Modern Solutions for Modern Restaurants

Paul and Matt are joined by Kerry Leo, Vice President of Technology at Shipley Donuts, to discuss Shipley’s modernization journey since he joined in 2021. Leo explains how Shipley moved from fragmented franchise technology to a cloud-based, franchise-ready ecosystem by standardizing POS and networking across 340 locations, standing up Oracle NetSuite for ERP and back office, and launching online ordering with Olo and a mobile app. ...

It's another Thirsty Thursday episode! This time Paul and Matt welcome Laurens Pitts, VP of Technology at Salsarita’s Fresh Mexican Grill, a Charlotte, North Carolina–based fast-casual Tex-Mex chain founded in 2000 with 80+ locations. Drawing on Laurens' experience on both the vendor and operator sides, they discuss how vendor–operator relationships have become less healthy over the past 5–15 years, with less coaching around relati...

Guest Joanna Fantozzi, Senior Editor at Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality, joins Paul and Matt to discuss where restaurant loyalty is headed. Fantozzi argues “is loyalty dead?” is the wrong question and explains that loyalty programs mainly attract already-loyal guests, that consumers have limited appetite for downloading multiple apps, and that loyalty is evolving beyond points. The group discusses Starbucks rein...

In this episode of 'Modern Solutions for Modern Restaurants,' host Paul Molinari from Popcorn GTM explores the implications of the flipped food pyramid. Highlighting the USDA's updated nutritional guidelines, Paul discusses how protein has become foundational in modern diets and how guests are more nutrition-aware than ever. He examines how restaurant brands like Fogo de Chão, Chipotle, Sweet Green, Cava, and True Food Kitchen are ...

In this episode of 'Modern Solutions for Modern Restaurants', host Paul Molinari of Popcorn, GTM, addresses the pressing challenges restaurant owners face due to immigration enforcement and labor issues. Through real-world examples from Minnesota, Maine, and Texas, Paul explores how these factors disrupt operations, impact staffing, and alter customer behavior. To help restaurant operators succeed amid these uncertainties, the epis...

In this episode of Modern Solutions for Modern Restaurants, host Paul Molinari from Popcorn GTM discusses revolutionary advancements in restaurant data management with Manan Mehta, Co-Founder and CEO of Livelytics. They dive into how Livelytics' AI-powered dashboards transforms restaurant data into real-time intelligence, enabling operators to take actionable insights rather than just analyzing static reports. Key topics include su...

In this episode of Modern Solutions for Modern Restaurants, Paul Molinari engages in an enlightening conversation with Audre Bogoni, a restaurant systems strategist and former operator, about optimizing restaurant tech stacks. They discuss into the complexities of platform consolidation, the role of AI in unifying systems, and the importance of operational alignment. Audre shares insights from his extensive experience with high-pro...

Modern Solutions for Modern Restaurants, host Paul Molinari from Popcorn talks with Skip Kimpel, CEO of Magicgate. The discussion dives into the transformative potential of extended reality (XR) technologies in the hospitality industry, including virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR). Skip explains how XR can revolutionize training, guest experiences, and restaurant operations. They explore the applic...

Join MSMR as we dive into predictive operations in the restaurant industry with ClearCOGS CEO, Matt Wampler. In this episode, Matt discusses how AI and data forecasting is used to help restaurant operators improve prep, labor management, and reduce food waste. Learn about the practical applications of AI in everyday restaurant operations, the development of predictive tools, and the significant impact these technologies can have on...

Leadership often gets boxed into “executive tasks” or “HR stuff.” But good leadership is not a luxury. It’s the difference between teams that coast and teams that transform. Rudy Miick has spent decades coaching and developing leaders across industries, helping them bridge from “managers doing tasks” to “leaders creating culture, clarity, and momentum.”

So in this episode, we’re peeling back the layers: what leadership really means...

In this episode, we dive deep into the complex world of restaurant payments with Phil Crawford, the Global Head of Food and Beverage at Adyen. From understanding the journey of a transaction from card tap to completion, to the intricacies of modern payment platforms and their integration with restaurant operations, Phil breaks down everything you need to know. We cover topics like security, fraud, compliance, as well as future tren...

In this interview, David Hornak, a partner at two restaurant concepts in Oxford, Ohio, The Pickle & Pig and Gaslight Brewhouse, discusses his experience managing a total of 175 employees across both locations. Hornak explains the integration and benefits of using the Shifty training application, emphasizing its role in improving employee engagement, upselling, and operational efficiencies through features like flashcards, check...

We're pulling back the curtain on the fascinating world of restaurant franchising with Patrick Buckley of FranDawgs. Join Paul Molinari, founder of Popcorn GTM, as he jumps into franchisee growth with expert guest Patrick Buckley, partner at FranDawgs. In this episode, they discuss the tech, grit, and gaps in the franchise industry, uncovering why franchise restaurants outperform independents. Learn about FranDawgs' unique approach...

In this episode of Modern Solutions for Modern Restaurants, we're going deep into some unexpected territory.  This is a "deep dive" episode I created using multiple AI tools, and the topic or title is called The Prince of Brand Marketing: Leveraging Ancient Wisdom for Modern Market Domination.

This conversation draws from four powerful sources—including two books I authored: Heroes, Jedis, and Dudes and ...

Special guest Chris Anderle, CEO of Onosys, joins us to discuss mission-critical order management solutions (OMS) and how Onosys is transforming brands with consistency, control, and clarity across every order touchpoint. We touch on topics like frictionless ordering, the challenges of fragmented ordering systems, and how Onosys caters to various restaurant categories, including pizza, bowl brands, and casual dining. Tune in to lea...