BREAKOUT SESSION / MONDAY / OCTOBER 4, 2021 / 9:30 AM
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
Recently voted Brand Innovator in the FSR readers choice awards, Justin Bartek the marketing director of JINYA Holdings, Inc., joined the team during the industry’s most challenging times. After joining JINYA, Justin immediately immersed himself in JINYA Holdings’ Japanese culture, navigating his way through each individual brand. Though new to him, Justin has focused on leading JINYA Holdings to success, and he consistently shows his dedication to the company and industry. He was an early adopter of the Clubhouse platform and has utilized it to be a thought leader in the restaurant industry. On Clubhouse, Justin discusses topics like brand marketing, restaurant development and digital marketing with other industry leaders.
Sean Kennedy | President & CEO | Cowboy Chicken
As president and CEO, Sean Kennedy has been instrumental in establishing Cowboy Chicken as the premium fast casual restaurant brand that pioneered wood-fired rotisserie chicken. Sean has worked to refine the menu, build operational systems, grow system-wide sales and strengthen store financial performance. He launched Cowboy Chicken’s franchise program that helped to pave the way for today’s national expansion and has built a strong corporate team to support franchise development, real estate, construction, training, marketing and franchise support efforts. During his leadership, the brand has been included in Fast Casual’s Top 100 Movers & Shakers list every year since 2011 and in 2017 won the Emerging Chain of the Year award from Restaurant Business.
Julio Ramirez | CEO | BurgerFi
ulio Ramirez has over 40 years of experience in the multi-unit restaurant industry. He currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer for BurgerFi International. Julio previously founded JEM Global, Inc., (“JEM”) a company specializing in assisting QSR and fast casual brands’ with franchising and development efforts domestically and internationally. Among several projects, he consulted Dunkin Brands on its Brazil entry strategy and Buffalo Wings and Rings on its Mexico development strategy. He was also co-owner of Giardino Gourmet Salads, South Florida’s premier fast-casual concept, helping to grow the brand in Miami, Fort Lauderdale and Naples, Florida. Prior to JEM, Julio was with Burger King Corporation for over 25 years.
MODERATOR
Frank Chen | Director of Product Marketing | Toast
Frank Chen has been leading the development of internal Toast projects in the areas of ‘Off-Premise Dining’ and Digital Ordering since joining the company in 2016. Having worked on both product development and product adoption teams, Frank has a unique perspective on how to bring innovative technology to market while minimizing any disruption to Restaurant Operations. Frank currently works closely with multi-unit and Enterprise operators to understand how consumer expectations have changed during COVID-19 and how restaurant brands are adapting. Prior to Toast, Frank was involved in several early-stage tech startups in the Boston area.
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