US-based fast-casual chain WaBa Grill has bolstered its partnership with Bikky, a customer data platform (CDP) tailored for multi-unit restaurants.

As the restaurant brand looks to expand further in the US, it aims to deepen relationships with guests beyond their loyalty programme.

Founded in 2006, WaBa Grill has grown across the West Coast of the US, with nearly 200 locations.

As the restaurant brand looks to expand further in the US, it aims to deepen relationships with guests beyond the loyalty programme.

Bikky's platform has enabled WaBa Grill to analyse the behaviour of more than ten million guests since 2020, a 12× increase over the number of guests viewable through its first-party ordering platforms.

Initially focused on marketing, WaBa Grill is now leveraging Bikky's data across various aspects of its business, from product offerings to operational efficiency. 

WaBa Grill is currently undertaking a menu redesign, informed by insights from Bikky, which revealed opportunities to streamline the menu for improved customer engagement.

This data-driven approach has enhanced WaBa’s ROI on lower-funnel marketing campaigns and enabled it to reallocate dollars for top-of-funnel strategies that attract new customers.

WaBa Grill chief marketing officer Mark Finnegan said: “We initially saw Bikky as a tool to make our outbound marketing more strategic.

“We quickly saw that the data had applications across our entire business, especially for optimising our menu and operations. We’re now using the data to inform some exciting improvements.” 

Finnegan added: “The data showed us that we could put our menu real estate to better use with products that are stickier for our guests. Before Bikky, we could only guess what effect removing a menu item would have. Understanding the impact now though has been extremely clarifying, especially as we look for ways to optimize and evolve our menu.”

Bikky co-founder and CEO Abhinav Kapur said: “WaBa has one of the most unique consumer value propositions on the market. From their wide array of proteins to the accessibility and affordability of their model - they have so much to offer today’s more value-conscious guests.

“We’re proud to empower them with the ability to make more precise - and profitable - decisions across their marketing and menu as they look to bring their concept to even more guests across the country.”

With this partnership, WaBa Grill joins other brands such as Dave’s Hot Chicken and Bojangles in adopting Bikky's advanced analytics capabilities.

In August 2024, US-based smoothie franchise Robeks partnered with Bikky, to enhance its understanding of customer interactions and drive growth.