IHOP partners with Google Cloud to enhance online ordering using AI technology

TL;DR:

  • IHOP partners with Google Cloud to enhance nationwide online ordering through AI technology.
  • Logged-in users will receive personalized suggestions for their frequently ordered items.
  • IHOP became the first restaurant chain to utilize Google Cloud’s Recommendations AI for online ordering.
  • Google Cloud’s Recommendations AI leverages its experience from Google Ads, Search, and YouTube to provide tailored recommendations.
  • The AI system considers customer preferences and changes in menu offerings, pricing, and promotions.
  • IHOP’s CMO emphasizes the shift towards online orders, with over 20% of recent sales from to-go business.
  • IHOP optimized its to-go experience with a new website, user-friendly app, and loyalty program.
  • Google Cloud’s AI products enable IHOP to create a unique item recommendation engine for a personalized online experience.

Main AI News:

IHOP has joined forces with Google Cloud to elevate its nationwide online ordering experience using cutting-edge AI technology. The synergy aims to provide logged-in patrons with an enhanced and individualized interface, replete with tailored suggestions for frequently ordered favorite items from IHOP’s repertoire. Pioneering the culinary domain, IHOP has become the foremost player in harnessing Google Cloud’s Recommendations AI technology exclusively for online ordering.

At the heart of IHOP’s innovative culinary recommendation engine lies Google Cloud’s Recommendations AI solution, harnessing Google’s extensive background in curating recommended content across platforms such as Google Ads, Google Search, and YouTube. The strategic integration of Recommendations AI empowers IHOP to leverage Google’s proficiency in artificial intelligence and machine learning, thereby crafting an online ordering experience that impeccably aligns with patrons’ inclinations, considering factors like individual preferences, menu updates, pricing modifications, and promotional events. For instance, should a customer exhibit a penchant for piquant selections in past orders, IHOP will deftly propose its novel Poblano Eggs Benedicts.

As a brand deeply committed to prioritizing our patrons, IHOP consistently channels resources into innovations that resonate with their evolving preferences and expectations. Notably, the escalating preference for online ordering among patrons has burgeoned IHOP’s to-go segment, constituting over 20 percent of total sales in recent years,” affirmed Kieran Donahue, IHOP’s Chief Marketing Officer. “In our dynamic collaboration with Google Cloud, we’re infusing AI into IHOP’s online ordering sphere, seamlessly simplifying the process of placing orders, swiftly locating favored selections, and uncovering our latest offerings relevant to each individual’s palate and interests.

IHOP’s strategic deployment of Google Cloud’s AI capabilities across its expansive online ordering framework coincides with the upsurge in demand for digital orders. Recent times have witnessed IHOP optimizing its to-go facet with the launch of an intuitive website, a user-friendly app, and an exclusive guest loyalty program laden with rewards. The brand also boasts industry-leading to-go packaging, skillfully designed to preserve heat while repelling moisture through its innovative circular form – an architecture tailored to accommodate IHOP’s iconic pancakes.

By harnessing Google Cloud’s Recommendations AI and BigQuery tools, our internal tech team has engineered a trailblazing item recommendation engine, a pioneering endeavor in the realm of dining that rests upon Google’s AI prowess,” affirmed Krish Lakshminarayanan, Vice President of Data and Analytics at Dine Brands. “IHOP is rapidly forging ahead, developing, training, configuring, and launching its own AI models, seamlessly engaging with patrons to deliver a personalized online experience.”

Carrie Tharp, VP of Industries at Google Cloud, emphasized IHOP’s adept utilization of AI to enrich customer encounters, stating, “IHOP stands as a prime exemplar of an action-oriented enterprise harnessing AI to amplify customer experiences. This move ensures that one of America’s cherished culinary destinations employs Google Cloud’s latest AI innovations not only for patron delight but also to fuel its growth trajectory.”

Conclusion:

Incorporating Google Cloud’s AI technology into IHOP’s online ordering marks a significant step towards enhancing customer engagement and satisfaction. The utilization of Recommendations AI demonstrates the growing trend of businesses leveraging AI for personalized experiences. IHOP’s successful integration sets an example for the restaurant industry, highlighting the potential for AI to drive growth and provide value to both customers and businesses.

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