Pepsi is continuing to demonstrate its commitment to Black-owned restaurants through an even bigger Royalty Rewards program in its second year.
The Royalty Rewards program, launched as part of Pepsico’s $50 million commitment in 2020 to support Black-owned restaurants nationwide, is turning to social media for consumers’ input on the country’s best Black-owned restaurants.
“We’ve spent the last three years living up to that 2020 commitment,” said Scott Finlow, chief marketing officer for PepsiCo Global Foodservice. “We’re going a lot bigger this year, tapping into the passion people and foodies have for their favorite restaurants.”
Through the program, consumers can nominate their favorite Black-owned restaurants by submitting their names at “DigInShowLove.com” or by scanning a QR code at participating restaurants.
The ten restaurants with the most nominations will be enrolled in Black Restaurants Deliver, an eight-week consulting program that offers personalized expert consulting to help Black-owned restaurants build online ordering capabilities and search presence. To date, the Black Restaurants Deliver program has helped more than 200 restaurants around the country with an average 72% sales increase overall including an average 249% increase in online sales, Finlow said.
In addition, five of those 10 restaurants will also receive $10,000 in digital ad-buying services. The restaurant with the most nominations overall will have the opportunity to showcase its signature dish at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. The winning restaurants will be announced in the lead-up to “Pepsi Dig In Day,” which encourages dining at Black-owned restaurants on a single day in August.
This year, consumers will also be eligible for prizes, including $1,000 gift cards redeemable at their nominated restaurants. One grand prize winner will win tickets to next year’s Super Bowl and a trip to Las Vegas, and one first prize winner will receive a trip to New York City to experience the Platform by the James Beard Experience at Pier 57.
To raise awareness for this year’s initiative, the company has enlisted Keith Lee, who hosts a food review program on TikTok with more than 12 million followers. Pepsi and Lee will use their combined social might to promote the Restaurant Royalty program and the participating Black-owned restaurants, Finlow said.
“He does really authentic reviews of local restaurants, and we’re excited to have him building awareness of this program,” Finlow said. “When we considered the objectives of this program, we thought he was the perfect partner to achieve them.”
The ten restaurants with the most nominations will be enrolled in Black Restaurants Deliver, an eight-week consulting program that offers personalized expert consulting to help Black-owned restaurants build online ordering capabilities and search presence. To date, the Black Restaurants Deliver program has helped more than 200 restaurants around the country with an average 72% sales increase overall including an average 249% increase in online sales, Finlow said.
Five of those 10 restaurants will also receive $10,000 in digital ad-buying services. The restaurant with the most nominations overall will have the opportunity to showcase its signature dish at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. The winning restaurants will be announced in the lead-up to “Pepsi Dig In Day,” which encourages dining at Black-owned restaurants on a single day in August.
Source: brand-innovators.com