How do restaurant brands create loyalty when every guest wants something different? Joel Bulger, CMO of WOWorks, the parent company of Saladworks, Garbanzo Mediterranean Fresh, Frutta Bowls, Barberitos, The Simple Greek, and Zoup!, explains how the fast-casual restaurant group markets distinct brands while sharing technology, data, supply chains, and operational resources. He discusses building stronger customer relationships through customizable menus, nutrition filters, digital ordering, and loyalty programs. Bulger also explores using AI to analyze menu performance and personalize offers, co-branding concepts to reach more occasions, and ambassador programs that turn local customers into advocates. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How Fast-Casual Brands Build Loyalty

Wharton Marketing Matters

When I go to Barbaritos, I want two kinds of lettuce, right? I want iceberg and I want spinach and then I want black beans but no rice and then you go down and I want fresh. I know, I'm over here salivating, Joel. Come on, man. I'm like, I'm sitting here starving. Marcus, I'll meet you down in Georgia next time you're down there. Okay, let's do it. Marketing Matters. Marketing is absolutely critical. You can have the greatest product in the world if no one knows about it. It just doesn't matter.

People think out of the box it's going to make you more creative but sometimes when you're in a constrained situation that's when a lot of creativity blooms. Barbara, you use Uber Eats, don't you? My husband does. I don't believe in the internet. I didn't know that the internet was faith-based. I'll tell you, you could just buy the car we bought. We have a hybrid. What'd you buy? I don't know exactly. The power of brands, ladies and gentlemen. This is Marketing Matters on the Wharton Podcast Network. Hello and welcome.

You're listening to Marketing Matters on the Wharton Podcast Network, which is our weekly podcast where we analyze the latest in advertising, marketing, customer behavior, new product launches, branding, retailing, everything marketing. I'm Barbara Kahn, the Patty and J.H. Baker Professor of Marketing. We're waiting for our co-host, Americus Reid, who hopefully will be in as the interview goes forth.

If not, I'm here to carry the flag because we're very excited today to have a very interesting person who has an interesting model. We're talking today to Joel Berger, who's the CEO of WowWorks. That's the parent company behind six fast casual restaurant brands. You may have heard of them.

How Fast-Casual Brands Build Loyalty

Read the full transcript

The candid version is on a podcast,
not the earnings call.

How Fast-Casual Brands Build Loyalty

Read the full transcript

The candid version is on a podcast, not the earnings call.

The candid version is on a podcast,
not the earnings call.