution across its 2,219 corporate and franchised restaurants. Leveraging Punchh technology and services, the retailer updated its online ordering interface, and also added a loyalty program to provide an upgraded app and digital experience for customers.

Jack in the Box is also implementing a Punchh add-on coupons and promotions module that enables it to send targeted offers to customers outside of its loyalty program, supplementing the loyalty program with a more robust, holistic promotion layer.

“We are very excited about how this partnership with PAR will elevate our guest experience even further,” said Phil Crawford, CKE CTO. “Punchh provides a convenient solution to engage customers with their seamless in-store and online interfaces, making it easier than ever to reach our guests through multiple interconnected touchpoints. We look forward to seeing our brands continue to grow and adapt to the technology that is driving the restaurant industry’s success.”

“It’s wonderful to be expanding our long-term relationship with CKE, with their selection of Punchh. A dynamic digital loyalty program is a cornerstone for a successful food-service operator. Coupled with our strategic hardware and software solutions, CKE is creating a truly unified commerce system,” said Par Technology CEO Savneet Singh. “We look forward to seeing our loyalty solution's immediate and long-term impact on CKE’s brands systemwide.”

CKE Restaurants Holdings Inc. is a privately-held company based in Franklin, Tenn. that runs and operates Carl's Jr. and Hardee's. With both a US and international footprint, Carl's Jr. Restaurants LLC and Hardee's Restaurants LLC have over 3,900 franchised or company-operated restaurants in 44 states and 42 foreign countries and U.S. territories.