We’re talking about all things loyalty in this block-buster episode with Zach Goldstein, the CEO of Thanx. Zach and Jen discuss why loyalty is broken, with 80% of Fast Casuals and QSRs looking to improve and invest in better loyalty strategies. The conversation emphasizes that the future of restaurant loyalty is here, now. It's data-driven, personalized, dynamic, and poised to redefine how guest loyalty is built and delivered for restaurant brands. Moments to listen for: The true definition...
Jun 01, 2024•53 min•Ep 73•Transcript available on Metacast Welcome to Part 2 in our "Best of" Series. This episode doubles down on data (not for) dummies as we explore the transformative power of data in the connected restaurant. Our esteemed guests dive into all aspects of data beyond the numbers⸺specifically, its strategic role in driving innovation from the kitchen to the customer experience. Top takeaways include: How API ecosystems impact data collection and strategies Innovative approaches for data storytelling Presenting the data … Is t...
Apr 27, 2024•29 min•Ep 72•Transcript available on Metacast 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 C...
Mar 23, 2024•18 min•Ep 71•Transcript available on Metacast 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 an...
Nov 11, 2023•39 min•Ep 69•Transcript available on Metacast 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 programs Mom...
Oct 26, 2023•1 hr 4 min•Ep 68•Transcript available on Metacast 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 ...
Aug 19, 2023•20 min•Ep 67•Transcript available on Metacast 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, a...
Jul 22, 2023•45 min•Ep 66•Transcript available on Metacast 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 Supp...
Jun 10, 2023•43 min•Ep 65•Transcript available on Metacast 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 maturity How to better drive first-party data ownership The next new concept category to hit restaurants SVB's influence on the startup tech scene Improving efficienc...
May 26, 2023•1 hr•Ep 64•Transcript available on Metacast 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 mill...
May 20, 2023•29 min•Ep 63•Transcript available on Metacast 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-thru How CKE is using AI on the back end to build proactive al...
Mar 21, 2023•52 min•Ep 62•Transcript available on Metacast 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 innov...
Feb 11, 2023•55 min•Ep 61•Transcript available on Metacast 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 compon...
Jan 21, 2023•1 hr 2 min•Ep 60•Transcript available on Metacast 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 organizati...
Dec 04, 2022•51 min•Ep 59•Transcript available on Metacast 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...
Oct 22, 2022•1 hr 9 min•Ep 58•Transcript available on Metacast 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 wh...
Oct 08, 2022•52 min•Ep 57•Transcript available on Metacast 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...
Sep 24, 2022•15 min•Ep 56•Transcript available on Metacast 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 driv...
Sep 17, 2022•13 min•Ep 55•Transcript available on Metacast 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. Quot...
Sep 10, 2022•19 min•Ep 54•Transcript available on Metacast 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...
Aug 27, 2022•43 min•Ep 53•Transcript available on Metacast 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 employees Encourage them to speak up when harassment occurs LeBaron Meyers , President of NotMe Solutions , is on a mission to improve work cultures and environments for employees. Their ano...
Jul 23, 2022•1 hr 6 min•Ep 52•Transcript available on Metacast 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 seri...
Jul 01, 2022•47 min•Ep 51•Transcript available on Metacast The Restaurants Reinvented community is committed to supporting our industry's children and employee by participating in CORES Summer of Giving campaign . 1 in 4 restaurant workers are not able to pay a medical bill over $400 When unexpected medical crises arise, restaurant workers have limited financial options and resources. That’s where CORE -- Children of Restaurant Employees -- comes in. CORE helps restaurant employees with children by providing financial support, through grants, when ...
Jun 04, 2022•45 min•Ep 50•Transcript available on Metacast Toxic work environments (and burnout) is the #1 reason employees quit their jobs. Milena Regos is a “burnout expert.” An award winning marketer who had her own burnout experience - that led her to found the “Unhustle” movement. Restaurant culture has been based on Hustle since the beginning of time. YET … the majority of restaurant workers are BURNED OUT. Over-stressed. Over-worked. Under-paid. Under-appreciated. Under-rewarded. Add to that a thinning workforce and severe labor shortages… and we...
May 21, 2022•52 min•Ep 49•Transcript available on Metacast The Great Resignation has turned into the Great Reshuffle and now the “ Great Re-Reckoning.” We invited Newton Hoang from 7 Leaves Café on to talk about the “Culture of Care” he’s building and how that fits in with the “Cultural Reckoning” the restaurant industry must address to improve employee retention, hiring, leadership, working conditions and care. [Newton defines a Culture of Care] – it’s one where the company leaders listen to employees, uncover what they want, and then work to deliver t...
Apr 13, 2022•1 hr•Ep 48•Transcript available on Metacast Let’s talk about this folks…. Such an important question to suss out! How do you prioritize it all and deliver awesome experiences with your brand one person at a time? Tune in, because Lauren Fernandez delivers the goods. The future of our restaurant industry is bright with Lauren Fernandez at the forefront. The recent NRN Power List maker answers the pivotal question - “What comes first, the employee or guest experience?” This is EPISODE 5 of our Labor, Culture, and Leadership series. In this ...
Mar 24, 2022•56 min•Ep 47•Transcript available on Metacast So far our labor series has touched on the need for emphatic leadership & positive modern company culture in restaurants. However, we have yet to discuss why restaurants ALSO need to modernize how they look at their P&L → ditch looking at labor costs as a percentage of gross sales. Your focus should instead be on employee productivity , zoning in on a ratio of labor costs to guests , rather than labor costs to sales. To help us explore the importance of how labor data is viewed in modern...
Mar 05, 2022•45 min•Ep 46•Transcript available on Metacast Our Labor Series continues with "The Restaurant Coach" who further validates that the restaurant industry is NOT suffering from a labor crisis, but rather a leadership, culture, and self-care crisis! We explore these themes with our guest, Donald Burns, who discusses how self-care and empathetic leadership are so pivotal to improving restaurant cultures and teams -- one employee at a time. Donald is an author, speaker, and trusted restaurant expert who has helped countless brands and o...
Feb 05, 2022•55 min•Ep 45•Transcript available on Metacast This week, we continue our discussion on labor with another innovative restaurant leader, the Founder & CEO of her favorite local juice shop in the DC Area, Amir Mostafavi of South Block . South Block currently has 11 locations, all in the DC Area. Like many fast-food/quick-service brands, South Block was not immune to the COVID pandemic, however, he was able to keep all of his staff employed during the lockdowns. Amir is THE model business owner for this new restaurant era. Company culture ...
Jan 08, 2022•1 hr 12 min•Ep 44•Transcript available on Metacast Have you recently visited your favorite coffee shop or fast food joint and it’s taking longer than usual to get your order? Unfortunately, you are not alone. Across the nation, operators are struggling to staff their restaurants and retain talent for the long term. This can lead to shortened store hours or even restaurants closing their doors altogether. To solve these dire labor challenges, we believe broad sweeping changes are needed for a stronger future. This episode of Restaurants Reinvente...
Dec 09, 2021•53 min•Ep 43•Transcript available on Metacast 
