Jennifer Faren

40 industry leaders were selected by Brand Innovators based on their professional accomplishments, ability to leverage digital media and emerging advertising technology platforms (including digital video, social media, mobile, content data and analytics and e-commerce) to implement “best-of-breed” marketing and advertising campaigns.

Brand Innovators 40 Under 40: Jennifer Faren

Chili’s, the flagship brand of Dallas-based Brinker International, launched the My Chili’s Rewards loyalty program in May, featuring more than 70,000 tabletop tablets at its more than 800 company-owned restaurants. This state-of-the-art loyalty program leverages technology, personalization, and gamification to make earning and redeeming points easier and more engaging than ever before.

My Chili's Rewards provides a fully digital experience where guests can use the Ziosk® tablet on their… Show more

Chili’s, the flagship brand of Dallas-based Brinker International, launched the My Chili’s Rewards loyalty program in May, featuring more than 70,000 tabletop tablets at its more than 800 company-owned restaurants. This state-of-the-art loyalty program leverages technology, personalization, and gamification to make earning and redeeming points easier and more engaging than ever before.

My Chili's Rewards provides a fully digital experience where guests can use the Ziosk® tablet on their restaurant tables or the Chili's app on their mobile phones to sign up and track points and the table top technology to redeem points in restaurant real-time. Show less

Chili’s Grill & Bar, winner of HT’s 2015 Restaurant Breakthrough Award for Customer Engagement Innovator, was the first restaurant brand to partner with leading table top tablet provider Ziosk. Chili’s aim was to adopt the right form of consumer facing technology that would change the interaction with guests for the better, giving guests control and a more personalized experience. Chili’s also sought a solution to gather data on restaurant operations, marketing and menu decisions. Chili’s… Show more

Chili’s Grill & Bar, winner of HT’s 2015 Restaurant Breakthrough Award for Customer Engagement Innovator, was the first restaurant brand to partner with leading table top tablet provider Ziosk. Chili’s aim was to adopt the right form of consumer facing technology that would change the interaction with guests for the better, giving guests control and a more personalized experience. Chili’s also sought a solution to gather data on restaurant operations, marketing and menu decisions. Chili’s officially launched in September 2013 and finished the roll out to the entire company system by the end of 2014 — a total of 823 locations in less than eight months — and has since rolled out to all franchise locations. The technology, featuring a 7-inch tablet and encrypted credit card reader, resides on each table and enables guests to see menu items, play games, view news and entertainment, order food and beverages and pay-on-demand. Since implementation, pay-at-the-table is the most used feature, reported at over 80%. Survey responses have increased 30-fold. Show less

Chili’s® Grill & Bar is constantly striving to find new ways to innovate the dining experience and engage with guests on a personal level in an effort to enhance customer connection and increase loyalty.

With the recent shift in consumer behavior toward incorporating technology into their dining experience, Chili’s knew they had to embrace the digital era and find a solution that would give guests the convenience and control they crave when dining out. So, in Sept. 2013, Chili’s… Show more

Chili’s® Grill & Bar is constantly striving to find new ways to innovate the dining experience and engage with guests on a personal level in an effort to enhance customer connection and increase loyalty.

With the recent shift in consumer behavior toward incorporating technology into their dining experience, Chili’s knew they had to embrace the digital era and find a solution that would give guests the convenience and control they crave when dining out. So, in Sept. 2013, Chili’s partnered with Ziosk®, makers of the world’s first ordering, entertainment and pay-at-the table tablet, to revolutionize the casual dining experience with the installation of the largest tabletop device network in the United States.

Today, the Ziosk 7-inch tablet is displayed on almost every Chili’s table nationwide, giving guests the ability to interactively peruse menu items and specials as well as order desserts and reorder beverages whenever the craving strikes. Additionally, guests can play games together, share their real-time feedback with the brand and pay the check right at the table the moment they choose.

With Ziosk, Chili’s is no longer limited to the one dimensional aspects and limited space of traditional marketing mediums, such as a menu or point-of-purchase display. The communication channel presents opportunities to share the Chili’s story in a more dynamic way and strategically send messages to guests at just the right time during the meal. To leverage this tool, the brand is constantly creating visually-engaging content, such as videos, interactive trivia and quizzes and compelling images, which better illustrate the story behind the brand, its food, beverages and partnerships.

With the introduction of Ziosk, Chili’s exceeded their goals – innovating the guest dining experience and pushing brand perception and relevancy as the first casual dining restaurant to successfully incorporate tabletop tablets in restaurants nationwide. Show less