McDonald’s Taps Capgemini for Digital Push; Burger King Unveils Whoppercoin in Russia
Do you want fries with that?
France-based Capgemini is likely to hear that phrase a lot more now that the consulting and technology services provider, has signed a multiyear IT strategic provider agreement with McDonald’s Corp. to help the fast food giant use technology to improve the customer experience.
With support from Publicis.Sapient, another global consulting services firm, Capgemini will be McDonald’s global IT strategic provider for restaurant and digital capabilities.
The partnership comes after McDonald’s announced in March its global growth plan, including efforts to enable mobile order and pay through the McDonald’s app.
Mobile order and pay, which also enables users to skip the drive-thru in favor of curbside delivery, will be launched in 20,000 restaurants in some of the Oak Brook, Ill.-based chain’s largest markets, including the U.S., by the end of 2017.
“McDonald’s has launched an assertive strategy to transform its business through innovation; we embrace the opportunity to put digital innovation at the core of their business,” says Paul Hermelin, chairman and CEO, Capgemini Group.
Capgemini plans to open a new Global Digital Retail Center in Chicago to support the relationship, develop and showcase industry-applied business innovation, and attract talent to its growing North American operations. Some McDonald’s employees will also join the firm.
“As a strategic provider, Capgemini enhances our ability to bring speed, scalability and disruptive innovation across our restaurant and digital technologies as McDonald’s continues to transform the customer experience through greater convenience and personalization,” says Jim Sappington, executive vice president of operations, digital, and technology systems, McDonald’s Corp.
Whoppercoin Is Born
Meanwhile, McDonald’s rival Burger King has been making headlines since it launched a blockchain-based loyalty program last week in Russia. Dubbed Whoppercoin, named after the chain’s flagship Whopper sandwich, the cryptocurrency will be used to reward customers for their purchases.
The initiative is being run by Burger King Russia and hosted on the Waves Platform. A supply of 1 billion Whoppercoins has already been issued, with more to be issued if required, according to a Waves announcement.
Customers will receive one Whoppercoin for every ruble they spend (US 2 cents), and a Whopper burger can be redeemed for 1,700 Whoppercoins. Additionally, as a blockchain token, Whoppercoin can be freely transferred and traded online, which means customers can save their rewards, send them to friends or sell them to new buyers.
Burger King Russia will release an app for the scheme in both the Apple Store and on Google Play next month.
“Now Whopper is not only burger that people in 90 different countries love—it’s an investment tool as well. According to the forecasts, cryptocurrency will increase exponentially in value. Eating Whoppers now is a strategy for financial prosperity tomorrow,” says Ivan Shestov, head of external communications at Burger King Russia.
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