Dive Brief:
- Burger King has hired Thibault Roux as chief digital officer in the U.S. and Canada, effective July 18, the company announced Friday.
- The executive will work with Burger King’s digital team to shape the company’s digital growth strategy geared toward guest experience.
- Roux will join the company as it focuses on growing its digital platform, which includes a loyalty program that expanded nationwide last year.
Dive Insight:
Roux previously held various digital leadership roles at Optum, UnitedHealthcare and Target, and will use his experience to continue Burger King’s growing digital sales momentum.
“Thibault joins the iconic Burger King brand well-equipped to define, refine and execute a transformational digital experience for our valued guests,” Tom Curtis, president of Burger King North America, said in a press release. “Thibault will partner across analytics, marketing, operations and restaurant technology teams to integrate the digital guest experience into everything we do as a brand — with the aim of both exceeding guest expectations and driving profitable restaurant traffic.”
Burger King’s digital channels made up about 9% of total sales during Q1 2022, Restaurant Brands International Chief Operating Officer Joshua Kobza said during the company’s earnings call in May.
Delivery growth, an increase in mobile order and pay and traction from its loyalty program and digital campaigns helped boost digital sales growth, he said. One of Burger King’s campaigns, a free fry perk, launched in April, provided loyalty members a free order of fries with one purchase per week through the end of the year.
“Promotional initiatives did help drive digital engagement at both Burger King and Popeyes [in Q1],” Kobza said on the call. “At Burger King, Whopper meals performed well on digital channels and marked the first time we offered exclusive builds and meals through our digital platform.”
Burger King is also in the midst of transforming its drive-thrus with digital menu boards, which Kobza said the company is on its way to completing in the U.S. and Canada. The chain’s original goal was to complete this transformation by mid-2022. The company also is testing new prototypes of mobile-focused locations.
