Global branded payments provider, Blackhawk Network, announced that the nation’s largest Asian dining concept, Panda Express, has launched a digital gifting program powered by Blackhawk’s CashStar Consumer technology. Using Blackhawk’s end-to-end suite of services, the partnership allows Panda Express to provide a seamless ecommerce experience for customers in digital channels across devices. The program was officially rolled out for consumers in June to support the restaurant’s more than 2,000 locations across the country.
“As consumers continue to be faced with limited gifting options as a result of the pandemic, we are excited to be able to offer digital gifting solutions to help us meet our guests’ expectations,” said Scott Varley, Senior Manager of Retail & Off-premise, Panda Restaurant Group. “Through our partnership with Blackhawk, we were able to not only simplify the experience for our guests, but also triple our eCommerce gift card sales in the first two months on the platform.”
Sales data from Blackhawk Network’s partners revealed that gift cards sold directly from a restaurant or merchant’s website since mid-March are up 70% over 20191. It’s more important than ever to have an optimized ecommerce gift card program, and Blackhawk’s technology allows for a flexible, tailored experience that includes distribution, automated marketing promotions and fraud mitigation.
“Even before the rapid shift to digital that we are experiencing now, everything was moving toward being conducted digitally. This new program perfectly positions Panda Express to continue serving their customers across devices, wherever they are,” said Jennifer Philo, GVP, Business Development, Blackhawk Network. “By leveraging our digital gifting platform, Panda Express is able to not only cater to today’s diverse, cross-channel shopping behaviors, but also to deliver a customized, engaging experience for their customers.”
