Tech on Toast, The Hospitality Tech Podcast

💡 Connectivity in hospitality is no longer optional — it’s as important as gas, water and electricity.Host Chris Fletcher chats with Andy Maynard (Head of IT services and Solutions Caffè Nero) and Joe Strudwick (Head of National Accounts, Sky Business) about why reliable networks now power everything from card payments to coffee machines — and how smart operators are treating connectivity like a true utility, not an afterthought.☕ How do you keep 600+ stores online?💸 What’s the hidden cost of downtime?🔐 And how do you build resilience that protects your brand, your teams and your guests?Powered by: Sky Business⏱️ Chapters00:00 – Why connectivity is as vital as gas, water & electricity ⚡01:24 – Meet Andy & Joe02:09 – Inside Caffè Nero’s global network05:08 – Every SaaS tool depends on uptime08:01 – When Wi-Fi drops, operations stop10:02 – Fibre, EPOS, IoT & SD-WAN explained12:58 – Creating one “gold-standard” store setup16:59 – Downtime = money on the floor 💷17:42 – Staff experience and tech frustration24:03 – Treating connectivity like a utility30:04 – 4G failover & real-time monitoring35:03 – The future: security, resilience & smarter sites43:56 – Wrap-up & next steps✨ Key Takeaways​⚙️ Connectivity is as essential as your utilities​🚀 Uptime = revenue, morale & guest loyalty​📶 Standardise, monitor & build in resilience​🕓 Match support to trading hours — not office hours​🔐 Cyber security is now a board-level topic🎙️ Guests​Andy Maynard – Head of IT services and solutions ​Joe Strudwick – Head of National Accounts, Sky Business👋 Host: Chris Fletcher🎛️ Production: Tech on Toast🤝 Series Partner: Sky Business

Chris chats with James Fahy, co-founder of JustTip, about building a tipping and tronc platform straight out of school, the UK’s evolving tipping legislation, and why faster, more transparent payouts matter for teams. James shares what he’s learnt as a first-time founder, how operators can save £5–6k per year through compliant tronc schemes with no NIC for businesses or staff (as discussed), and why partnerships now beat cold calls. We also touch on weekly “JustTip Tuesdays”, EU expansion, and practical AI use across support and outbound sales.Thanks to our friends at Lightspeed — the point-of-sale and payments platform helping restaurants run smoother during peak season.James Fahy — Co-founder, JustTipWeb: justtip.net / justtip.co.ukOrigin story: a coffee-shop moment that sparked JustTip at age 19What JustTip does (the “CAT” pitch): Compliance, Automation of payouts, and Tax savingsTronc clarity: paying tips correctly so no NIC for business or staff (as discussed)Weekly payouts and transparency for teams (“JustTip Tuesdays”)UK vs Ireland: legislation, grey areas, and why big brands move firstCost pressures: using tronc compliance to unlock savings and time backHoliday pay, agencies, and the realities of complex staffing modelsFrom cold calls to partnerships and integrations (scaling the lean way)EU growth and embedded tipping with merchant services partnersSane AI adoption: repeat-issue support bots and smarter outbound — without losing the human touchFounder lessons: impatience, resilience, and being the final line of defence as CEOTransparency + speed = trust. Weekly, predictable tip payouts boost morale and word-of-mouth.Compliance can save real money. Correct tronc flows can mean £5–6k annual savings for a typical site (as discussed).Legislation is tightening. UK requirements (e.g., paying collected tips into staff accounts within a month) are pushing operators to formalise tronc and record-keeping.Partnerships scale better. Integrations and ISO/VAR channels beat one-by-one selling once the product fits.AI helps with the boring bits. Use it for repeat support and structured outbound — keep people for nuanced, emotional interactions.Founder reality. Titles mean little; being there “when it goes wrong” is what wins and keeps customers.“They don’t care about the product — it’s, are you going to be there when it goes wrong?”“JustTip Tuesdays became a thing — like a mini payroll each week.”“If you push tips correctly through a tronc scheme, the business pays no NIC and the employee pays no NIC.”“I got one of the lowest grades in entrepreneurship — then learnt it all on the job.” Intro & sponsor James’s backstory and the coffee-shop spark What JustTip does (CAT: Compliance, Automation, Tax) UK/Ireland legislation & tronc reality Weekly payouts, team impact & transparency Cost savings, holiday pay & agency complexity Scaling: partnerships, integrations, embedded tipping Practical AI in support and sales Founder lessons & what’s nextJustTip — justtip.net / justtip.co.ukSlush (Helsinki) — tech conference referenced by JamesConnect with James Fahy via the JustTip website.If you’re an operator reviewing tipping and tronc, map your current flow and payout cadence — then compare the potential NIC and admin savings from a compliant scheme.Subscribe to Tech on Toast for more operator-first, tech-that-works conversations.Host: Chris FletcherGuest: James Fahy, Co-founder at JustTipProducer: Tech on Toast

This week, Chris sits down with Victor Lugger, co-founder of Big Mamma and Sunday, to unpack how “invisible tech” (think: pay-at-table that just works) can lift guest experience, speed up service, and actually reduce the tech clutter on the floor. From 31 trattorias across 8 countries to Sunday now processing $4.2bn and hitting ~90% adoption in London, Victor shares the operator’s lens on what matters: faster, simpler payments; more time for hospitality; and real-world KPIs that move the P&L.Why “less tech, better service” wins: replacing terminals with phone-based payment, not piling on more tools.Adoption that sticks: 70% in months → ~85–90% in the UK when teams offer the option properly.Guest experience uplift: table turns +12–16% at busy brands; reviews surge when the Google prompt sits right after payment.Tips up, teams happier: 2–4× tips (UK) and ~+12% (US) thanks to AI-powered tip prompts.Loyalty that finally works in full-service: ~52% of Sunday payers enrol vs 2–5% on terminals; earn/burn becomes seamless.Enterprise scale: POS-agnostic (24+ integrations), terminals + pay-at-table + hybrid ordering where it fits.The “guest app” vision: payment as the universal touchpoint to identify 70–100% of guests and trigger CRM/loyalty, not just bookings.00:00 Intro & sponsor: Lightspeed Restaurant01:05 Meet Victor: Big Mamma (affordable luxury) → Sunday (pay-at-table)07:20 Why paying is broken — and how Sunday made it 5-second simple12:10 Staff first: freeing servers for real hospitality, not card machines16:40 Adoption drivers: the team makes the metric21:15 Fine dining vs casual: why higher spenders adopt more25:30 Reviews & revenue: faster turns, Google love, real KPIs31:45 Loyalty that isn’t cringe: enrol, earn, burn without friction38:20 US scale, data-led operators, +12% tips44:05 AI in practice: smarter tip options; ordering patterns; service recovery51:10 UK market maturity: bookings, POS, checkout, CRM56:00 What’s next: Dubai & US for Big Mamma; Sunday’s guest-app flywheel59:30 Where to find Sunday & wrap-up“We’re not adding tech — we’re replacing old tech with something guests already have in their pocket.”“Give guests the option. If 82% choose phone, we’re doing something right.”“With Sunday, tips are 2–4× higher in the UK and about +12% in the US.”“On Sunday payments, ~52% of guests enrol to loyalty. On terminals it’s 2–5%.”“Dishoom Shoreditch went from ~10k reviews at 4.4 to ~38k at 4.8 in 18 months.”Victor Lugger — Co-founder, Big Mamma & SundayWebsite: sundayapp.com(Also live on the Tech on Toast Marketplace.)Lightspeed Restaurant — the point of sale and payments platform helping operators fly through the festive rush and beyond.Big Mamma: 31 sites, 8 countries; Dubai opening; US expansion.Sunday: pay-at-table, terminals, hybrid ordering; 24+ POS integrations; $4.2bn processed YTD.Operators: want the numbers behind adoption, tips and table turns? Take our Tech Check and we’ll map your stack and intros.Suppliers: interested in a case study or Shift Talk slot? Get in touch via Tech on Toast.What you’ll learnChapter markersPull quotesGuestSponsorLinks & mentionsCall to action

AI isn’t here to replace ops, it’s here to amplify it. Laure Joyeux (Expansion & Partnerships, Inpulse) and Italo Vendramini (Head of Operations, La Maritxu) share how AI-driven forecasting powers inventory and purchasing, cutting order-building time, lifting availability, and reducing waste. We cover trust on the shop floor, onboarding and support, supplier integrations (incl. EDI/email), and what changes as you scale from one site to many.Presented by Lightspeed Restaurant.GuestsLaure Joyeux — InpulseItalo Vendramini — La Maritxu (Basque cheesecake bakery, London)Key takeaways• ~90%+ production accuracy trending to ~95% as models learn• Pre-filled orders save ~50% time; managers keep final say• Better availability, less spoilage, clearer supplier comms• Two years’ sales history = day-one accuracy; new sites settle in ~2–3 monthsChapters00:00 Intro & sponsor02:00 Meet Laure & Italo06:30 What Inpulse does12:00 Trusting AI on site18:30 Purchasing & suppliers25:00 Onboarding & support31:00 Scaling to multi-site36:00 Final takeaways

This week, Chris sits down with Frederick Szydlowski, Co-founder of Embargo, to unpack how an all-in-one, best-in-class approach to loyalty, ordering and CRM can actually move the P&L—without burying teams in complexity.Freddy’s story runs from professional basketball in Poland to JOE & THE JUICE on King’s Road, to building one of the UK’s highest-rated food & drink apps (4.9★). We dig into why hospitality still loves loyalty but hates complexity, why first-party data beats data scrapbooks, and how Embargo’s product philosophy (own the journey end-to-end) drives adoption, repeat visits and higher direct sales, operators are reporting ~60% higher delivery volume via their own channels versus marketplaces.We also cover Embargo’s expanding toolkit (web & table ordering, kiosks, payments), rapid onboarding (often live in 5–10 minutes per channel), and how their new AI models turn weather, behaviour and lookalike patterns into recommended campaigns you can run in minutes, not months.Brought to you by Lightspeed. This festive season, let your tech do the heavy lifting. Close the year strong with Lightspeed Restaurant.

In this episode of the Tech on Toast Podcast, host Chris Fletcher sits down with David Dillon, Founder and CEO of UROCKED, the digital tipping platform making gratuities transparent, compliant, and fair for everyone in hospitality.Born from a real operator problem, watching his mum spend hours calculating tips by hand, David built UROCKED to make life easier for hospitality teams and ensure every pound of gratuity reaches the people who earned it.A year on from the UK Tipping Act, Chris and David unpack what’s changed (and what hasn’t), how technology is helping to close the trust gap, and why transparency is now essential to both compliance and culture.They cover:💡 The origins of UROCKED and how it simplifies tipping for operators and staff⚖️ One year on from the Tipping Act – has it worked?📱 Why digital tipping boosts transparency, retention, and guest trust💷 What customers still misunderstand about service charges📊 UROCKED’s latest research, 65% of staff rely on tips as part of their income🤝 How tech can balance fairness, compliance, and business sustainabilityFrom “tipping land” to the future of cashless gratitude, this is a refreshingly honest look at how digital innovation can make hospitality fairer, and how small changes can make a big difference to people’s lives.🎧 Listen now and find out why UROCKED is redefining what it means to earn your tips.🔗 Learn more at urocked.com💚 Explore hospitality tech at techontoast.community📍 Follow Tech on Toast on LinkedIn and Instagram for more industry conversations

In this episode of the Tech on Toast Podcast, Chris Fletcher sits down with Joel Robinson, founder of Openr – a data orchestration platform transforming how enterprise hospitality brands manage their tech stacks.Joel shares his journey from Sainsbury’s digital transformation team to leading digital strategy at Azzurri Group, before building Openr to solve one of hospitality’s biggest headaches: fragmented data and disconnected systems.💡 What you’ll learn in this episode:Why mid-market operators (20–30+ sites) need dedicated digital leadership earlier than ever.How Openr creates a single source of truth for product, pricing, and menu data across POS, delivery, websites, kiosks, and more.The three big wins for operators: efficiency, agility, and accuracy.How Stonegate Group went from updating prices just 3–4 times a year to hundreds of changes with confidence.Why Joel prefers “agile pricing” over “dynamic pricing” in hospitality.How AI is helping automate event menus and unlock new revenue streams.The future vision for Openr: optimising profitability across sales, volume, and margin.🎶 Bonus: Joel reveals his surprising past as a classical singer, with appearances at Carols from King’s and even on stage with Dizzee Rascal!Chapters:00:00 – Intro & Lightspeed sponsor02:00 – Meet Joel Robinson, Founder of Openr06:30 – Lessons from Sainsbury’s digital transformation13:40 – Moving into hospitality tech at Azzurri Group19:25 – Why mid-market brands need digital leaders sooner24:50 – The birth of Openr: solving fragmented data32:15 – Efficiency, agility & accuracy – Openr’s three key outcomes39:10 – Stonegate case study: price changes at scale47:30 – Agile pricing vs. dynamic pricing53:50 – Integrations & sweating your tech stack1:02:00 – Practical AI use cases in menu management1:11:20 – ROI stories & customer success1:18:40 – Openr’s future vision1:23:00 – Joel’s unexpected singing career 🎤1:28:00 – Where to find Joel & OpenrLinks & Resources:🌐 Openr: https://www.weareopener.com🔗 Connect with Joel Robinson on LinkedIn: Joel Robinson

In this episode of the Tech on Toast Podcast, Chris Fletcher sits down with Sean Trevaskis, co-founder of Growdash, to explore how restaurants can turn delivery data into powerful marketing strategies.Sean shares his journey from working at Talabat and Deliveroo to launching Growdash, a restaurant growth platform that integrates with aggregators like Deliveroo, Uber Eats, and Just Eat. Together, they discuss:Why restaurants often struggle with overwhelming delivery dataHow Growdash helps operators measure incrementality vs. cannibalisationThe role of AI agent Aisha in becoming “the analyst in your pocket”Key marketing metrics every operator should trackDifferences between the Middle East and UK restaurant marketsThe future of AI in restaurant marketingIf you’re a marketer or operator navigating the complexities of delivery platforms, this episode is packed with insights to help you optimise campaigns, grow sales, and take control of your data.👉 Learn more about Growdash at mygrowdash.com

🍽️ The Return to Experience-Led Dining — Live from Caravan FitzroviaPowered by Shift4 & LunchboxThis week on the Tech on Toast Podcast, we’re bringing you something special — a live panel recording from our recent event at Caravan Fitzrovia, all about the return to experience-led dining in 2025.Big shout out to Adam at Captive Wifi for the content!Guest host Phil Street (Caterer.com) is joined by an incredible line-up of industry leaders:✨ Tom James – Managing Director, Bill’s Restaurants✨ Harry Ridley – Director of Innovation, Levy UK & Ireland✨ James Walker – CEO, Lunchbox✨ Sean Weeraratna Group Operations Director, Gaucho & M RestaurantsAcross stadiums, casual dining, fine dining, and tech platforms, our panel dives into:💡 Balancing speed & storytelling – keeping service efficient without losing personality🤖 Tech as an enabler – removing friction, not the human touch🎯 “Moments of magic” – how to wow guests without blowing the budget🛠️ Test, learn, kill – knowing when to double down or ditch the tech🤝 Partnership power – why creative collaborations matter🕰️ Experience redefined – how guest expectations shift by time of day and occasionFrom personalised service and guest data, to AI crowd management and handwritten cards in deliveries, this episode is packed with practical tips, creative ideas, and honest insights from operators who are living it every day.🎧 Tune in for real-world stories, fresh inspiration, and a few laughs along the way.

In this episode of the Tech on Toast Podcast, Chris Fletcher welcomes back Dominic Child, VP of Sales at Ingredifind, for a conversation that goes beyond compliance and into the real operational and emotional impact of allergens in hospitality.Together, they explore why allergen management is still largely manual in a digital-first industry, how it affects staff confidence, guest trust, and operational flow – and how Ingredifind is changing the game.Dominic explains how their platform tackles the three biggest pain points:The lack of trust between suppliers and operatorsFriction between guests and serversThe burden on staff under pressure to get it rightThis isn’t just a conversation about technology — it’s a call to modernise how we handle one of the most sensitive parts of service.🔥 What You’ll Learn:Why allergen management is the final digital frontier in hospitalityThe operational and reputational risks of ‘just ticking the compliance box’How self-service allergen tools boost repeat visits by 26% month-on-monthWhy training alone won’t solve the problem — and what willHow Ingredifind’s plug-and-play platform works with existing systemsThe surprising scale of dietary needs — beyond the ‘top 14’ allergens📊 Key Stats Mentioned:74% of customers prefer to self-serve allergen info30% of adults avoid certain foods due to adverse reactions40% of diners will avoid restaurants if they can’t view menus in advanceDiagnosed allergies affect 2 million UK adults – with children’s rates even higher📲 Links & Extras:🎥 Watch the full webinar demo of Ingredifind’s platform [insert link]🛍 Visit Ingredifind on the Tech on Toast Marketplace [insert link]📩 Contact Dom: dchild@ingredifind.com📌 Coming Soon:Ingredifind is teasing a major summer announcement that could revolutionise allergen matrices — keep an eye on their LinkedIn for updates.

What do Isle of Wight ferries, dirty tables, and KFC at midnight have in common? This episode. Chris is joined by the silky-voiced Jamie White, Head of Business Development at WRS, fresh off the back of a brand revamp (RIP “Systems”) and full of stories from hospitality, media, and SaaS trenches.🧠 Whether you’re a single-site pub or a 100-venue group, Jamie’s here to talk about: • ✨ Why WRS dropped the “Systems” and what it says about where tech is going • 🎙️ Jamie’s radio past (he needs his own podcast – we said it first) • 💸 How kiosks are quietly boosting spend and smoothing service • 🤯 Why putting in tech without fixing your process first is like driving a Ferrari at 20mph • 📊 The surprising POS reports helping operators win back 80 hours a week • 🤖 What AI actually means in hospitality right now (hint: not magic robots… yet) • 🤝 Why consultative selling and relationships still rule the tech game🍞 Bonus: hear Chris confess to a KFC bucket at 12:30am. We’ve all been there.🚀 Want to future-proof your tech stack?Take your free Tech Check and find out where the gaps are – from kiosks to kitchen screens.📌 Stuff we mention: • WRS LinkedIn • Cornish Bakery (spoiler: Jamie wants one on the Isle of Wight) • Isle of Wight Festival – yes, there are stories… • Deliverect – our brilliant podcast partners keeping orders flowing 🎧 Subscribe, share, or shout at us from across the pass – just make sure you’re listening.

In this episode, Chris Fletcher sits down with Sonny Wells, founder of Sonny’s – the soon-to-launch fast-casual food brand with a mission to make eating out safer and more inclusive for people with allergies, especially coeliacs. Sonny shares his personal journey through a difficult diagnosis, what sparked the idea for Sonny’s in Dubai, and how a chance encounter with Sir Richard Branson turned into national visibility and a wave of investor interest.They talk about why “gluten-free” often isn’t really gluten-free, the lack of trust coeliacs feel in mainstream restaurants, and the operational minefield most hospitality brands face when trying to serve guests with allergens. Plus, Sonny gives a sneak peek into how he’s building a scalable, confidence-first QSR brand—with tech, training, and trust at the core.💡 Key Topics Covered:The painful diagnosis that inspired Sonny’sWhat “truly gluten-free” actually means—and why most brands get it wrongThe difference between clean, allergen-free fast food and processed optionsHis pitch to Sir Richard Branson and winning the “Elevator of Dreams”How Sonny plans to scale the business through tech, training, and franchisingThe role of kiosks, face-to-face service, and roving allergen expertsChallenges with dairy-free cheese and lessons from early advisorsWhy confidence is the brand’s core value—and what that means in practiceThe untapped market of allergy-conscious consumers, and why it’s growing fastThe vision for Sonny’s in the UK and beyond🔗 Connect with Sonny:Instagram: @sonnystheceliacBusiness Page: @sonnys_foodLinkedIn: Sonny Wells💬 Chris’s Take:“Sonny’s isn’t just a food brand—it’s a confidence brand. It’s answering a real, growing need in hospitality with compassion, energy and commercial smarts.”

Guest: Gab Lopez, MD at 24social (MVG Media)Host: Chris FletcherSeries: Tech on Toast Season Sponsored by DeliverectThis Week’s Slice:What if building a pub website took less time than pouring a pint?Chris sits down with Gab Lopez, MD of 24social, to talk about making websites work for hospitality – not the other way around. From their AI-powered “MyPlace” product for venue managers to scalable enterprise tools for group operators, 24social is transforming how pubs, restaurants and bars show up online – mobile-first, lightning-fast, and without the headache.You’ll hear about:🍽️ How the “AI menu” turns a phone snap into a full food menu online📱 Why venue managers can build a live website from their mobile in minutes🎯 Why websites still matter more than ever – even in a world dominated by social media⚙️ How 24social’s platform grows with operators – from one venue to 100🎉 Real operator stories (like Punching Palooka’s cocktail bar journey)🔗 Seamless integrations with booking systems, events, and even live sport🧠 The UX and accessibility trends redefining digital presence for hospitality🎤 And yes, Gab’s side gig as a school compère and 10K-running dad!Whether you’re a GM drowning in PDFs or a head office team managing 50 sites – this episode is for you.👀 Learn more🌐 24social.io🤝 Find Gab Lopez on LinkedInBrought to you by Deliverect – powering order management across thousands of hospitality businesses to reduce errors, streamline service, and deliver better guest experiences.Subscribe to Tech on Toast and discover the stories shaping the future of hospitality – one shift at a time.

This week, Chris Fletcher is joined by two guests with serious flavour and flair: James Packham, founder of cult bacon sandwich brand Le Swine, and Nick Clark, founder and MD of Sheffield-based creative studio 93FT. What starts with a bacon butty turns into a masterclass in brand building, creative bravery, and how friendship can drive business success.Together, they unwrap:How a stolen sandwich sparked a businessTurning a street food truck into a brand with national reachDesigning a café that feels nostalgic and newWhy great design is more than just visuals – it’s storytellingThe rise of ‘hole-in-the-wall’ dining and micro-conceptsWorking with heritage suppliers and building guest experiences that lastExpect plenty of laughs, some seriously tasty storytelling, and honest chat about scaling without selling out.🔥 Why Listen?Whether you’re running one site or rolling out fifty, this is a must-listen for anyone building a hospitality brand from the ground up.🛠️ Guests:James Packham, Founder, Le SwineNick Clark, Founder & MD, 93FT🍳 Highlights:The “bacon epiphany” moment in ClerkenwellDesigning with intention: from colour palettes to reclaimed floorsNavigating Covid with care kits and delivery hacksThe importance of supplier relationships in hospitality storytellingBecoming an employee-owned creative agency📦 Try it yourself:Head to leswine.co.uk to grab a bacon kit or visit the café in East Sheen.Design inspo? Visit 93ft.com or connect with Nick Clark on LinkedIn.

In this episode of the Tech on Toast Podcast, Chris chats with Rob Bowie, co-founder of Marker, the UK’s first standardised sustainability rating for hospitality. Rob shares the journey behind launching Marka with co-founder Chiara, and how their gamified platform is helping restaurants, pubs and cafés take tangible steps toward sustainability—without the overwhelm.💡 What’s inside: • Why Marka is like a “food hygiene rating for sustainability” • How gamification and AI help operators drive real impact • The commercial value of shouting about your sustainability wins • How Marka's rating system works (and what it really takes to get ‘Outstanding’) • The challenges (and wins) of scaling a purpose-led business from NewcastleWe cover the shifting consumer mindset, the reluctance from operators to be first movers, and why sustainability needs to be team-led—not dumped on one overworked person.🍻 Expect plenty of laughs, a few digs at food hygiene ratings, a surprising Hard Rock Café chat, and serious insight into how sustainability can be a differentiator rather than a tick-box.👣 Start your journey at wearemarka.co.uk

In this episode of the Tech on Toast Podcast, Chris Fletcher chats with Archie Heaton, Head of Commercial at Level, the salary-linked financial wellbeing platform that’s making waves in hospitality.We dive into:Archie’s journey from Microsoft and Xbox to startup lifeWhat on-demand pay really is—and why it’s not a debt trapHow Level compares to WageStream and why many operators are making the switchThe real impact of financial flexibility on retention and team moraleWhy hospitality is next in line for a financial wellbeing revolutionAnd how Level is now powering platforms for other providers, like US giant Daily Pay💬 “You only get one chance to mess up someone’s pay. People don’t forget.”💡 This one’s for the operators, people directors, and GMs who want to do things better—for their team and their business.🔗 Learn more:👉 Explore Level on the Tech on Toast Marketplace📧 Contact Archie: aah@levelft.com🔍 Follow Chris: @techontoast🧡 Like what you hear?Follow the show, leave a review, and share with someone who needs to hear this!

This week on the Tech on Toast Podcast, Chris sits down with the always-insightful Joe Heather, Regional General Manager for Northern Europe at Deliverect, the Order Management Platform powering thousands of digital orders across hospitality and retail.From deep dives into the ever-evolving world of kiosk tech, third-party logistics, and marketplace dominance, to spontaneous chats about dogs, golf, and growing teams across borders, this one is packed with both insights and energy.What we cover:🍕 Why Deliverect is more than an integration platform📦 The retail delivery boom, and how Deliveroo and co-op might just replace your corner shop🛍️ How customer expectations from Amazon and Uber Eats are shaping hospitality tech🧠 Joe’s take on operator loyalty, tech partnerships, and the psychology behind marketplace ordering📊 How Pulse and Dispatch are giving operators more control over downtime, data and delivery🐶 Why a Labrador named Mars might be the best career move Joe’s ever made, seriouslyTop Takeaways: • The mid-market restaurant squeeze is real, and QR, kiosk and speed are winning. • Operators aren’t just thinking about “tech stacks” anymore, they’re thinking about order flow. • Retail’s on-demand revolution is just beginning, and Deliverect is building the rails. • Consumer convenience to price point. And speed is becoming non-negotiable.💬 “If it’s an order, and it needs managing, we want to be the platform to control it.” Joe Heather🔗 Want to connect with Joe? He’s very available on LinkedIn: Joe Heather on LinkedIn🖥️ Learn more about Deliverect: www.deliverect.com🎧 Like what you heard? Hit follow and check out more from Season 12 of the Tech on Toast Podcast, proudly supported by our pals at Lightspeed. For a demo of their all-in-one EPOS, head to lightspeed.co.uk/techontoast

In this episode of the Tech on Toast Podcast, Chris Fletcher sits down with Jonny McKenzie, co-founder and CEO of Bustle, the cafe management platform built by operators for operators. Jonny flew all the way from Auckland, New Zealand, for this conversation—and it shows in the insights shared.Jonny’s story is anything but ordinary. From launching cocktail bars in his early 20s to running a full-service cinema and now building Bustle, he’s lived every shift, every challenge, and every spreadsheet that independent hospitality operators face.☕ What’s in your cup this episode? • Why Jonny left IT to shake cocktails—and how that shaped his tech career • The pain of running multiple venues without visibility—and how Bustle fixes that • Bustle’s “88% Rule” for building features that work for real operators • The myth of rapid transformation: why real clarity takes time • Emotional loyalty vs points-based systems—what real recognition feels like • Why Bustle celebrates when their customers outgrow them • Why most POS systems fail creatives—and what Bustle is doing differently • The rise of bakery as the new coffee shop culture • How price confidence, not just cost control, can help operators sleep at night👀 Who should listen?This one’s for independent owner-operators, hospitality creatives, and anyone who wants to use tech without losing the soul of service.📍Want to meet the Bustle team?Find them at heybustle.com, or pop by their stand at London Coffee Festival (just follow the treasure hunt 👀).💡 “We’re not trying to replace the human behind the counter—we’re just helping them stay in business.”⸻Brought to you by Lightspeed, the EPOS and payments platform trusted by hospitality leaders like Big Mamma, Mallow, Mildred’s and more. Check out lightspeed.co.uk/techontoast to book a free demo—real-time insights and slick service await.🎧 Follow us for more fresh takes on hospitality + tech.#TechOnToast #HospitalityTech #POS #CafeLife #Bustle #HospitalityCommunity

Ready to get quizzical? 🧠🍻In this laugh-out-loud episode of the Tech on Toast Podcast, Chris Fletcher sits down with ✨ Mark Walsh ✨ – the fashion-journo-turned-tech-founder behind Kwizzbit, the interactive quiz platform shaking up the pub game across the globe!From loading up fashion mags in the 90s to loading quizzes into over 47 countries, Mark’s journey is anything but ordinary. He shares how his love of music, people, and pub culture led to creating Kwizzbit – a platform where anyone can run a full quiz night from their phone. No pens. No paper. No faff. Just proper fun.In this episode, we chat:✅ From fashion journalism to hospitality tech✅ How Rock and Roll Bingo paved the way for Kwizzbit 🎸✅ Why the smoking ban created opportunity, not chaos✅ How venues can drive footfall, capture data & boost sales with one smart quiz✅ What it means to build tech that your mum could actually use 👵📲✅ Plus: Chris joins a live quiz mid-show (and rates himself a bit too highly)Mark also shares:🔧 Why they built Kwizzbit to be plug-and-play💸 How hospitality venues can try it for £60 for 3 months – unlimited quizzes included!📺 What’s coming next: Kwizzbit Live and Quizbit Solo (spoiler: it’s big)Whether you’re a pub operator, restaurant group, hotelier or just nostalgic for those classic quiz nights – this one’s for you.👉 Try Kwizzbit: www.kwizzbit.com📲 Follow Mark on LinkedIn: Mark James Walsh🎯 Explore the Tech on Toast marketplace: www.techontoast.com💬 As ever, brought to you by our mates at Lightspeed – the platform powering over 165,000 venues to scale at, you guessed it, the speed of light. ☕✨Tune in, laugh along, and maybe even beat Chris in the quiz (it’s not hard).👇

🎧 Flex Appeal: How YoungOnes Is Flipping Hospitality StaffingGuest: James Medd, COO, YoungOnesHost: Chris Fletcher, Tech on Toast PodcastRecorded at BrewDog Waterloo, this episode explores how flexible staffing is reshaping hospitality.Chris sits down with James Medd to uncover how YoungOnes, the freelance staffing platform, is empowering operators to find vetted, on-demand talent in minutes — and giving Gen Z more control over when, where, and how they work.In this episode:✅ Why flexibility is the future of hospitality staffing✅ How Gen Z and side-hustle culture are changing the game✅ Why YoungOnes isn’t an agency — and why that matters✅ How operators are cutting labour costs and improving service quality✅ The tech James wishes existed…Whether you’re scaling a team or freelancing for freedom, this one’s packed with insight.🔗 Links🌐 YoungOnes💼 James Medd on LinkedIn⚡ Explore Lightspeed EPOS⏱️ Timestamps00:00 – Intro02:15 – What is YoungOnes?06:42 – Freelance lifestyle & Gen Z work culture10:00 – How it works for operators14:25 – Trust, ratings & smart matching18:40 – Planning vs panic: The flexi-labour approach23:10 – The future of staffing28:00 – The tech James wants to see31:00 – Where to find YoungOnes🎙️ Subscribe for fresh conversations every week with the sharpest minds in hospitality & tech.#HospitalityTech #FreelanceWork #StaffingSolutions #TechOnToast #YoungOnes #FlexibleStaffing