Restaurants Reinvented: Putting Growth Back on the Menu

This is the first of a short 3-part series with top 2023 sound bites that are resonating deeply in 2024: Artificial Intelligence (AI), Data, and Platforms. This first episode delves into one of the year's most talked-about subjects: Artificial Intelligence (AI). The guests paint a hopeful picture of technology as a tool for enhancement, efficiency and automation--rather than displacement.Join Jen as she is accompanied by industry luminaries: Phil Crawford, former CTO at CKE; Darien Bates CEO of Fourtop Solutions; Richard Shank, Sr. Principal & VP of Innovation at Technomics; and Bobby Yazdani, the visionary Founder of Cota Capital.Moments to Listen for:How artificial intelligence can transform restaurant operations and enhance customer service.Using AI to manage inventory and customize dining experiences.Insights into AI's capacity to streamline tasks and predict trends.Voice ordering with reporting and analytics. And the biggest emphasis of the episode is that technology is built to support, not replace, human efforts.Related EpisodesAI Inside & Outside the Four Walls – Phil Crawford, CKEThe State of Foodservice Technology - Richard Shank, Technomics The Future of Data Starts Here – Darien Bates, FourTopInvesting in the Future of Restaurants - Bobby Yazdani, Cota CapitalRelated Assets: Finally, an App that Saves Your Store Managers Time & Money2024 State of Digital for Enterprise QSR & Fast Casual Brands

Get ready for a blockbuster episode that's been cooking up for years! We've got the incredible Bobby Yazdani, the mastermind behind Cota Capital and lead investor in Qu, joining the party on Restaurants Reinvented with Jen Kern.Jen and Bobby take a  ride through the thrilling intersection of restaurant tech and investment, following Bobby's epic journey from Tehran to the tech capital of Silicon Valley and Oracle. Bobby delves into his investment playbook, sharing the criteria and principles that guide him, learned from over 200+ investments from Uber to Google and Dropbox. They unravel the maze of the restaurant tech ecosystem, from its complexities and emotional connections to the innovation opportunities available today.Hear Bobby wax poetic about leaning into the future of restaurants by building a stable, scalable platform company and culture committed to innovating on behalf of the industry. Moments to listen for:Conditions needed to build a successful platform company; expectations and timelines.The Cognitive Age - today's new new market cycle.The innovation playground created by the constant "tug of war" between customer expectations and operational efficiency.The importance of abstract thinking in technology to turn complexity into simplification.What it means to be a responsible financial and morale steward in the restaurant tech market.We talk Pizza! Bobby's love for pizza and the simplicity of it.Related Episodes:The Big POS ReframeHere’s What Innovation Looks Like – Amir Hudda, CEO of QuRelated Assets: What is a Unified Commerce Platform and Why Does it Matter?Why 2023 is the “Year of Efficiency” for RestaurantsConnect with Bobby on LinkedIn

Get ready to hear all the juicy data and trends that came out of Technomic's "State of Foodservice Technology" report. Our guest, Richard Shank is the Sr. Principal & VP of Innovation at Technomic and he shares all the leading insights from the report with us.We focus on three main pillars defining the future of restaurant tech: 1) the kitchen as the nucleus of the restaurant 2) the role of AI/ML - separating hype from reality 3) the evolution of customer loyalty programsMoments to listen for:Richard  emphasizes that all systems, from front-of-house to back-of-house, must align with the kitchen for a smooth customer experience. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is not just a buzzword; it's a tool that can revolutionize the restaurant industryRestaurants need to innovate in the loyalty space, focusing on personalization and strategic rewards to truly engage customers.Related Episodes:The Big POS ReframeHere’s What Innovation Looks Like – Amir Hudda, CEO of QuAI Inside & Outside the Four Walls – Phil Crawford, CKERelated Assets: Why 2023 is the “Year of Efficiency” for RestaurantsTechnomic: Vital Insights for the Foodservice IndustryConnect with Richard on LinkedIn

In the latest episode of Restaurants Reinvented, Jen Kern dives deep into the current frazzled, tenuous state of POS and tackles head-first the broad misconception that “POS is Dead.” Jen clarifies market confusion by clearly stating that POS isn’t dead but is instead going through a massive transformation and evolution. POS is no longer the main dish, it’s the side dish.POS is neither Hero nor Zero.Jen articulates the current evolution of POS as simply one of many order channels stemming off a data-driven and unified foundational platform. At Qu, this is what we call the Unified Commerce Platform. Moments to listen for:Why POS has become an old habit in the restaurant industryHow POS has evolved from Main Dish to Side DishWhy it's critical we cease saying "POS is Dead" and instead ask "How should my POS evolve to best serve my employees and guest needs in the future?"How to reset your framing of POS so you and your employees can embrace it once again, for what it is now todayWhat's a Data-First Commerce Platform got to do with it? Related Episodes:What Does it Mean to Go “Beyond POS” – Amir Hudda, CEO of Qu (Part 3 of 3)How to Get Closer to Your Customer & What Does POS Have to Do with It? – Solomon ChoiShe’s a Game Changer – Kelly MacPhersonRelated Articles: 10 Components of a Unified Commerce Platform The Big POS Reframe POS is Dead, Right?Connect with Jen on LinkedIn

In this celebratory episode,  Chelsea Madden, Marketing Director at Qu, turns the tables on your hostess Jen Kern, CMO of Qu. Reminisce with Jen & Chelsea as we look back on the past 3 years of the podcast. 3 years, 70 episodes, and thousands of reinventions later, these two marketing mavens muse over the collective beauty and struggle we’ve all experienced in restaurants and technology. The Best News Yet … >> From deep in the pandemic to today’s challenges around labor, supply chain, and efficiency - the American Dream is still alive and well in restaurants! We’ve heard this loud and clear from every brilliant guest who has been on our podcast. Thank you to all our gracious listeners for all your support these past 3 years. We could not have done it without all the generous and caring people in restaurants who exude hospitality from their core. We love and cherish each and every one of you! Your support and enthusiasm have continued to fuel our passion and commitment to this cause, empowering us to keep forging ahead with fresh perspectives and new-found inspiration.Related Episodes:Here’s What Innovation Looks Like – Amir Hudda, CEO of Qu (Part 2 of 3)How to Support Restaurant Employees in Need – Sheila Bennett, CORELabor Series: We’re In The People Business – Amir MostafaviConnect with Jen and Chelsea  on LinkedIn

Join our special guest Kelly MacPherson, from the mega-James Beard award winning Union Square Hospitality Group (USHG). More than a trailblazer, she's been a Game Changer for her entire career.  Kelly shares her remarkable journey in hospitality and retail, from configuring her first POS network to becoming one of the early female CTOs -- and she continues to revolutionize how restaurants operate.Despite plans for retirement, she canceled them to join USHG and lead their Technology and Supply Chain division, driven by the brand's core pillars of "Enlightened Hospitality," a term coined by their famous founder, Danny Meyer. Moments to listen for:Kelly’s mission to change how we deliver Reporting & Analytics.Her quest to use data for powerful storytelling.Building exceptional Employee-First Experiences with a mobile-first strategy.The Connected Restaurant. What it is and how USHG is delivering it.The timeless tech question: Best in Class or All-in-One Solutions?Importance of partnerships and open collaboration among tech companies.The journey to CTO and what convinced Kelly to come out of retirement.The path to achieving “Enlightened Hospitality,” and how USHG does it.Related Episodes:    The Future of Data Starts Here – Darien Bates        AI Inside & Outside the Four Walls – Phil Crawford, CKE     Here’s What Innovation Looks Like – Amir Hudda, CEO of QuRelated Assets:     Article: How Software Architecture Impacts Restaurant Performance     White Paper: What is a Unified Commerce Platform? Connect with Kelly on LinkedInSetting the Table: The Transforming Power of Hospitality, by Danny Meyer 

Two-time authors, Meredith Sandland and Carl Orsbourn, join Restaurants Reinvented for the second time!Hear their predictions about the next big restaurant concept > the digitally native restaurant and key snips from their new book “The Path to Digital Maturity.” Moments to listen for:The key phases in the path to digital maturityHow to better drive first-party data ownershipThe next new concept category to hit restaurants SVB's influence on the startup tech sceneImproving efficiency through AIInnovative approaches to off-prem dining through ghost kitchensRelated Episodes:Delivering the Digital Restaurant – Meredith Sandland & Carl OrsbournMastering the Digital Dance – Michael Chachula, CIO, Fat BrandsAI Inside & Outside the Four Walls – Phil Crawford, CKERelated Assets:8 Digital Trends Shaping 2023The Path to Digital MaturityConnect with Meredith & Carl on LinkedIn

In this episode of Restaurants Reinvented, host Jen Kern from Qu invites Andrew Glantz, the founder of GiftAMeal, and Dan Sokolik, Vice President of Marketing at Lee's Famous Recipe Chicken, to discuss their partnership that aims to fight hunger and support local communities. GiftAMeal is a mobile app that enables users to provide meals to those in need by simply taking a photo of what they're eating at participating restaurants. The app has already facilitated the donation of 1.3 million meals and continues to expand its reach.Moments to Listen for: A unique solution to food insecurityThe role of technology in GiftAMeal's successLee's Famous Recipe Chicken embraces GiftAMealBuilding the GiftAMeal advisory board and teamThe benefits and impact of the partnership on Lee's Famous Recipe Chicken > increased loyalty and social media reach.Related Episodes: How to Support Restaurant Employees in Need – Sheila Bennett, COREAI Inside & Outside the Four Walls – Phil Crawford, CKEAccelerating Digital Transformation – Andy Rebhun, El Pollo LocoRelated Assets:GiftAMealLee's Famous Recipe ChickenConnect with Dan on LinkedIn Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn 

Join the man, the myth, the legend - Phil Crawford, CTO of CKE Restaurants, on how he’s using AI to drive better efficiencies for his brand and what he thinks “the store of the future” will operate like.Moments to Listen for: Harnessing technology more efficiently to save time (labor efficiency), extract data easier (personalization efficiency), and please guests (revenue efficiency)How CKE is using new AI technologies at the drive-thruHow CKE is using AI on the back end to build proactive algorithmsKitchen efficiency and optimization strategies The next generation - what they’ll expect True contextual personalizationTwo critical components of a healthy franchisor-franchisee relationshipGiving back through GiftAMealAbout the Star Wars figurines Related Episodes: Savory’s Growth Formula Starts with Data Ownership – Josh Boshard  The Future of Data Starts Here – Darien Bates  Here’s What Innovation Looks Like – Amir Hudda, CEO of Qu (Part 2 of 3) Related Assets: 2023 State of Digital for Enterprise Brands GiftAMealConnect with Phil on LinkedIn 

Josh Boshard, the COO of Savory, leads the Operations & Technology teams for their 10-brand portfolio. Since their first location in 2008, Josh + Savory have amassed a wealth of best practices that he shares openly in this episode. Key Moments to Listen for: A solid foundation of data ownership & APIs Integrating systems to drive local store performance Partners must share the data A/B testing best-of-breed systems Growth playbooks, benchmarks, and KPIs Restaurants must continually innovate and right now it’s all about AIState-of-the-art technology has no value without the right peopleStick-to-it-iveness makes things happenPutting owners’ goals & values firstRelated Episode: The Future of Data Starts Here – Darien BatesBurn it Down & Fail Forward Fast – Justin Keenen What Does it Mean to Go “Beyond POS” – Amir HuddaConnect with Josh on LinkedInLearn more about Savory 

If you’re wondering how to make sense of that ocean of data your restaurant is trying to wrangle, Darien has answers!Formerly the CTO at &Pizza, Darien’s new company, Fourtop Solutions, is all about helping restaurants organize and activate their data -- while encouraging humans to do the discovery of data and using technology to automate that discovery.Top Moments to Listen For: Technology is not a pre-packaged meal, it’s a set of ingredients with overlapping capabilities and core componentsStart by centralizing your data, or you’ll constantly be back-trackingDashboards are where data goes to die - they don’t make good use of data - humans do“There are no bad systems, only bad architectures”Data is like water and you have an ocean that needs structures and flowsLet robots be robots (automation) and humans be human (discoverers)The value of POS has been largely overlooked; it needs to be a hub to pull in centralized data Hart House is using Fourtop Solutions to deploy its employee-first operations Technology is not a purpose -- it’s a tool to accomplish something; start with your business objectives and then find the right-fit systems to support that. The future of automation and ChatGPTRelated Episodes: Burn it Down & Fail Forward Fast – Justin Keenen of Hart HouseMastering the Digital Dance – Michael Chachula, CIO, Fat BrandsHere’s What Innovation Looks Like – Amir Hudda, CEO of QuTrailblazin’ CTO Completes Full Tech Refresh in Under 1 Year – Dawn Gillis Freebirds World BurritoResources:“Dashboards is where data goes to die” by Darien BatesConnect with Darien on LinkedIn

The CIO of FAT Brands, Michael Chachula, brings the heat to our CTO Trailblazer series talking about all things technology, customer experience, marketing hacks, and how the restaurant world evolved from a show to a dance post pandemic. Are you dancing with your customers? Or still operating a static show? Hot Takes: Training your guests on effectively using all the available order channels is critical to improving order accuracy and avoiding defection. 5 Components of FAT Brands tech organization - Technology, Data, Security, Digital, and Tech Ops. Best of Breed, Distilled. (hint: it's a mutt). Best of Breed is what's best for you.Biggest barriers facing CIO/CTOs - security, talent pool, supply chainHottest trends - metaverse, bitcoinHow FAT is building a technology toolbox that's flexible,  future-proof and built on a solid foundation. Bolt-on is now glue-on. It's a living organism. The Vision (4 things) - Solid Foundation, Flexible Stack, Control of Data, Personalized Experiences.Don't give up your soul to pursue your dreams. Build a deep, rich network personally and professionally. Keep your people close, have fun at work, and include loved ones in your work travel!Michael's Advice - Listen and Love <3Related Episodes: Trailblazin’ CTO Completes Full Tech Refresh in Under 1 Year – Dawn Gillis, Freebirds Burn it Down & Fail Forward Fast – Justin Keenen, Hart HouseHere’s What Innovation Looks Like – Amir Hudda, CEO of Qu (Part 2 of 3)Connect with Michael on LinkedInLearn more about FAT Brands

Justin Keenen, CTO of Kevin Hart's plant-based QSR, Hart House is redefining the role of tech in restaurants with his burn-it-down, fail-forward mentality. Justin's willingness to embrace change in tech and use it to create a remarkable experience establishes him as a titan in the industry. Find out how Justin built his restaurant tech stack from the ground up to align with the Hart House brand vision. Key Moments to Listen For:Don't be afraid to burn it all down and start again. Fail forward. It's not legacy's fault that your restaurant tech hasn't been updated in 25 yearsDon't forget what you're running away from Tech is no longer optional in restaurants. It's a requirement Aligning tech with remarkability Best-of-breed vs all in onePutting your employees first Related ResourcesHere’s What Innovation Looks Like – Amir Hudda, CEO of Qu (Part 2 of 3)Trailblazin’ CTO Completes Full Tech Refresh in Under 1 Year – Dawn Gillis Freebirds World BurritoWho Comes First: The Employee or Guest? – Lauren FernandezListen Up … (to your employees) – LeBaron Meyers, NotMe SolutionsMaking Technology Invisible in the Restaurant – Amir Hudda CEO of Qu (Part 1 of 3)Connect with Justin on LinkedIn 

Dawn Gillis, CTO of Freebirds World Burrito, kicks off our new CTO series and we couldn't find a better pioneer in our space. In true trailblazin' in fashion, she joined the fast-casual concept and took the brand by storm, revamping the entire technology stack - including POS, KDS, Back of House, and Online ordering - in under a year.Dawn shares all her secrets and strategies for achieving the ambitious technology platform upgrade - as well as the early results she's achieved which are beyond impressive!Key Moments to Listen For:The process of replacing 25-year-old architecture and 10-yr old systems with new technology  Early results from the tech refresh with Qu > 98% decrease in training and labor hours; and 97% reduction in online ordering failures (lost transactions and sales)How to align your tech refresh with the brand valuesHow to sell your stakeholders on a new tech vision The most common barriers faced by restaurant CTOsWhy MACH mattersWhy being uncomfortable is a Good Thing! Related Episodes:Here's What Innovation Looks Like (Part 2 of 3) - Amir Hudda, CEO of Qu What Does it Mean to Go “Beyond POS” – Amir Hudda, CEO of QuArticle: POS is Dead, Right?Connect with Dawn on LinkedIn 

In this 3rd and final part of our mini-series, Amir Hudda, the CEO of Qu discusses the evolution of POS technology in the restaurant industry and what it means to go “Beyond POS.” Today, it's possible to build a platform from the ground up that will last for the next 20 years. The challenge is eliminating the mindset of fear restaurant operators have toward new technology.  Find out how a strong foundation of trust between restaurant operators and tech providers helps restaurants embrace new technology.  Key Insights 🎙️Beyond POS is: Uniforming the guest experience and driving operational efficiency by providing real data value. The data that flows in/from POS is more important than anything else for restaurant operators. Qu's system lets them make decisions in a quasi-real-time fashion allowing them to serve guests in-store and digitally in a more meaningful way.🎙️Out with the old. POS companies cannot survive by doing things the old way. Allowing restaurant brands to be more nimble and efficient in serving guests anytime anywhere and going beyond traditional ways of building technology is critical. 🎙️A glance back.  As with most companies, navigating the pandemic was difficult for Qu. Amir feels fortunate to have investors who put trust in them to innovate and a team who collectively stepped up to make these technology advancements happen.“The investment we made in our people and our technology is here to stay and will add value to our brand partners and our customers for a very long time.” 🎙️Looking forward.  "I'm excited to share everything we've built over the last 2 years. We've talked a lot about things like Notify and Edge Computing but there's a lot more to come and I'm looking forward to educating restaurants not only about what we created by why we created them." Related ResourcesMaking Technology Invisible in the Restaurant – Amir Hudda CEO of Qu (part 1)Connect with Amir on LinkedIn

In this 2nd part of our 3-part mini-series with Amir Hudda, the CEO of Qu, we discuss technology innovations that improve transaction speed, in-store redundancy, and uptime.  We dive into innovation areas like Edge Computing and how it helps reduce data loads (speed) when implemented on modern cloud architecture. We also discuss Voice Ordering and how Qu was "accidentally" led to integrate voice into our mobile reporting App, Notify. Bonus content: Learn how real-time POS data can drive pricing, promotion, and production optimization. Key Insights🎙️Removing technology as a burdenYou cannot afford downtime as a restaurant. You need technology with real-time capabilities and no lag times for optimal guest experiences and team member efficiencies. 🎙️The Definition of Edge Computing Edge Computing brings data  closer to the point of purchase, with deeper computing power to the store level. Results: Improved speed and redundancy.🎙️Experiments with Voice Ordering Voice ordering had multiple hops to the cloud and created lags for guests. We needed redundancy and speed. This was the genesis for looking into edge computing.🎙️Doubling Down on Innovation During the PandemicWhile many companies had layoff and less innovation, our investors asked us to innovate in a way that would help the restaurants come out stronger. Edge computing was integrated into our platform during this time. Related ResourcesMaking Technology Invisible in the Restaurant – Amir Hudda CEO of Qu (part 1)Notify: App that Saves Franchisees Time & MoneyHow Edge Computing is Revolutionizing Restaurant TechConnect with Amir on LinkedIn

In this 3-part mini-series, Jen interviews the CEO of Qu, Amir Hudda. We reflect on the past 2 years of sweeping industry changes and how we can collectively innovate to create a more sustainable and profitable future for restaurants. Technology is just one piece of that puzzle, but a larger one than ever before. Jen and Amir explore the historically tense relationship between restaurants & technology - and how to make it less “friction-filled” -  in this short and educational segment.Quotable Highlights: Margins, not people, have challenged the industry when it comes to adopting the best foundational technology The recent pace of change (and pandemic) forced many large restaurants chains to bolt new technology onto old legacy architectural foundations, creating more friction with operator and guest experiencesThe goal is: How do we make technology invisible in the restaurant? Frictionless experiences are not the best goal - LESS FRICTION is the more attainable goal. The pendulum swung too far for operators - from one tech provider to many - hoping we can get back to fewer moving parts for the restaurants to have to deal with. The pandemic created too many different tech stacks in the larger enterprise restaurant chains.The pace of tech adoption has been slower in our industry, but when it does happen with enterprise-level brands, it is very well thought out and planned. Innovation is essential, but we have to innovate collectively as an industry. We cannot have a meaningful impact if the innovation is not a collective effort. Not just one company or person here and there, all of us need to focus on innovation to move the industry forward more sustainably. Focusing on your #1 asset - People - is how you can have the biggest impact.  Related Episodes:One Lean Mean Restaurant Machine - Peter Wiley of Rapid Fired Pizza & Hot Head BurritosDelivering the Digital Restaurant - Meredith Sandland & Carl OrsbourneThe New Way to Do Employee Training - Rachel Nemeth, OpusResources: The Path Forward for Enterprise Restaurants - a Unified Commerce Platform. Connect with Amir on LinkedIn

If you want to hear what it’s like to open a restaurant in 2022 - listen to Kerry Fitzmaurice, Founder of Pure Grit BBQ.  She found her Chef on Instagram during the pandemic, started with selling sauces, then did pop-ups, and recently opened her first location in NYC in May. Not only is she reinventing what BBQ looks and taste like, but she’s on a mission to make it accessible and delicious for anyone -  carnivores, omnivores and plant-eaters!She shares her early journey with us, all the ups and downs, and the happy guest and team moments that make it all worthwhile.  Show Highlights Feeling excluded from eating BBQ at SXSW led her to start Pure GritPure Grit isn’t only for vegans, it’s for anyone that wants a delicious mealDiscovering her #1 selling item by accident (burning it!)The importance of being in the restaurant every day to see what’s happeningHow the NYC Restaurant community has embraced and supported herThe growing vegan fast-casual concepts - like Hart House How you can help!Connect with Kerry on LinkedIn hereLearn more about Pure Grit BBQRelated Podcasts:Who Comes First: The Employee or Guest? With Lauren FernandezWe’re In The People Business with Amir MostafaviHere’s How She Does It with Betsy Hamm

Do your employees feel safe speaking up? It’s time to stop avoiding the topic of workplace harassment and misconduct in restaurants. Abusive environments will not prosper or attract employees. If you really want to improve your culture and employee retention you need to do two critical things: Listen to your employeesEncourage them to speak up when harassment occursLeBaron Meyers, President of NotMe Solutions, is on a mission to improve work cultures and environments for employees. Their anonymous reporting app makes employees feel supported and heard.Show Highlights:Businesses who put employees first will thrive Most workplace harassment issues take 90 days to escalateReporting & addressing issues early de-escalates the problem Many people wait too long to speak up or address an issueEmployee reports give management an opportunity to step-upAcknowledge and respect employees who speak upHappy employees create happy customers NotMe is a platform that provides employees with a safe place to report and interact with management anonymously Connect with LeBaron on LinkedIn here Learn more about NotMeSolutionsRelated Episodes: Rachael Nemeth on The New Way to Do Employee Training Newton Hoang (7 Leaves Cafe) on The Straight Talk Employees WantLauren Fernandez on Who Comes First: Employees or Guests?Donald Burns on Self-Care 

Employee Training has been a big "miss" in the restaurant industry because the tools and techniques for training desk-less workers are dated or have not even existed . The way we train restaurant employees needs a whole new perspective, approach, and strategy. Enter Rachael Nemeth, CEO and Co-Founder of Opus. An expert trainer and life-long hospitality worker, Rachel knows what it takes to succeed in developing embraceable training that people actually learn from. If you're serious about improving employee retention and attracting new employees, training must move to the top of your list!Highlights from Rachael: Employee training is now an operations game, no longer an HR functionTraining must be delivered in small pieces or "micro segments" to increase the uptake (the global attention span is shrinking)Access to training has been the biggest problem - access to technology and apps that people want to useTraining can't be done well in a classroom! Don't expect 100% on quizzes - it's okay to only view half the training.The differences in Planned versus Responsive trainingTechnology that helps you build a new lesson in 9.8 minutesResources:Labor Series: A Labor Equation that Makes Better Dollars & SenseWhat’s Self-Care Got to Do With It?We're in the People BusinessConnect with Rachael & Opus