Papa Johns expands Google AI partnership
Papa John’s International is building on its implementation of Google Cloud artificial intelligence technology to transform its ordering and delivery experience.
The world’s third-largest pizza delivery company, which migrated its data centers to the Google Cloud platform in 2021, has now created an innovation team named PJX that will leverage Google Cloud AI, data analytics and machine learning capabilities in an effort to provide a more frictionless, consistent omnichannel customer experience.
Through its partnership with Google Cloud, Papa Johns expects to drive success through increased order frequency, higher-value orders, reduced customer service costs, and improved customer satisfaction via a Google Cloud-based chatbot.
"At Papa Johns, our aspiration is to be the best pizza makers in the business," said Todd Penegor, president and CEO, Papa Johns. "Being the best means we are crafting great pizza and providing every single customer a superior experience along every part of their journey – from ordering, to delivery, to our loyalty program. Our partnership with Google Cloud will enable us to take personalization to the next level. We're not just reacting to orders – we're anticipating our customers' needs and proactively providing tailored recommendations and offers."
Key Google Cloud AI projects include:
- Anticipation of customer needs: Using the Google BigQuery, Vertex AI, and Gemini platforms, Papa Johns will proactively suggest orders through push notifications or email, based on learned customer preferences and anticipated needs for upcoming occasions like birthdays or sporting events.
- Hyper-personalized loyalty experiences: By applying Google's generative AI models against its data, Papa Johns will help optimize loyalty program rewards and benefits. In addition, the pizza maker will be equipped with real-time personalization that dynamically adjusts the website and app experience for users, such as presenting unique discount codes or advertisements based on previous orders, customer preferences, or location.
- Predictive ordering and personalized marketing: Papa Johns will be able to predict customer ordering patterns to provide relevant promotions and ordering shortcuts. This also includes AI-driven marketing campaigns that can deliver personalized offers, content, and timing based on preferences.
- AI-powered customer interactions: Papa Johns plans to build an AI-equipped chatbot that can handle common customer inquiries and seamlessly escalate complex issues to live agents. The retailer will also incorporate AI-powered voice ordering via the app.
- Optimized restaurant operations: Papa Johns will transition to a Google Cloud-based POS system to support AI-driven dispatching, route optimization, and intelligent automation of key restaurant processes.
"Throughout its history, Papa Johns has been at the forefront of technology innovation – and its innovation team understands that AI has the power to transform the customer experience into something truly special," said Matt Renner, president, global revenue, Google Cloud. "Google Cloud's portfolio of data, analytics, and AI capabilities is helping Papa Johns deliver proactive, hyper-personalized service that goes above and beyond for its customers."
In other AI technology implementations, in summer 2024 Papa Johns began leveraging an AI solution from Loadmill in an effort to elevate its software testing capabilities. In addition to automating repetitive manual tasks, the retailer is utilizing Loadmill to construct an interconnected testing framework.
[READ MORE: Papa Johns tests software with advanced AI]
Papa John's International Inc. is co-headquartered in Atlanta and Louisville, Ky. and is the world's third-largest pizza delivery company with more than 6,000 restaurants in approximately 50 countries and territories.
