July 1, 2025 • 27 mins
Zach takes the Ovation mic to the streets of Chicago for a special edition of the Two Question Podcast, recorded live at the National Restaurant Association Show. From tech innovators to restaurant operators, leaders across the industry answer two key questions: what should restaurants focus on over the next 12 months, and what tactics can improve the guest experience? You’ll hear quick insights, real-world tips, and recurring themes around data, human connection, and of course—using Ovation.
Thank you to all our amazing guests, including Sean Walchef, Scott Porter, Brandon Barton, and so many more.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
The National Restaurant Association show is
about to begin, and all righthere in Chicago, and so what
we're doing is we're taking givean ovation on the streets and
we are going to be doing a twoquestion podcast.
We're going to figure out whatare the most important aspects
to focus on for the next 12months and what are some tactics
used to improve the guestexperience.
And you never know who you'regoing to bump into.
For example, right here, let'sstart a podcast with Sean
(00:23):
Walchoff hey, sean.
For example, right here, let'sstart a podcast with Sean
Walchef.
Hey, oh, hey, sean.
Yes, I am here with SeanWalchef, cali Barbecue Media.
Okay, sean, what shouldrestaurants be focused on for
the next 12 months?
Guest retention and what aresome tactics to improve the
guest experience?
Talk to your guests, boom, seanWalchef, that's a mic drop.
Never know who you're going tobump into at the NRA.
(00:44):
And here we go Mic drop Tooexpensive, dance off.
Next time we'll be livestreaming.
I'm here with Hello and howdyduty folks.
This is Justin.
Speaker 3 (00:53):
Roundy With Ovation.
Speaker 1 (00:54):
All right, we're doing.
Man in the street interviewsJustin Two question podcast.
Number one Focus on it for thenext 12 months Guest feedback
Give more guest frequency.
Get your guests back in thedoor.
What are some tactics you'drecommend to guests to improve
the guest experience?
To restaurants to improve theguest experience?
Listen to your guests any waypossible, more than your online
reviews.
There we go Right here.
Justin Roundy man on the streetTwo question podcast.
(01:16):
I am here with Troy Hooper OfHot restaurant brands Buzzing.
All right, troy, what shouldrestaurants be focused on for
the next 12 months?
Ai to make your life easier andmore efficient, and what are
some tactics used to improve theguest experience?
I use Ovation.
Oh, hey, well, he used Ovation.
Love you, troy.
Two question podcast.
I'm here with Brandon Barton OfBite.
(01:37):
What is something restaurantoperators?
Speaker 3 (01:39):
should be doing for the next 12 months Adopting
kiosk as fast as humanlypossible.
It's not just because I'm akiosk guy, but really it saves
money and it increases youraverage check.
The only way to have lesscustomers and increase your
revenue is to increase averagecheck.
It's just math.
Do it Bazing.
One tactic to improve the guestexperience Ooh, smiling.
Make sure your team smiles.
(01:59):
Everybody communicates withnonverbal cues.
Smile Out of the mouth of aDanny Meyer protege.
Speaker 1 (02:06):
Thanks, brandon Chots .
Two question podcast with ScottPorter Of Sandy Outlaw Churros.
What should restaurants befocused on for the next 12
months?
Flavor Ooh, love that.
What is something to improvethe guest experience?
Always just look to humanizeevery touch point.
Buzzing, here we go.
Two question podcast I am herewith Ming Tai Ha.
Speaker 7 (02:24):
Of Square.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
Ming.
What is something thatrestaurant should be focused on
for the next 12 months?
Speaker 7 (02:28):
Oh well, you got to pay attention to AI.
I know it's a buzzword, butit's definitely here as being
more accessible than ever before.
Really excited for that SquareAI released actually just this
week.
Speaker 1 (02:39):
Hey, there we go.
What is a?
Speaker 7 (02:39):
tactic.
Look, I think you have to makesure that you're making a human
still, that you're making eyecontact.
Really make the technologyinvisible.
Look, I sell technology or workwith technology, use technology
every day, but really you gotto make sure that human
connection is always part of thecenter core there we go From
restaurateur and technologistMing Bazing.
Speaker 1 (02:57):
Thank you, awesome.
All right.
Two question podcast.
I am here with Marcus Fassiti,with Informa Food Service.
What should restaurants befocused on for the next 12
months?
Guest frequency and what is atactic?
Speaker 3 (03:07):
to improve the guest experience Getting more reviews
and responding to those reviews.
Buzzing.
Speaker 1 (03:12):
Marcus.
Two-question podcast.
I'm here with Derek RosenbaumOf Crouch House Deli.
What is something a restaurantshould be focused on for the
next 12 months?
Reputation management and whatis a tactic to improve the guest
experience?
Listening to your customers andtaking immediate action.
Buzzing, All right.
Two-question podcast here withMichael Beck.
Is that the first question?
No, it's not.
That's not the questiontechnically.
Sorry to be neglected everybody.
(03:32):
Two-question podcast here withMichael Beck Of Intake GTM.
What should restaurants befocused on for the next 12
months?
Guest engagement.
What is a tactic to improve theguest experience?
Listen to their feedback,Listen, Buzzing.
Two question podcast.
Speaker 9 (03:48):
I'm here with Karen Stotts, woohoo Of Of Hawaiian
frozen Kuro revolving sushi bar.
Speaker 1 (03:54):
Amen.
What should restaurants befocused on for the next 12
months?
Driving the top line sales.
It's a battle for market share.
Speaker 9 (04:03):
And what is a tactic to improve the guest experience?
Bring ovation on board Buzzing.
Speaker 1 (04:06):
Two question podcast.
I'm here with Sam Okas,editor-in-chief of Nation's
Restaurant News.
There we go.
What should restaurants befocused on for the next 12
months?
How do you get through notknowing what's coming tomorrow?
I don't know.
Uncertainty is what everybodysays to me so like.
How do you find any kind ofcertainty?
Study, read Nation's RestaurantNews Amen.
What's the tactic to improvethe guest experience?
Collect data on them,understand what they want, based
(04:27):
on their consumer behavior, andthen act according to the data
and what it's telling you.
Listen to your customers, givethem what they want.
Create a great experience.
Pay attention to all fivesenses.
If you do that, it's a greatexperience.
Buzzing two-question podcast.
I am here with Jim Sheridan ofUnfort.
What.
What is something restaurantsshould be focused on for the
next 12 months?
Making sure their guests lovetheir experience, amen.
And what can you do to improvethe guest experience?
(04:48):
Know how they feel when theywalk out the door?
Amen.
Buzzing, oh, by the way, bonusquestion How's Ovation been
helpful for you?
Speaker 5 (04:54):
It's really helped us know about the little problems
that we wouldn't have knownabout without Ovation.
Speaker 1 (04:59):
Amen, thanks, jim.
Speaker 11 (04:59):
Two question podcast here with Sarah Gruenberg of
Monteverde Restaurant in Chicago.
Speaker 1 (05:04):
What is something restaurants should be focused on
for the next 12 months?
Speaker 11 (05:08):
Oh, I think, productivity and finding a way
to connect the dots with all thetechnology that we have.
So, information systemsinventory reservation POS.
Speaker 1 (05:18):
Love that Data unification, and what is a
tactic to improve the guestexperience?
Speaker 11 (05:23):
I think being on the floor more and not being behind
the scenes, being able to touchthe tables, touch the guests
and use the data we have of whatthe guests like and what
they're looking for to helpcurate a special experience for
them.
Speaker 1 (05:35):
Buzzing.
Thank you, All right, I am herewith Sean.
Speaker 12 (05:38):
Feeney of Lilia Missy Missy Pasta.
Feeney Pizza from Williamsburg,Brooklyn, Holy cow that sounds
like a Dr Seuss book.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
What is something that restaurants should be
focused on for the next 12months?
Speaker 12 (05:47):
AI just go crazy on AI.
Every little thing that you'redoing in your restaurant.
Think about how you can utilizeAI Executive management, hr,
financial forecasting, howyou're doing currently
communications, presentations,partnership pitches absolutely
every piece of operationalmanagement of your restaurant
(06:07):
CRM, guest experience, everylittle facet of your restaurant.
Figure out how you can utilizeAI to empower your teams to make
it an even more amazingexperience for others.
Speaker 1 (06:18):
Dude love that, and what's a tactic that you would
recommend to improve the guestexperience Before they?
Speaker 12 (06:23):
enter your doors.
Try to find a way, in the timethey make a reservation, until
they enter your doors, becausethat is when the experience
starts.
Try to find a way topersonalize or make them feel
like you're reaching out in apersonal way to ask them
sparkling, or still, would youlike a cocktail before you sit
down?
Oh, would you like a cocktailbefore you sit down?
(06:47):
Oh, maybe send them a video ofsomething that you're very
excited about at the restaurantat this moment, or have a team
member text them something fromthem who are going to serve them
.
I would say, focus on theexperience of that guest, the
experience before they walk inyour doors, and try to make them
feel more excited and more seenbefore they're even in your
presence.
That's what I would say Buzzing.
(07:08):
Thanks, sean, all right, thankyou.
Speaker 1 (07:09):
Two question podcast with James Bonanno Upstream
Hospitality what shouldrestaurants be focusing on for
the next 12 months?
Speaker 2 (07:17):
Using ovation.
Obviously you know it's cliche,but it's all about the guest
experience, right, that's whatwe do in the restaurant industry
and just having a conversationright here on the side been
using Ovation for years and itallows us to really especially a
multi-unit operator when, as afounder, I'm not in the stores
every day gives me anunderstanding and visibility of
what's going on in my stores,which is different in all
(07:37):
different stores.
Right, I was just saying onestore needs to focus on X, that
store needs to focus on Y.
Ovation definitely gives usthat visibility into those
stores and kind of what we needto pay attention to.
Speaker 4 (07:47):
Awesome, you rock.
Thanks, zach, you too man.
Speaker 1 (07:49):
Two question podcast.
I'm here with Peter Sklachanifrom Making Raving Fans
Hospitality Group and what issomething that restaurants
should be focused on for thenext 12 months?
I think right now we'refocusing on how we can use AI
better, because it's so new andyou know it's going to be so big
.
But we got to figure out howwe're going to take that and use
it to our advantage and what'sa tactic that restaurants can
use to improve the guestexperience.
(08:10):
Okay, so I'm going to give youmy million dollar secret.
We write personalized messagesin dessert plates and so when we
do that, it forces the serverto focus on the guest, to find
something personal to writeabout.
So don't just say happybirthday.
We got to at least know yourname.
But I'll tell you, when I firststarted doing it, what we found
(08:31):
out, because my staff didn'tbelieve me.
After I had the big meeting,the very first table they came
in they said, oh my God, youwere right, chef.
This table they're here withtheir mom.
Their mom was just diagnosedwith cancer.
They think it might be theirlast birthday with them.
It becomes so much moreimportant.
What we do is not transactionalanymore.
It's not like, hey, I'm goingto give you a chicken breast,
you give me 20 bucks.
(08:51):
We're affecting people's lives.
We're creating these memoriesConnection and it's that
connection and you can get theserver to focus on it if you
make them write a personalizedmessage on a dessert plate.
Write a personalized message ona dessert plate.
Love that Bonus question How'sOvation been helpful for you?
Ovation has been a game changer.
I've seen you speak severaltimes no-transcript, so glad I
(09:15):
did.
In the moment we get thefeedback, we're able to save
guests while they're still inthe restaurant.
It's been amazing and ourscores are going up because all
of the good scores get kicked updirectly to Google and
TripAdvisor and anything that'snot a great score.
We're able to track and fixthose operational problems right
(09:36):
away.
A tool only works if you workit and you obviously work it and
you care.
So thank you.
Speaker 8 (09:44):
This is the Two Question Podcast with.
I'm Mike Bausch, owner ofAndalini's Worldwide Influencer
Group in Tulsa, Oklahoma, andbig user of a certain product,
Ovation.
Speaker 1 (09:51):
Oh, what should restaurants be focused on for
the next 12 months?
Speaker 8 (09:55):
Experience-driven, everything experienced, because
it's either value conscious orconvenience conscious or
experience conscious,independent restaurants.
They're not going to win thosefirst two.
So experience is where it's allat.
How are we enhancing thecustomer experience?
Not like with money, like it'sjust the little things to make
it like oh, I have to go there,I'll drive an extra mile or I'll
pay an extra $5 because thatmakes me feel good today.
Speaker 1 (10:17):
That's where it's all at.
Yes, love that.
And what would you say is atactic to improve the guest
experience?
Speaker 8 (10:22):
Everything is either increasing purchase pride or
decreasing purchase.
Anxiety, knowing no matter what.
I'm going to be okay, or, oh myGod, I'm so smart for buying
this.
Those are the two things that,at any given moment, we're
trying to achieve oh, I lovethat framework Okay.
Speaker 1 (10:36):
Bonus question achieve oh, I love that
framework Okay bonus questionhow has Ovation helped you?
Speaker 8 (10:39):
If you know, you know how much I'm a fan of Ovation.
I speak the phrases noindependent restaurant should
not have that product.
I do not like buying apps AppsI try to proprietarily create
myself through Google Sheets andautomations.
There's no way for me to dothat better or even in the realm
of what you've created withOvation, to have loss prevention
and review incentivization.
Which currently the number onepizza reviewed city in America
(11:02):
is Tulsa.
Well, that's New York, oh, NewYork.
Number two is Tulsa and we arethe best reviewed pizza in Tulsa
, and it's in no short reason tothe engagement we get from
having more reviews via Ovation.
Speaker 1 (11:14):
And having someone like you who cares and crushes
it.
Mike, thank you Buzzing.
All right, here we are.
Two question podcast withShauna Smith and Andrew Smith of
Savory.
What should restaurants befocused on for the next 12
months?
Speaker 13 (11:26):
I'd say delivering on quality, on service, on
consistency.
Speaker 3 (11:30):
Storytelling Tell your story better.
Speaker 1 (11:32):
What is a tactic that restaurants can use to improve
the guest experience?
Training.
Speaker 13 (11:36):
Making sure you have the right angle in front of the
customer and make sure they aretrained Love that Accuracy.
Speaker 3 (11:41):
It's so frustrating when you do not get the right
stuff.
Be accurate.
Take a couple more seconds andbe accurate.
Speaker 13 (11:47):
Gosh, that's a good one.
That's actually probably better.
Speaker 1 (11:49):
Love that Bonus question.
How's Ovation been helping foryou guys?
Speaker 13 (11:53):
Oh it Overall.
I would say, ovation, we knowthat there's feedback.
We don't always know what thefeedback is.
We need to know that so that wecan be better, and so getting
that feedback is so invaluablefor us.
We are able to change whatwe're not doing right
immediately, so I would say thathas been invaluable.
Speaker 3 (12:08):
Love it.
We don't use anything else,just use.
Speaker 7 (12:11):
Ovation, love it, love you guys.
Speaker 1 (12:13):
The Two Question Podcast.
Speaker 11 (12:14):
I am here with Amy Hom of Barcelona Wine Bar.
No, really, it's Ovation, I'mwith Ovation.
Speaker 1 (12:21):
What should restaurants be focused on for
the next year?
Speaker 11 (12:24):
Investing in their team members' development so
that they can take care of theirguests.
Speaker 1 (12:27):
What is a tactic to improve the guest experience?
Speaker 11 (12:29):
Focus on development plans so that they understand
how to do it and what themission is when they're engaging
with their guests.
Speaker 1 (12:35):
Amazing, by the way, I have never gotten a text
message from the person I wasinterviewing while I was
interviewing them.
But that was pretty better.
Buzzing Two question podcast.
I'm here with Brian Meriden Me.
Speaker 14 (12:45):
Of Soon to be nothing.
Yeah, 11-45-01.
Tomorrow, sunday, the 18th, I'mdone.
Speaker 1 (12:52):
Okay, so after an entire career in restaurants,
what would you say next 12months?
What should restaurants befocused on?
Speaker 14 (12:58):
Wow, I think you really need to take a look at
your technology.
Do you have too much?
How can you merge thingstogether, or are you actually
using everything you have?
Amen?
Speaker 1 (13:11):
Talk to your vendors.
See, I guarantee you there'sthings that they're doing that
you're paying for, that you'renot using.
Second question what shouldpeople do to improve the guest?
Speaker 14 (13:18):
experience in their restaurants.
Get back to understanding thetrue meaning of hospitality.
You've invited them into yourhome to feed them.
Treat them as such, make themwant to come back.
Amen buzzing thanks, Brian.
Speaker 4 (13:31):
Two question podcasts here with Dean Labey, L-A
capital V-A-Y Of Labey.
Speaker 1 (13:36):
Company, new Orleans.
You couldn't tell by the accentand Dean.
You are a industry icon onLinkedIn, so want to get your
take.
What should people be focusedon for the next 12?
Speaker 4 (13:47):
months Retention of the customers that you've got
coming into your business,making sure you keep them, and
with that you'll have retentionof employees.
Right now, I'm finding that thebiggest problem that
restaurants are having is theycan't find good help Work on the
retention of the customer, yourbusiness will grow.
Speaker 1 (14:05):
So what would you say is a tactic that restaurants
can use to improve the guestexperience?
Speaker 4 (14:08):
Act like a human being and act like you care.
Kind of like that.
You did a podcast here not toolong ago with a lady talking
about agape love.
Oh yeah, jane from Donato'sJane, yes, that's exactly what
we need to do.
We need to start loving ourcustomers a little bit more than
just you know as a transaction.
Love the customers that arecoming into your restaurant,
treat them with love and Ipromise you your business will
(14:29):
grow.
Speaker 1 (14:29):
Two question podcast here with Rusty Bills Of
Wienersitzel, co, coo.
What should restaurants befocused on for the next 12
months?
Labor management and elevatingyour data Ooh, love that.
That is some like deep stufffor a COO man.
Normally it's like just thebasic restaurant stuff.
But there we go.
You got to get into the datathere.
What is a tactic to improve theguest experience?
Speaker 6 (14:50):
One of them is to understand what your customers
are experiencing, so you got toget feedback before you can make
any improvements.
So I believe the data that youreceive from rich data from your
customers is going to be moreimpactful, using technology in a
smart way and helping your crewprovide a better experience
based on the feedback youreceive.
So let's leave it at that.
Love that.
Speaker 1 (15:10):
Thank you.
Two question podcast here withSelfie Cam Activate.
My name is Rev Ciancio and Ipoint at food on the internet
and you are with.
I am with Rev Ciancio.
I'm the CMO of Salad House andthe head of marketing for Crazy
Pita.
The co-founder of HandcraftBurgers Brew Next 12 months.
What do restaurants need guestretention and that starts with
making sure you collect theirdata and what is a tactic that
(15:31):
you've used to improve the guestexperience?
That is a great question.
So and I swear you did not askme anything before we started
it's get feedback from everyguest on every single order, so
that you can diagnose what'sgoing right or what's going
wrong.
And honestly, god, this is thetruth.
When the Soundhouse franchiseescall me and they go, we need
help because we're havingwhatever problem the first thing
I do is go into Ovation and Ilook at a summary of what's
(15:51):
happening in their store andwithin three minutes I have an
idea of where they're at andwhat they need Bazing.
Thanks, man.
There was no preload, that isabsolutely true.
Two-question podcast.
I am here.
Oh, we got a special guest,ellis.
All right, two-question podcastI am here with, with Ryan
Gromfin, with the RestaurantBoss.
What is something thatrestaurants should be focused on
for the next 12 months?
Financials, obviously, thingshave gotten a little more
(16:13):
challenging, a little moredifficult.
Previous to maybe the last twoyears, it's always been this
focus on the top line.
Everything else will workitself out.
That's generally my suggestion.
But as things are tightening up, what we're finding is, even if
your top line's down 10%, mostof my operators, my clients, are
still able to bring the samemargin on the bottom line by
just getting a little moreintentional with every expense.
(16:33):
So you really need good systems.
Financially.
Love that.
What is a tactic to improve theguest experience?
You've got to connect with yourguests at a more genuine level.
And again I would say, as theeconomy has changed a little bit
, people are still going to gospend money, but if they're
going to spend 20% less of theirmoney on restaurants, they're
going to be more particularabout where they go and the way
that they're going to make thatdecision is not necessarily on
(16:54):
how good the food is.
It's part of it, but it's goingto be on.
Am I spending my money at aplace I want to spend my money?
So give them a reason to wantto spend their money with you
and you shouldn't see any effecton your top line.
And if you focus on thefinancials, you could probably
do better on your bottom linenow than you ever did before.
Buzzing.
Thanks, ryan.
All right, two question podcasthere with Kathleen Wood of.
Speaker 9 (17:13):
Kathleen Wood Partners.
Speaker 1 (17:15):
What should restaurants be focused on for
the next 12 months to thrive?
Speaker 9 (17:18):
The number one thing that restaurants should be
focused on for the next 12months is their customer
experience.
Customers want value notdiscounted food, but value from
food service and the overallexperience.
That's why Ovation is such agreat solution.
Oh geez.
Speaker 1 (17:33):
Wow, well, thank you.
Besides Ovation, what's atactic that restaurants can use
to improve the guest experience?
Speaker 9 (17:39):
Right now.
I think what restaurants shouldfocus in on is really their
service experience.
So many people have their fooddialed in, but with the amount
of work that they've done todial in their food, they need to
dial in their service, bothonline and in person.
This is where the money can befound.
Speaker 1 (17:54):
Buzzing.
Thanks, kathleen.
Thank you All.
Right.
Two question podcast.
I'm here with Kip Welsh,president of Via 313 Pizzeria.
What should restaurants bedoing for the next 12 months to
thrive?
To thrive is going to have toall be about new menu items new
incentives for guests, loyaltyrewards and New items.
Speaker 6 (18:07):
New incentives for guests, loyalty rewards and then
making sure that delivery onhospitality is the strongest.
Speaker 1 (18:12):
it's ever been More competition in the space, and
that's why we're going to stayrelevant.
Amen.
And what is a?
Speaker 6 (18:20):
tactic that they can use to improve the guest
experience.
All about engagement from theinside of the dining room to
third party and takeout anddelivery experience, making sure
that the guest is feelinghospitality as well as gold
standard food and beverageexperiences.
Speaker 1 (18:30):
Love that Bonus question How's Ovation been
helpful for you?
Speaker 5 (18:33):
Ovation has been a game changer for us the quick
response time, the fact we canengage with a guest when there
is an issue so quickly catchthem inside of the restaurant,
turn them around and wow themwith an experience.
Speaker 1 (18:44):
Striven our guest sentiment scores through Ovation
, through Google could not behappier with it.
Well, it works because you workit, you care and you rock.
All right, two-question podcasthere with David Youngberg, ceo
of Stonefire Grill.
All right, david.
What should restaurants befocused on for the next 12
months to thrive?
Speaker 5 (18:58):
Traffic, I mean getting people on the door and
how you're going to do that isthrough engagement.
It's through a differentiationof making sure that you have
good food and that you'redifferent from your competitors.
You serve great food, youprovide great hospitality and
it's a winning combination.
Speaker 1 (19:11):
And what is a tactic that restaurants can use to
improve the guest experience?
Speaker 5 (19:14):
I would say loyalty, making sure that you have great
food items, that you're bringinggreat LTOs in, that you're
doing anything and everythingthat you can to show your guests
that the dollar that they spendinside your restaurant is gold.
Speaker 1 (19:25):
All right, two-question podcast here with
Zeno Carr from Garden Catering.
All right, zeno.
What should restaurants befocused on for the next 12
months to thrive the guest?
Speaker 5 (19:33):
experience.
So making sure you'reconnecting with your guests on a
one-to-one level, knowing whothey are, what they like, their
frequency, how you can increasethat frequency.
So the data is king right now.
Speaker 1 (19:43):
Data, data, data.
And what is a tactic that youwould recommend to improve the
guest experience?
Speaker 5 (19:49):
Make sure you're listening to your guests and
you're responding to them with auseful tool Like.
Speaker 7 (19:53):
I don't know.
Do you know any?
Speaker 5 (19:57):
like useful, maybe something like that yeah.
Speaker 7 (20:04):
Use Ovation and make sure that you're maximizing the
value that you get with all thedifferent tools that Ovation
provides.
Speaker 1 (20:06):
So you can reach out to your guests.
Amen Buzzing.
Thanks, daniel.
Speaker 10 (20:08):
All right, two question podcast here, with
Peter Riggs of Peter Pitt andThor's Skier what?
Speaker 1 (20:14):
should restaurants be focusing on for the next 12
months to thrive Doing betterAmen.
Speaker 10 (20:19):
How could they be doing better?
Anyone he told you that thereis not enough money and people
are shrinking their spending hasmisinformed.
They're just spending itsomewhere more interesting.
So do better Work on youroperations, your customer
experience, all that and createreasons for those guests to come
back into your restaurant,because that's the biggest
problem.
(20:39):
It's not that they didn't likeyou, it's not that they didn't
have a good experience.
They just got busy and forgotyou were there and it's not
their fault.
You need to get out there andremind them that you're worth
coming back for.
Speaker 1 (20:51):
Wow, knowledge bombs.
Second question what issomething that restaurants can
do to improve the guestexperience?
Speaker 10 (20:57):
Well, I think one of the biggest things they could
do is probably work on makingsure their reputation management
is solid, because anyone whohasn't tried your establishment
is going to look at it on theonline reviews, primarily
through Google, and you're goingto see if you've got bad
reviews, if they're low starratings and if they're
unresponded to it's going to bea big problem for you.
So using something like Ovationis a strong pathway to make
(21:20):
sure that customers are comingin to your restaurant and I'm
being serious because you haveto do what you need to do in
your restaurant to retain theguests.
But part of attracting theguests is making sure that when
they look into you, that they'reseeing what's an accurate
representation of your businessonline, and the only way to make
sure that you're getting thatdone in real time is through a
(21:40):
company like Ovation.
Speaker 1 (21:41):
Amen.
Well, thanks, peter Buzzing.
All right, here we are.
Two question podcast with GregMajewski of Craveworthy Brands.
Greg, what should restaurantsbe focusing on in the next 12
months to thrive?
Labor and food costs Question1A why?
Because it's the most importantand it's the most out of whack
right now.
So if you spend attention onthose two items, no matter what,
and keep those where they'resupposed to be, you should be
(22:02):
able to make money, no matterwhat your sales do.
What's a tactic thatrestaurants can use to improve
the guest experience?
Ovation Question 2B how hasOvation been helpful for you?
It gives us instant access tofeedback and everything else,
but, more importantly, if youactually look at the data it
provides, you can see insightsfrom your consumers before your
managers or you ever get to knowif things are going wrong.
Speaker 4 (22:22):
Complaints if they're bitching about price anything
of that nature.
Speaker 1 (22:25):
You know before anyone else does and you can
adjust it at that moment.
Buzzing.
Thanks, greg Bye, all right,two question podcast here with
Michael Lengaro of Kings of Fishand San Pedro Fish.
Market.
What is something restaurantsshould be doing for the next 12
months to thrive?
Speaker 15 (22:39):
100% AI.
Don't just think you know it.
You got to get into it.
You got to learn how to kind ofadopt it, bring it into your
practices and look at where itapplies until you get ready to
adapt to it and then exploit thehell out of it, love it.
Speaker 1 (22:50):
What is a tactic that restaurants can use to improve?
Speaker 15 (22:52):
the guest experience .
We are an experiential brandwhere we let customers touch
their products and pick outtheir products.
So anything you could do togive the customer an experience
that's memorable outside of justsit down, order, eat and leave,
I think it's going to stickwith them.
You want to hit them in theheart.
Speaker 1 (23:07):
You want them to walk out with a memory about that
Buzzing.
Thank you All right, Twoquestion podcast here with Tony
Smith Of Restaurant 365.
He like is Restaurant 365.
Anyway, Tony, what shouldrestaurants be focused on for
the next 12 months to thrive?
Oh, I think they got to beprofitable.
They got to be running astreamlined, efficient business
great visibility into everythingthat's happening there and what
.
The National Restaurant Association show is
about to begin, and all righthere in Chicago, and so what
we're doing is we're taking givean ovation on the streets and
we are going to be doing a twoquestion podcast.
We're going to figure out whatare the most important aspects
to focus on for the next 12months and what are some tactics
used to improve the guestexperience.
And you never know who you'regoing to bump into.
For example, right here, let'sstart a podcast with Sean
(00:23):
Walchoff hey, sean.
For example, right here, let'sstart a podcast with Sean
Walchef.
Hey, oh, hey, sean.
Yes, I am here with SeanWalchef, cali Barbecue Media.
Okay, sean, what shouldrestaurants be focused on for
the next 12 months?
Guest retention and what aresome tactics to improve the
guest experience?
Talk to your guests, boom, seanWalchef, that's a mic drop.
Never know who you're going tobump into at the NRA.
(00:44):
And here we go Mic drop Tooexpensive, dance off.
Next time we'll be livestreaming.
I'm here with Hello and howdyduty folks.
This is Justin.
Speaker 3 (00:53):
Roundy With Ovation.
Speaker 1 (00:54):
All right, we're doing.
Man in the street interviewsJustin Two question podcast.
Number one Focus on it for thenext 12 months Guest feedback
Give more guest frequency.
Get your guests back in thedoor.
What are some tactics you'drecommend to guests to improve
the guest experience?
To restaurants to improve theguest experience?
Listen to your guests any waypossible, more than your online
reviews.
There we go Right here.
Justin Roundy man on the streetTwo question podcast.
(01:16):
I am here with Troy Hooper OfHot restaurant brands Buzzing.
All right, troy, what shouldrestaurants be focused on for
the next 12 months?
Ai to make your life easier andmore efficient, and what are
some tactics used to improve theguest experience?
I use Ovation.
Oh, hey, well, he used Ovation.
Love you, troy.
Two question podcast.
I'm here with Brandon Barton OfBite.
(01:37):
What is something restaurantoperators?
Speaker 3 (01:39):
should be doing for the next 12 months Adopting
kiosk as fast as humanlypossible.
It's not just because I'm akiosk guy, but really it saves
money and it increases youraverage check.
The only way to have lesscustomers and increase your
revenue is to increase averagecheck.
It's just math.
Do it Bazing.
One tactic to improve the guestexperience Ooh, smiling.
Make sure your team smiles.
(01:59):
Everybody communicates withnonverbal cues.
Smile Out of the mouth of aDanny Meyer protege.
Speaker 1 (02:06):
Thanks, brandon Chots .
Two question podcast with ScottPorter Of Sandy Outlaw Churros.
What should restaurants befocused on for the next 12
months?
Flavor Ooh, love that.
What is something to improvethe guest experience?
Always just look to humanizeevery touch point.
Buzzing, here we go.
Two question podcast I am herewith Ming Tai Ha.
Speaker 7 (02:24):
Of Square.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
Ming.
What is something thatrestaurant should be focused on
for the next 12 months?
Speaker 7 (02:28):
Oh well, you got to pay attention to AI.
I know it's a buzzword, butit's definitely here as being
more accessible than ever before.
Really excited for that SquareAI released actually just this
week.
Speaker 1 (02:39):
Hey, there we go.
What is a?
Speaker 7 (02:39):
tactic.
Look, I think you have to makesure that you're making a human
still, that you're making eyecontact.
Really make the technologyinvisible.
Look, I sell technology or workwith technology, use technology
every day, but really you gotto make sure that human
connection is always part of thecenter core there we go From
restaurateur and technologistMing Bazing.
Speaker 1 (02:57):
Thank you, awesome.
All right.
Two question podcast.
I am here with Marcus Fassiti,with Informa Food Service.
What should restaurants befocused on for the next 12
months?
Guest frequency and what is atactic?
Speaker 3 (03:07):
to improve the guest experience Getting more reviews
and responding to those reviews.
Buzzing.
Speaker 1 (03:12):
Marcus.
Two-question podcast.
I'm here with Derek RosenbaumOf Crouch House Deli.
What is something a restaurantshould be focused on for the
next 12 months?
Reputation management and whatis a tactic to improve the guest
experience?
Listening to your customers andtaking immediate action.
Buzzing, All right.
Two-question podcast here withMichael Beck.
Is that the first question?
No, it's not.
That's not the questiontechnically.
Sorry to be neglected everybody.
(03:32):
Two-question podcast here withMichael Beck Of Intake GTM.
What should restaurants befocused on for the next 12
months?
Guest engagement.
What is a tactic to improve theguest experience?
Listen to their feedback,Listen, Buzzing.
Two question podcast.
Speaker 9 (03:48):
I'm here with Karen Stotts, woohoo Of Of Hawaiian
frozen Kuro revolving sushi bar.
Speaker 1 (03:54):
Amen.
What should restaurants befocused on for the next 12
months?
Driving the top line sales.
It's a battle for market share.
Speaker 9 (04:03):
And what is a tactic to improve the guest experience?
Bring ovation on board Buzzing.
Speaker 1 (04:06):
Two question podcast.
I'm here with Sam Okas,editor-in-chief of Nation's
Restaurant News.
There we go.
What should restaurants befocused on for the next 12
months?
How do you get through notknowing what's coming tomorrow?
I don't know.
Uncertainty is what everybodysays to me so like.
How do you find any kind ofcertainty?
Study, read Nation's RestaurantNews Amen.
What's the tactic to improvethe guest experience?
Collect data on them,understand what they want, based
(04:27):
on their consumer behavior, andthen act according to the data
and what it's telling you.
Listen to your customers, givethem what they want.
Create a great experience.
Pay attention to all fivesenses.
If you do that, it's a greatexperience.
Buzzing two-question podcast.
I am here with Jim Sheridan ofUnfort.
What.
What is something restaurantsshould be focused on for the
next 12 months?
Making sure their guests lovetheir experience, amen.
And what can you do to improvethe guest experience?
(04:48):
Know how they feel when theywalk out the door?
Amen.
Buzzing, oh, by the way, bonusquestion How's Ovation been
helpful for you?
Speaker 5 (04:54):
It's really helped us know about the little problems
that we wouldn't have knownabout without Ovation.
Speaker 1 (04:59):
Amen, thanks, jim.
Speaker 11 (04:59):
Two question podcast here with Sarah Gruenberg of
Monteverde Restaurant in Chicago.
Speaker 1 (05:04):
What is something restaurants should be focused on
for the next 12 months?
Speaker 11 (05:08):
Oh, I think, productivity and finding a way
to connect the dots with all thetechnology that we have.
So, information systemsinventory reservation POS.
Speaker 1 (05:18):
Love that Data unification, and what is a
tactic to improve the guestexperience?
Speaker 11 (05:23):
I think being on the floor more and not being behind
the scenes, being able to touchthe tables, touch the guests
and use the data we have of whatthe guests like and what
they're looking for to helpcurate a special experience for
them.
Speaker 1 (05:35):
Buzzing.
Thank you, All right, I am herewith Sean.
Speaker 12 (05:38):
Feeney of Lilia Missy Missy Pasta.
Feeney Pizza from Williamsburg,Brooklyn, Holy cow that sounds
like a Dr Seuss book.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
What is something that restaurants should be
focused on for the next 12months?
Speaker 12 (05:47):
AI just go crazy on AI.
Every little thing that you'redoing in your restaurant.
Think about how you can utilizeAI Executive management, hr,
financial forecasting, howyou're doing currently
communications, presentations,partnership pitches absolutely
every piece of operationalmanagement of your restaurant
(06:07):
CRM, guest experience, everylittle facet of your restaurant.
Figure out how you can utilizeAI to empower your teams to make
it an even more amazingexperience for others.
Speaker 1 (06:18):
Dude love that, and what's a tactic that you would
recommend to improve the guestexperience Before they?
Speaker 12 (06:23):
enter your doors.
Try to find a way, in the timethey make a reservation, until
they enter your doors, becausethat is when the experience
starts.
Try to find a way topersonalize or make them feel
like you're reaching out in apersonal way to ask them
sparkling, or still, would youlike a cocktail before you sit
down?
Oh, would you like a cocktailbefore you sit down?
(06:47):
Oh, maybe send them a video ofsomething that you're very
excited about at the restaurantat this moment, or have a team
member text them something fromthem who are going to serve them
.
I would say, focus on theexperience of that guest, the
experience before they walk inyour doors, and try to make them
feel more excited and more seenbefore they're even in your
presence.
That's what I would say Buzzing.
(07:08):
Thanks, sean, all right, thankyou.
Speaker 1 (07:09):
Two question podcast with James Bonanno Upstream
Hospitality what shouldrestaurants be focusing on for
the next 12 months?
Speaker 2 (07:17):
Using ovation.
Obviously you know it's cliche,but it's all about the guest
experience, right, that's whatwe do in the restaurant industry
and just having a conversationright here on the side been
using Ovation for years and itallows us to really especially a
multi-unit operator when, as afounder, I'm not in the stores
every day gives me anunderstanding and visibility of
what's going on in my stores,which is different in all
(07:37):
different stores.
Right, I was just saying onestore needs to focus on X, that
store needs to focus on Y.
Ovation definitely gives usthat visibility into those
stores and kind of what we needto pay attention to.
Speaker 4 (07:47):
Awesome, you rock.
Thanks, zach, you too man.
Speaker 1 (07:49):
Two question podcast.
I'm here with Peter Sklachanifrom Making Raving Fans
Hospitality Group and what issomething that restaurants
should be focused on for thenext 12 months?
I think right now we'refocusing on how we can use AI
better, because it's so new andyou know it's going to be so big
.
But we got to figure out howwe're going to take that and use
it to our advantage and what'sa tactic that restaurants can
use to improve the guestexperience.
(08:10):
Okay, so I'm going to give youmy million dollar secret.
We write personalized messagesin dessert plates and so when we
do that, it forces the serverto focus on the guest, to find
something personal to writeabout.
So don't just say happybirthday.
We got to at least know yourname.
But I'll tell you, when I firststarted doing it, what we found
(08:31):
out, because my staff didn'tbelieve me.
After I had the big meeting,the very first table they came
in they said, oh my God, youwere right, chef.
This table they're here withtheir mom.
Their mom was just diagnosedwith cancer.
They think it might be theirlast birthday with them.
It becomes so much moreimportant.
What we do is not transactionalanymore.
It's not like, hey, I'm goingto give you a chicken breast,
you give me 20 bucks.
(08:51):
We're affecting people's lives.
We're creating these memoriesConnection and it's that
connection and you can get theserver to focus on it if you
make them write a personalizedmessage on a dessert plate.
Write a personalized message ona dessert plate.
Love that Bonus question How'sOvation been helpful for you?
Ovation has been a game changer.
I've seen you speak severaltimes no-transcript, so glad I
(09:15):
did.
In the moment we get thefeedback, we're able to save
guests while they're still inthe restaurant.
It's been amazing and ourscores are going up because all
of the good scores get kicked updirectly to Google and
TripAdvisor and anything that'snot a great score.
We're able to track and fixthose operational problems right
(09:36):
away.
A tool only works if you workit and you obviously work it and
you care.
So thank you.
Speaker 8 (09:44):
This is the Two Question Podcast with.
I'm Mike Bausch, owner ofAndalini's Worldwide Influencer
Group in Tulsa, Oklahoma, andbig user of a certain product,
Ovation.
Speaker 1 (09:51):
Oh, what should restaurants be focused on for
the next 12 months?
Speaker 8 (09:55):
Experience-driven, everything experienced, because
it's either value conscious orconvenience conscious or
experience conscious,independent restaurants.
They're not going to win thosefirst two.
So experience is where it's allat.
How are we enhancing thecustomer experience?
Not like with money, like it'sjust the little things to make
it like oh, I have to go there,I'll drive an extra mile or I'll
pay an extra $5 because thatmakes me feel good today.
Speaker 1 (10:17):
That's where it's all at.
Yes, love that.
And what would you say is atactic to improve the guest
experience?
Speaker 8 (10:22):
Everything is either increasing purchase pride or
decreasing purchase.
Anxiety, knowing no matter what.
I'm going to be okay, or, oh myGod, I'm so smart for buying
this.
Those are the two things that,at any given moment, we're
trying to achieve oh, I lovethat framework Okay.
Speaker 1 (10:36):
Bonus question achieve oh, I love that
framework Okay bonus questionhow has Ovation helped you?
Speaker 8 (10:39):
If you know, you know how much I'm a fan of Ovation.
I speak the phrases noindependent restaurant should
not have that product.
I do not like buying apps AppsI try to proprietarily create
myself through Google Sheets andautomations.
There's no way for me to dothat better or even in the realm
of what you've created withOvation, to have loss prevention
and review incentivization.
Which currently the number onepizza reviewed city in America
(11:02):
is Tulsa.
Well, that's New York, oh, NewYork.
Number two is Tulsa and we arethe best reviewed pizza in Tulsa
, and it's in no short reason tothe engagement we get from
having more reviews via Ovation.
Speaker 1 (11:14):
And having someone like you who cares and crushes
it.
Mike, thank you Buzzing.
All right, here we are.
Two question podcast withShauna Smith and Andrew Smith of
Savory.
What should restaurants befocused on for the next 12
months?
Speaker 13 (11:26):
I'd say delivering on quality, on service, on
consistency.
Speaker 3 (11:30):
Storytelling Tell your story better.
Speaker 1 (11:32):
What is a tactic that restaurants can use to improve
the guest experience?
Training.
Speaker 13 (11:36):
Making sure you have the right angle in front of the
customer and make sure they aretrained Love that Accuracy.
Speaker 3 (11:41):
It's so frustrating when you do not get the right
stuff.
Be accurate.
Take a couple more seconds andbe accurate.
Speaker 13 (11:47):
Gosh, that's a good one.
That's actually probably better.
Speaker 1 (11:49):
Love that Bonus question.
How's Ovation been helping foryou guys?
Speaker 13 (11:53):
Oh it Overall.
I would say, ovation, we knowthat there's feedback.
We don't always know what thefeedback is.
We need to know that so that wecan be better, and so getting
that feedback is so invaluablefor us.
We are able to change whatwe're not doing right
immediately, so I would say thathas been invaluable.
Speaker 3 (12:08):
Love it.
We don't use anything else,just use.
Speaker 7 (12:11):
Ovation, love it, love you guys.
Speaker 1 (12:13):
The Two Question Podcast.
Speaker 11 (12:14):
I am here with Amy Hom of Barcelona Wine Bar.
No, really, it's Ovation, I'mwith Ovation.
Speaker 1 (12:21):
What should restaurants be focused on for
the next year?
Speaker 11 (12:24):
Investing in their team members' development so
that they can take care of theirguests.
Speaker 1 (12:27):
What is a tactic to improve the guest experience?
Speaker 11 (12:29):
Focus on development plans so that they understand
how to do it and what themission is when they're engaging
with their guests.
Speaker 1 (12:35):
Amazing, by the way, I have never gotten a text
message from the person I wasinterviewing while I was
interviewing them.
But that was pretty better.
Buzzing Two question podcast.
I'm here with Brian Meriden Me.
Speaker 14 (12:45):
Of Soon to be nothing.
Yeah, 11-45-01.
Tomorrow, sunday, the 18th, I'mdone.
Speaker 1 (12:52):
Okay, so after an entire career in restaurants,
what would you say next 12months?
What should restaurants befocused on?
Speaker 14 (12:58):
Wow, I think you really need to take a look at
your technology.
Do you have too much?
How can you merge thingstogether, or are you actually
using everything you have?
Amen?
Speaker 1 (13:11):
Talk to your vendors.
See, I guarantee you there'sthings that they're doing that
you're paying for, that you'renot using.
Second question what shouldpeople do to improve the guest?
Speaker 14 (13:18):
experience in their restaurants.
Get back to understanding thetrue meaning of hospitality.
You've invited them into yourhome to feed them.
Treat them as such, make themwant to come back.
Amen buzzing thanks, Brian.
Speaker 4 (13:31):
Two question podcasts here with Dean Labey, L-A
capital V-A-Y Of Labey.
Speaker 1 (13:36):
Company, new Orleans.
You couldn't tell by the accentand Dean.
You are a industry icon onLinkedIn, so want to get your
take.
What should people be focusedon for the next 12?
Speaker 4 (13:47):
months Retention of the customers that you've got
coming into your business,making sure you keep them, and
with that you'll have retentionof employees.
Right now, I'm finding that thebiggest problem that
restaurants are having is theycan't find good help Work on the
retention of the customer, yourbusiness will grow.
Speaker 1 (14:05):
So what would you say is a tactic that restaurants
can use to improve the guestexperience?
Speaker 4 (14:08):
Act like a human being and act like you care.
Kind of like that.
You did a podcast here not toolong ago with a lady talking
about agape love.
Oh yeah, jane from Donato'sJane, yes, that's exactly what
we need to do.
We need to start loving ourcustomers a little bit more than
just you know as a transaction.
Love the customers that arecoming into your restaurant,
treat them with love and Ipromise you your business will
(14:29):
grow.
Speaker 1 (14:29):
Two question podcast here with Rusty Bills Of
Wienersitzel, co, coo.
What should restaurants befocused on for the next 12
months?
Labor management and elevatingyour data Ooh, love that.
That is some like deep stufffor a COO man.
Normally it's like just thebasic restaurant stuff.
But there we go.
You got to get into the datathere.
What is a tactic to improve theguest experience?
Speaker 6 (14:50):
One of them is to understand what your customers
are experiencing, so you got toget feedback before you can make
any improvements.
So I believe the data that youreceive from rich data from your
customers is going to be moreimpactful, using technology in a
smart way and helping your crewprovide a better experience
based on the feedback youreceive.
So let's leave it at that.
Love that.
Speaker 1 (15:10):
Thank you.
Two question podcast here withSelfie Cam Activate.
My name is Rev Ciancio and Ipoint at food on the internet
and you are with.
I am with Rev Ciancio.
I'm the CMO of Salad House andthe head of marketing for Crazy
Pita.
The co-founder of HandcraftBurgers Brew Next 12 months.
What do restaurants need guestretention and that starts with
making sure you collect theirdata and what is a tactic that
(15:31):
you've used to improve the guestexperience?
That is a great question.
So and I swear you did not askme anything before we started
it's get feedback from everyguest on every single order, so
that you can diagnose what'sgoing right or what's going
wrong.
And honestly, god, this is thetruth.
When the Soundhouse franchiseescall me and they go, we need
help because we're havingwhatever problem the first thing
I do is go into Ovation and Ilook at a summary of what's
(15:51):
happening in their store andwithin three minutes I have an
idea of where they're at andwhat they need Bazing.
Thanks, man.
There was no preload, that isabsolutely true.
Two-question podcast.
I am here.
Oh, we got a special guest,ellis.
All right, two-question podcastI am here with, with Ryan
Gromfin, with the RestaurantBoss.
What is something thatrestaurants should be focused on
for the next 12 months?
Financials, obviously, thingshave gotten a little more
(16:13):
challenging, a little moredifficult.
Previous to maybe the last twoyears, it's always been this
focus on the top line.
Everything else will workitself out.
That's generally my suggestion.
But as things are tightening up, what we're finding is, even if
your top line's down 10%, mostof my operators, my clients, are
still able to bring the samemargin on the bottom line by
just getting a little moreintentional with every expense.
(16:33):
So you really need good systems.
Financially.
Love that.
What is a tactic to improve theguest experience?
You've got to connect with yourguests at a more genuine level.
And again I would say, as theeconomy has changed a little bit
, people are still going to gospend money, but if they're
going to spend 20% less of theirmoney on restaurants, they're
going to be more particularabout where they go and the way
that they're going to make thatdecision is not necessarily on
(16:54):
how good the food is.
It's part of it, but it's goingto be on.
Am I spending my money at aplace I want to spend my money?
So give them a reason to wantto spend their money with you
and you shouldn't see any effecton your top line.
And if you focus on thefinancials, you could probably
do better on your bottom linenow than you ever did before.
Buzzing.
Thanks, ryan.
All right, two question podcasthere with Kathleen Wood of.
Speaker 9 (17:13):
Kathleen Wood Partners.
Speaker 1 (17:15):
What should restaurants be focused on for
the next 12 months to thrive?
Speaker 9 (17:18):
The number one thing that restaurants should be
focused on for the next 12months is their customer
experience.
Customers want value notdiscounted food, but value from
food service and the overallexperience.
That's why Ovation is such agreat solution.
Oh geez.
Speaker 1 (17:33):
Wow, well, thank you.
Besides Ovation, what's atactic that restaurants can use
to improve the guest experience?
Speaker 9 (17:39):
Right now.
I think what restaurants shouldfocus in on is really their
service experience.
So many people have their fooddialed in, but with the amount
of work that they've done todial in their food, they need to
dial in their service, bothonline and in person.
This is where the money can befound.
Speaker 1 (17:54):
Buzzing.
Thanks, kathleen.
Thank you All.
Right.
Two question podcast.
I'm here with Kip Welsh,president of Via 313 Pizzeria.
What should restaurants bedoing for the next 12 months to
thrive?
To thrive is going to have toall be about new menu items new
incentives for guests, loyaltyrewards and New items.
Speaker 6 (18:07):
New incentives for guests, loyalty rewards and then
making sure that delivery onhospitality is the strongest.
Speaker 1 (18:12):
it's ever been More competition in the space, and
that's why we're going to stayrelevant.
Amen.
And what is a?
Speaker 6 (18:20):
tactic that they can use to improve the guest
experience.
All about engagement from theinside of the dining room to
third party and takeout anddelivery experience, making sure
that the guest is feelinghospitality as well as gold
standard food and beverageexperiences.
Speaker 1 (18:30):
Love that Bonus question How's Ovation been
helpful for you?
Speaker 5 (18:33):
Ovation has been a game changer for us the quick
response time, the fact we canengage with a guest when there
is an issue so quickly catchthem inside of the restaurant,
turn them around and wow themwith an experience.
Speaker 1 (18:44):
Striven our guest sentiment scores through Ovation
, through Google could not behappier with it.
Well, it works because you workit, you care and you rock.
All right, two-question podcasthere with David Youngberg, ceo
of Stonefire Grill.
All right, david.
What should restaurants befocused on for the next 12
months to thrive?
Speaker 5 (18:58):
Traffic, I mean getting people on the door and
how you're going to do that isthrough engagement.
It's through a differentiationof making sure that you have
good food and that you'redifferent from your competitors.
You serve great food, youprovide great hospitality and
it's a winning combination.
Speaker 1 (19:11):
And what is a tactic that restaurants can use to
improve the guest experience?
Speaker 5 (19:14):
I would say loyalty, making sure that you have great
food items, that you're bringinggreat LTOs in, that you're
doing anything and everythingthat you can to show your guests
that the dollar that they spendinside your restaurant is gold.
Speaker 1 (19:25):
All right, two-question podcast here with
Zeno Carr from Garden Catering.
All right, zeno.
What should restaurants befocused on for the next 12
months to thrive the guest?
Speaker 5 (19:33):
experience.
So making sure you'reconnecting with your guests on a
one-to-one level, knowing whothey are, what they like, their
frequency, how you can increasethat frequency.
So the data is king right now.
Speaker 1 (19:43):
Data, data, data.
And what is a tactic that youwould recommend to improve the
guest experience?
Speaker 5 (19:49):
Make sure you're listening to your guests and
you're responding to them with auseful tool Like.
Speaker 7 (19:53):
I don't know.
Do you know any?
Speaker 5 (19:57):
like useful, maybe something like that yeah.
Speaker 7 (20:04):
Use Ovation and make sure that you're maximizing the
value that you get with all thedifferent tools that Ovation
provides.
Speaker 1 (20:06):
So you can reach out to your guests.
Amen Buzzing.
Thanks, daniel.
Speaker 10 (20:08):
All right, two question podcast here, with
Peter Riggs of Peter Pitt andThor's Skier what?
Speaker 1 (20:14):
should restaurants be focusing on for the next 12
months to thrive Doing betterAmen.
Speaker 10 (20:19):
How could they be doing better?
Anyone he told you that thereis not enough money and people
are shrinking their spending hasmisinformed.
They're just spending itsomewhere more interesting.
So do better Work on youroperations, your customer
experience, all that and createreasons for those guests to come
back into your restaurant,because that's the biggest
problem.
(20:39):
It's not that they didn't likeyou, it's not that they didn't
have a good experience.
They just got busy and forgotyou were there and it's not
their fault.
You need to get out there andremind them that you're worth
coming back for.
Speaker 1 (20:51):
Wow, knowledge bombs.
Second question what issomething that restaurants can
do to improve the guestexperience?
Speaker 10 (20:57):
Well, I think one of the biggest things they could
do is probably work on makingsure their reputation management
is solid, because anyone whohasn't tried your establishment
is going to look at it on theonline reviews, primarily
through Google, and you're goingto see if you've got bad
reviews, if they're low starratings and if they're
unresponded to it's going to bea big problem for you.
So using something like Ovationis a strong pathway to make
(21:20):
sure that customers are comingin to your restaurant and I'm
being serious because you haveto do what you need to do in
your restaurant to retain theguests.
But part of attracting theguests is making sure that when
they look into you, that they'reseeing what's an accurate
representation of your businessonline, and the only way to make
sure that you're getting thatdone in real time is through a
(21:40):
company like Ovation.
Speaker 1 (21:41):
Amen.
Well, thanks, peter Buzzing.
All right, here we are.
Two question podcast with GregMajewski of Craveworthy Brands.
Greg, what should restaurantsbe focusing on in the next 12
months to thrive?
Labor and food costs Question1A why?
Because it's the most importantand it's the most out of whack
right now.
So if you spend attention onthose two items, no matter what,
and keep those where they'resupposed to be, you should be
(22:02):
able to make money, no matterwhat your sales do.
What's a tactic thatrestaurants can use to improve
the guest experience?
Ovation Question 2B how hasOvation been helpful for you?
It gives us instant access tofeedback and everything else,
but, more importantly, if youactually look at the data it
provides, you can see insightsfrom your consumers before your
managers or you ever get to knowif things are going wrong.
Speaker 4 (22:22):
Complaints if they're bitching about price anything
of that nature.
Speaker 1 (22:25):
You know before anyone else does and you can
adjust it at that moment.
Buzzing.
Thanks, greg Bye, all right,two question podcast here with
Michael Lengaro of Kings of Fishand San Pedro Fish.
Market.
What is something restaurantsshould be doing for the next 12
months to thrive?
Speaker 15 (22:39):
100% AI.
Don't just think you know it.
You got to get into it.
You got to learn how to kind ofadopt it, bring it into your
practices and look at where itapplies until you get ready to
adapt to it and then exploit thehell out of it, love it.
Speaker 1 (22:50):
What is a tactic that restaurants can use to improve?
Speaker 15 (22:52):
the guest experience .
We are an experiential brandwhere we let customers touch
their products and pick outtheir products.
So anything you could do togive the customer an experience
that's memorable outside of justsit down, order, eat and leave,
I think it's going to stickwith them.
You want to hit them in theheart.
Speaker 1 (23:07):
You want them to walk out with a memory about that
Buzzing.
Thank you All right, Twoquestion podcast here with Tony
Smith Of Restaurant 365.
He like is Restaurant 365.
Anyway, Tony, what shouldrestaurants be focused on for
the next 12 months to thrive?
Oh, I think they got to beprofitable.
They got to be running astreamlined, efficient business
great visibility into everythingthat's happening there and what
.
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