Explore the pulsating heart of the restaurant industry with us as we dissect DoorDash's latest earnings and the seismic shifts in food prices that have reached a 30-year summit. As we navigate through the financial intricacies, we shine a spotlight on the subtle strategies at play in this fiercely competitive market. From Focus Brands' pivot to a platform-centric approach to the ways in which soaring costs shape the dining landscape, we're serving up a full course of analysis that promises to...

Unlock the secrets of culinary content kings Mike Duffy of Yum Crunch and Matt Holloway from Bad Manners. Our kitchen conversation sizzles with their innovative strategies for captivating the palates of digital audiences. From selfie marketing triumphs to the subtle art of social media algorithms, they dish out anecdotes of their journey reshaping the promotional playbook. Their insights serve as a masterclass for foodpreneurs eager to stir organic growth and turn customers into loyal brand...

Get ready to explore the seismic shifts affecting your favorite dining spots as Meredith and I, Carl, guide you through the evolving landscape of the restaurant industry. As Google repositions itself, stepping away from being a middleman in online food ordering, we unlock the repercussions for restaurants and their relationship with tech giants. We don't just stop at a surface analysis; instead, we delve deep into the lawsuit that might have nudged Google aside and the newfound importance of...

Step aside, traditional pizza delivery—there's a new slice in town, and it’s rolling your way. Join us as we sit down with the visionary Benson Tsai of Stellar Pizza, whose fully automated mobile food trucks are dishing out pizzas faster than you can say "extra cheese, please." Benson, who's traversed from the electric vehicle industry to a SpaceX collaboration, now marries his chemical engineering savvy with his culinary curiosity to dish out delectable pizzas on the go. Discover the...

Unlock the future of dining as Meredith and Carl dissect the evolving tastes of the restaurant industry, analyzing shifts in customer ordering habits and the ingenious ways full-service venues are adapting. As off-premise sales maintain their stronghold, with delivery dwindling and takeout holding firm, we bring to light the rise of direct online ordering and its stronghold on the sector. We tackle the daunting hurdles of inflated labor and commodity costs, and consider the findings from a...

Join Carl and Meredith in a fascinating discussion with Anand from Gala Enterprises, recorded at the CREATE conference for Nation's Restaurant News. This episode delves into the critical path to digital maturity for restaurants and the role of technology in this evolution. Anand shares his unique perspective, having grown up in the restaurant industry and now investing in restaurant technologies. From the challenges of integrating disparate systems to the revolution brought on by cloud...

Ready to envision the future of dining? This week, we're slicing into how Walmart's cutting-edge drone delivery could be a game-changer for the restaurant industry. Imagine your favorite meals flying to your doorstep! We dissect Walmart's innovative approach, servicing 1.8 million households, and its ripple effect on everything from kitchen layouts to inventory management. Plus, we're serving up a taste of personalization with AI-powered search, and how this tech could create a bespoke dining...

Ever wonder how restaurants are adapting to the rapidly changing world?  Join us in this enlightening episode of The Digital Restaurant Podcast as we dive into the future of the restaurant industry with our special guest, Mario Del Perro, a visionary from DOM Food Group and co-creator of Mendocino Farms.  Mario shares his unique perspective on the future of the restaurant industry as we delve into the importance of understanding your target audience, creating a craveable menu, and more as we...

Ever wondered how your favorite burrito bowl or frappuccino is mirroring the likes of Amazon or eBay? Buckle up, as we take you through the evolution of digital restaurants, transforming into behemoths of personalized marketing and e-commerce efficiency. We're serving up a hearty discussion on the seismic shifts that Starbucks and Chipotle have made, and we're slicing into the meat of e-commerce metrics such as customer acquisition costs and lifetime value, essential ingredients for a...

In this episode of The Digital Restaurant podcast, we're excited to share our conversation with Steph So, the Head of Digital at Shake Shack. With a rich background in e-commerce spanning across various industries, Steph brings a unique perspective to the fast casual dining scene. Shake Shack, a leader in innovation within the restaurant space, has been a trailblazer in integrating hospitality into the fast casual setting. Steph discusses the brand's focus on creating an "enlightened...

Ever wondered how the restaurant industry is evolving amidst the shockwaves of the pandemic and soaring labor costs? Brace yourselves for an enlightening conversation with industry mavericks - Zach Rash, co founder and CEO of Coco Robotics, Seth Cohen, president of Sweetfin, Jim Goodman of Bevy and Glenn Gerlich of Loop AI, and of course the irrepressibly impressive Alex Canter and our host, Saul Cooperstein of Virtual Dining Concepts. We're also putting the spotlight on the intriguing...

Time to navigate the exhilarating world of virtual restaurants with Geoff Alexander, the entrepreneurial leader behind WowBao. This intriguing episode promises to dive into the finer details of this revolutionary sector, where we discuss the triumphs, the challenges, and the sheer potential that lies within. Geoff's passion for this space is infectious as he spills the beans on WowBao's unique approach to consistency and execution, and the importance of having resilient partnerships. Are...

In the latest episode of The Digital Restaurant podcast, we delve into the ever-evolving landscape of the restaurant industry, particularly focusing on the technological innovations reshaping dining experiences. Our discussion begins with the intriguing shift in the ghost kitchen segment, highlighting notable industry players like Kitchen United and Crave. We explore whether the concept of ghost kitchens was merely a pandemic phenomenon or a fundamental shift in the food service industry,...

Ever wondered how restaurants manage the intricate dance of creating an exceptional dining experience while navigating the challenges of modern-day operations? This episode will be your backstage pass to that world, featuring Robin Robertson, the COO of Modern Market Eatery. Robin uncovers the sheer complexity of restaurant operations and enlightens us on how the guest experience has transformed due to new channels and a persisting labor crisis. Tune in to understand the importance of...

Did you ever wonder how the future of food delivery would look like? Brace yourself as we dive into a fascinating discussion about the ongoing consolidation of the restaurant and off-premise industries. We'll be talking about HelloFresh and Nestle's new strategic moves and what they mean for your dinner table. Break down the ins and outs of HelloFresh's bold move towards establishing its own delivery fleet, and Nestle's big-bucks investment in Wanda with a vision of a mega mealtime app....

The fascinating world of data within the restaurant industry unfolds with our expert guest, Andrew Smith, the co-founder of Savory Fund. His unique insights, stemming from an impressive blend of tech and restaurant industry experience, truly bring to light the enormity and complexities of data management spanning across multiple restaurant brands. Can you grasp the concept of data as the new oil? Join us as we navigate this intriguing landscape, tackling brand consolidation trends, the...

In this week's episode of The Digital Restaurant podcast, Carl and Meredith cover three main topics. First, DoorDash is testing a feature that reminds users to tip their drivers, addressing the challenge of high delivery costs. Wingstop is making a big investment in technology, creating a platform called "My Wingstop" to personalize customer experiences in-store and online, aiming to boost digital sales. Starbucks plans to add 20,000 locations and implement a $3 billion cost-cutting strategy...

How do you build a food empire with a provocative name and a loyal following? You'd surely like to hear from Jason Crain, the President of Slutty Vegan, about the brand's meteoric rise and the strategies that helped them drive conversion and traffic. This episode will let you peek behind the curtain to see how big brand experience with the likes of Amazon and Shazam has informed their customer engagement. As we delve into their innovative use of text messaging, website interactions, social...

Cyberattacks, a $14M investment into MoonBowls and which restaurants top the off-prem satisfaction report? All these headlines and more represent our thoughts and views on the world of restaurants, technology and off premise food in our round up of last week’s hot news stories - subscribe today to The Digital Restaurant and register at www.deliveringthedigitalrestaurant.com for more bonus content. Articles mentioned in the video: Delivery innovation is hotting up amidst the offprem...

Ready to uncover the secret sauce that propelled a local Los Angeles restaurant chain to the front page of DoorDash? Our conversation with Landon Kelley, from HomeState, reveals the strategic decisions and operational excellence that catapulted this thriving establishment to new heights on the popular delivery platform. Landon enlightens us on how they leveraged user feedback, nurtured relationships with DoorDash drivers, and managed the unique challenges of an exclusive partnership with a...

Wonder buys an apron, How Amazon's anti-trust suit affects restaurants and a $24M Blackbird Boost. All these headlines and more represent our thoughts and views on the world of restaurants, technology and off premise food in our round up of last week’s hot news stories - subscribe today to The Digital Restaurant and register at www.deliveringthedigitalrestaurant.com for more bonus content. Articles mentioned in the video: 1. Wonder acquires Blue Apron for $103M  2. Blackbird acquires $24M in...

What triggers loyal guests? Why stored value matters? And a Panda is getting sold in Asia All these headlines and more represent our thoughts and views on the world of restaurants, technology and off premise food in our round up of last week’s hot news stories - subscribe today to The Digital Restaurant and register at www.deliveringthedigitalrestaurant.com for more bonus content. Articles mentioned in the video: 1. Which day is the most popular for loyalty triggers? Paytronix has the data!...

Voice AI, Mobile pick up lanes and getting Phygital with the Tillster Report. All these headlines and more represent our thoughts and views on the world of restaurants, technology and off premise food in our round up of last week’s hot news stories - subscribe today to The Digital Restaurant and register at www.deliveringthedigitalrestaurant.com for more bonus content. Articles mentioned in the video: 1. Voice Ordering heating up 2. Getting Phygital with Kiosks Tillster  Phygital Index...

Generative AI cookies, Catering & Pizza Vending on the rise, and Deliveroo merges fulfilment channels. All these headlines and more represent our thoughts and views on the world of restaurants, technology and off premise food in our round up of last week’s hot news stories - subscribe today to The Digital Restaurant and register at www.deliveringthedigitalrestaurant.com for more bonus content. Articles mentioned in the video: 1. The ongoing rise of pizza vending  2. Doordash building its...

Dine in is out at McDonalds, The Losers of the Mr Beast Fight and GoTab adds $18M to the check. All these headlines and more represent our thoughts and views on the world of restaurants, technology and off premise food in our round up of last week’s hot news stories - subscribe today to The Digital Restaurant and register at www.deliveringthedigitalrestaurant.com for more bonus content. Articles mentioned in the video: 1. DoorDash and Uber continue to grow?  Or do they?  Related...