9:30 am | Breakout Session

Tech Talk: The Future of Contactless and Online Ordering

Although the industry was embracing online ordering and contactless delivery, the onset of COVID-19 sped up adoption. What was once considered “nice to have” quickly turned into a “must have” for any restaurant hoping to do business during the pandemic.

Now that the pandemic is less of a worry, however, are these technology upgrades still necessary? If so, which platforms are best, and how does a restaurant with a small budget decide how and where to invest.

Attendees will not only learn the answers to these questions but also hear experts weigh in on what other customer experience technologies are coming soon.

Panelists:
• Justin Bartek | Marketing Director | bushi by JINYA

9:30 am | Breakout Session

Is Your Supply Chain Broken?

The supply chain is one of the most important aspects of a successful operations model, but too often restaurants make mistakes, which end up losing them money. This session will reveal several ways that attendees may save those dollars, including tips on supply chain management, master distribution agreements, managed produce and contracts.

They’ll learn how to identify overcharges, maximize contract utilization, upgrade management reporting and maximize rebate dollars.

Panelists:
• Nour Rabai | Founder & CEO | PITA Mediterranean Street Food
• Samir Wattar | COO | Layne’s Chicken Fingers

11:00 am | Breakout Session

Using AI to Build Customer-Specific Marketing Campaigns

Restaurants must not only be experts when it comes to food but also in delighting customers. And that’s not possible unless they know the types of offers their customers want and when, which is where data collection comes in handy.

Experts in this session will discuss how they use AI and machine learning to deliver personalized, one-to-one marketing campaigns that build loyalty. They’ll also share how they create new offers and promotions and test them.

11:00 am | Breakout Session

Enhancing Off-premise Operations to Build Customer Trust

Although consumers were starting to embrace delivery and carry-out options by the beginning of 2020, the pandemic accelerated the off-premise trend and forced operators to adjust their business models to win in this new normal.

They not only had to lean into technology to help them offer contactless experiences, but they also implemented strict hygiene and food safety protocols in hopes of gaining customer trust.

This session features restaurant leaders sharing those journeys. They’ll discuss what companies they partnered with and why, how much they invested and what they’d do differently.

Panelists:
• Tinku Saini | CEO & Co-Founder | Tarka Indian Kitchen

12:45 am | Breakout Session

Meatless: It’s What’s for Dinner

With more than 60% of Americans saying that since COVID-19 they have incorporated more plant-based foods into their diets, fast casual restaurants – regional and national – are glowing up their meatless options.

And while a meatless strategy makes sense for many brands, how do you know if it will work for your restaurant?

Chefs in this session will weigh on the right and wrong ways to incorporate meatless options to your menu.

12:45 am | Breakout Session

How AI Changes the Customer Experience

Remember the days when self-order kiosks, themselves, were new and exciting? Those days are long gone as today’s models include a variety of upgrades driven by artificial intelligence. Think facial recognition, voice ordering and fingerprint and palm scanners, all of which can be used to not only enhance the customer’s ordering experience but to also manage loyalty programs.

This session will offer an overview of how feasible these technologies are today.

4:00 pm | Breakout Session

How to Build a Solid Virtual Business

Ghost kitchens are one of the industry’s hottest trends, so this session explores how three established brands have incorporated ghost kitchens into their operations models.

They’ll not only talk about why they decided to embrace the trend so early but also reveal the partnerships they’ve made and the technology required to run a successful virtual business.

Lastly, they’ll share their outlook on the future of ghost kitchens and contactless delivery as well as a few other upcoming trends in operations.

Panelists:
• Otto Othman | CEO & Co-Founder | PINCHO

4:00 pm | Breakout Session

How to Cruise Through Drive-thru Remodels

Finding a drive-thru lane at a fast casual restaurant used to be rare, but they are becoming more commonplace as customers demand contactless pick-up points. This session will feature executives who have incorporated drive-thrus into their business models.

They’ll talk about how to ensure a good ROI as well as pitfalls to avoid.

10:05 am | Breakout Session

Not Only Surviving, But Thriving Through the Pandemic

While many restaurants across the world closed or struggled to stay in business over the past year, a few posted higher-than-ever sales.

This session will feature three of those brand leaders revealing their strategies for handling the crisis. They’ll talk about how they pivoted their operational models, redistributed labor and added new menu offerings as well as how they created new revenue streams to pad the bottom line.

Panelists:
• Tony Darden | President & COO | MOOYAH Burgers, Fries & Shakes
• Kristin Peterson | CMO | Dickey’s Barbecue Pit
• Tom Sacco | CEO & President | Happy Joe’s Pizza & Ice Cream Parlors & Tony Sacco’s Coal Oven Kitchen

10:05 am | Breakout Session

Session Topic – Coming Soon!

11:25 am | Breakout Session

Session Topic – Coming Soon!

11:25 am | Breakout Session

Session Topic – Coming Soon!

1:10 pm | Breakout Session

Session Topic – Coming Soon!

1:10 pm | Breakout Session

Session Topic – Coming Soon!

2:30 pm | Breakout Session

Session Topic – Coming Soon!

2:30 pm | Breakout Session

Session Topic – Coming Soon!