1851

This summer, Chick-fil-A tested a new service feature at three of its Houston franchise locations. <a href="http://www.kallpod.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=chick-fil-as-kallpod-partnership-grabs-headlines-2708710" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Kallpod</a>, a small, three-button device that customers can use to request service, has been quietly changing the way customers engage with servers and management at restaurants and hospitality venues across the U.S. and Canada for the past few years. Chick-fil-A is among the highest-profile foodservice chains to adopt the device, as well as the first in the quick service sector, and the early results are making waves throughout the industry.

One of the three Houston franchisees saw re-order revenue increase 500 percent after installing Kallpod. Those are the types of<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2018/07/12/chick-fil-a-boosts-sales-with-electronic-butler-bell.html?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=chick-fil-as-kallpod-partnership-grabs-headlines-2708710" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> results that make headlines</a>, even outside of the foodservice industry.

<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/aliciakelso/2018/04/03/chick-fil-as-growth-trajectory-fueled-by-demand-for-simplicity/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=chick-fil-as-kallpod-partnership-grabs-headlines-2708710#75ec7245612b" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Chick-fil-A is known for its focus on service</a>, so when it makes a change to its customer-facing operations, the industry pays attention.

&ldquo;On the surface, this addition may sound like a simple augmentation of Chick-fil-A&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/aliciakelso/2018/04/03/chick-fil-as-growth-trajectory-fueled-by-demand-for-simplicity/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=chick-fil-as-kallpod-partnership-grabs-headlines-2708710#301eb2f25612" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">standard-bearing customer service</a>. But the numbers indicate it&rsquo;s much more than that,&rdquo;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/aliciakelso/2018/07/16/balancing-act-restaurants-must-meet-demand-for-both-service-and-technology/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=chick-fil-as-kallpod-partnership-grabs-headlines-2708710#6434a6bb15ea" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> wrote Alicia Kelso for Forbes</a>.

She concludes, &ldquo;Chick-fil-A&rsquo;s Kallpod experience&hellip;underscores how technology can facilitate better customer service. In the increasingly competitive limited-service landscape, the brands that figure out how to successfully strike the service/technology balance will have the best chances.&rdquo;

Franchise Times honed in on how Kallpod encourages secondary orders, something QSR brands don&rsquo;t typically see much of. The magazine <a href="https://www.franchisetimes.com/news/September-2018/Re-Order-Technology-Enables-QSR-Table-Service/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=chick-fil-as-kallpod-partnership-grabs-headlines-2708710" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">interviewed Devin Deshotel</a>, the chief operating officer for two of the Houston locations using Kallpod.

&ldquo;Before we introduced Kallpod, you would hear guests say they were interested in trying a cone but didn&rsquo;t want to order it with their first order placed at the counter,&rdquo; Deshotel said. &ldquo;Now, I often hear guests say that they are going to place their first order and will order the cone at the table. There is a tremendous opportunity for those incremental orders that were not taking place before we implemented Kallpod.&rdquo;

<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2018/07/12/chick-fil-a-boosts-sales-with-electronic-butler-bell.html?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=chick-fil-as-kallpod-partnership-grabs-headlines-2708710" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">CNBC</a>,<a href="https://www.nrn.com/technology/tech-tracker-chick-fil-adds-call-button-secondary-orders?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=chick-fil-as-kallpod-partnership-grabs-headlines-2708710" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Nation&rsquo;s Restaurant News</a> and<a href="https://www.today.com/food/local-chick-fil-help-you-order-table-side-button-t137610?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=chick-fil-as-kallpod-partnership-grabs-headlines-2708710" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Today</a> are just a few of the other national outlets to cover the partnership. Kallpod&rsquo;s CEO, Gabriel Weisz, says the company is thrilled, but not entirely surprised by the amount of press it&rsquo;s received since working with Chick-fil-A.

&ldquo;The service industry is at a crossroads, and people can feel it,&rdquo; Weisz said. &ldquo;When a major brand like Chick-fil-A takes a step forward in the way it interacts with customers, that&rsquo;s something that everyone is going to pay very close attention to.&quot;

Chick-fil-A is not the first big brand to use Kallpod. Marriott, HMS Host, Live Nation, Aramark, and more than 1000 other foodservice and hospitality brands have all brought on versions of the device. But the chicken franchise is the biggest QSR brand to partner with Kallpod, and Weisz predicts it won&rsquo;t be the last.

&ldquo;Kallpod has made a name for itself by allowing service-oriented brands to engage more effectively and more easily with their guests,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;For the most part, that&rsquo;s been with high-end hospitality brands and sporting &amp; music venues that live and die by the quality of their service. But there&rsquo;s a whole other world of restaurants that have a lot to gain by improving their service with Kallpod. Chick-fil-A is proof of that, and I think we are going to see a lot more QSR brands following their lead.&rdquo;

Chick-fil-A’s Kallpod Partnership Grabs Headlines

1851 Franchise

The chicken chain introduced the devices this summer, and the industry is paying close attention to the results.


This brand page has been paid for by 1851. Content within this page that is paid will showcase a Sponsored icon. This means the brand has engaged 1851 FRANCHISE to write the content. Content without the Sponsored Icon is aggregated media placements the brand earned. Questions can be sent to editorial@1851franchise.com

chick-fil-as-kallpod-partnership-grabs-headlines

Right at Home

image of right at home franchisee and service 

How Right at Home’s Performance Groups Help Franchisees Reach Their Goals

right-at-home-performance-groups-franchisee-growth

Paris Baguette

Photo of Paris Baguette sandwich, chips and pastry

Paris Baguette Ranked No. 112 in 2025 Technomic Top 500 Chain Restaurants Report, Climbing Over 20 Spots From Prior Year

paris-baguette-technomic-top-500-ranking-2025

Layne's Chicken Fingers

Photo of exterior of Layne's Chicken Fingers location with red lights around roof

Layne’s Chicken Fingers Closed July With 3 Franchise Agreements Signed and 3 New Restaurants Opened

laynes-franchise-growth-july-2025

Fresh Coat

Photo of a group of Fresh Coat vehicles with team members standing around them

The Power of Local Partnerships: Collaborating With Real Estate Agents, Contractors and Designers

local-partnerships-fresh-coat-painters

TruBlue Home Service Ally

A Booming Industry: The Future of the Home Service Market and Why TruBlue Is Poised To Lead

a-booming-industry-the-future-of-the-home-service-market-and-why-trublue-is-poised-to-lead

Buying a Franchise Masterclass

 Franchise Opportunities

Get Support Buying a Franchise

How to Buy a Franchise White Paper

How to Buy a Franchise

How to Sell Franchises

How to Grow a Franchise

Find a Franchise Supplier

1851 Franchise Opportunities

Franchisor News

Franchisor Power Rankings

FranCamp Mastermind Summit

Franchise Development Website Builder

Franchise Resources

What ALEC-Laffer's Report Means for Franchising

Website Awards

Power Rankings

About 1851

Advertise on 1851

Contact 1851 Editorial

Terms of Use

1851 Login

GROWTH CLUB LOGIN

facebook

instagram

twitter

linkedin

youtube

Keurig Dr Pepper Splits in $18 Billion JDE Peet’s Deal, Creating Global Coffee Giant

keurig-dr-pepper-splits-in-18-billion-jde-peets-deal-creating-global-coffee-giant

McDonald’s Rolls Out Major Value Push To Win Back Customers Amid Inflation

mcdonalds-rolls-out-major-value-push-to-win-back-customers-amid-inflation

Photo of Paris Baguette pastries and beverages 

Paris Baguette Celebrates 250th Café Opening in Frederick, Maryland, Accelerating Expansion and Reviving the Neighborhood Bakery Café

paris-baguette-250th-north-america-cafe

Restaurant Chains Open Their Wallets To Jump-Start Franchise Growth - 1851 Franchise

Restaurant Chains Open Their Wallets To Jump-Start Franchise Growth

restaurant-franchise-incentives-cash-royalty-holidays-fee-reductions

U.S. Budget Deficit Rises as Tariff Revenues Increase — Potential Considerations for Franchising

us-budget-deficit-rises-as-tariff-revenues-increase-potential-considerations-for-franchising

Hooters Leans Into Franchising With Closure of 30 Company-Owned Stores - Agg - 1851 Franchise

Hooters Leans Into Franchising With Closure of 30 Company-Owned Stores

hooters-franchise-model-company-owned-closures

Wendy's CEO Kirk Tanner Steps Down - Breaking News - 1851 Franchise

Wendy’s CEO Kirk Tanner Steps Down Amid Challenges, Leaving Franchisees Facing Uncertainty

wendys-ceo-transition-kirk-tanner-franchisee-uncertainty

1851 Keyword - The Secret To Succeeding With a Part-Time Franchise Is Picking the Right Model

The Secret To Succeeding With a Part-Time Franchise Is Picking the Right Model

part-time-franchises-picking-the-right-model

Hely and Hiral Patel Bring Their Longtime Dream to Life With The Brass Tap

brass-tap-franchise-pasadena-maryland-hely-hiral-patel

graphic image of a franchisee spotligh aman kaur of voodoo brewing

How This Trio of Friends Is Brewing Up Community With Voodoo Brewing Co. in Prosper, Texas

Chick-fil-A’s Kallpod Partnership Grabs Headlines

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS