Opinion
The latest opinion pieces by industry thought leaders
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Restaurants have never known more about their guests. So why are they losing them?
The answer to repeat customer visits isn’t more loyalty tiers or programs, but deploying guest data to enhance experiences and remember preferences, writes Guestologie’s Ryan Volberg.
Ryan Volberg • July 6, 2026 -
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Why from-scratch cooking is a radical choice in 2026
Few kitchens cook from scratch today, meaning important techniques and methods could be lost as young chefs work with pre-made ingredients, says Clementine co-owner and pastry chef Elise Russ.
Elise Russ • June 29, 2026 -
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Restaurant software was built by people who never worked a Friday night close
Owners need technology that gives them back time and not something that just offers more dashboards to look at, writes Orbis AI’s Temo Benidze.
Temo Benidze • June 18, 2026 -
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Your financial tools aren’t built for your restaurant
Operators need support built around how restaurants actually make and spend money, and that troubleshoot when those two things fall out of sync, writes Toast’s Michel Rbeiz.
Michel Rbeiz • June 12, 2026 -
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The restaurant industry’s real crisis isn’t food costs — it’s access to financing
To stay financially healthy, operators must know how to discern a trustworthy capital partner from a predatory one, says US Professional Funding and US Medical Funding’s Christopher Cornella.
Christopher Cornella • June 1, 2026 -
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Who’s Hungry? What GroundTruth’s first-party data says about today’s restaurant visitors.
Most diners eat at places within 10 miles of their homes, so operators should target customers closest to their restaurants before expanding outward, GroundTruth’s Hayden Erwin says.
Hayden Erwin • April 17, 2026 -
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January reset: Turning the post-holiday slowdown into strategic growth
Savvy operators can stop revenue bleed and convert downtime into training time, writes Toast’s Julie Powell.
Julie Powell • Jan. 12, 2026 -
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Speed isn’t enough anymore. Why QSR brands need to dial up the emotion.
Chains need to focus on experiences, rituals and spaces that foster connection, writes Lotte van Uum, creative director of spatial design at FutureBrand.
Lotte van Uum • Nov. 24, 2025 -
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Why the NYC marathon provides a golden playbook for restaurants nationwide
Restaurant operators are running a long-distance financial race every day, focused on increasing profitability, but need to be nimble enough to take advantage of major traffic drivers in their cities, writes Julie Powell, senior director of marketing insights and intelligence at Toast.
Julie Powell • Oct. 31, 2025 -
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Cracker Barrel: Another case of the blanding of branding
Restaurants must engage core and growth audiences to understand what they value and which brand equities to protect, evolve or retire, writes Jon Shapiro, chief creative officer of brand experience at PV&COHO.
Jon Shapiro • Sept. 2, 2025 -
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Improving franchise profitability in uncertain times
Uncertainty caused by tariffs and interest rates may be hurting consumer traffic, but it shouldn’t stop savvy investments, Alicia Chandler from First Franchise Capital Corporation says.
Alicia Chandler • Aug. 22, 2025 -
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Two lanes for AI-powered order taking in drive-thrus: Humanization vs. transparency
While mimicking a human voice can lead to more emotionally engaging guest interactions, the stakes are higher for brands, with robotic-sounding voices offering greater transparency, says Hi Auto’s Eyal Shapira.
Eyal Shapira • July 8, 2025 -
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Why restaurants need a wake up call on food safety
Food operators need to rise to the challenge of improving food safety and become leaders in public health, says Hal King, managing partner at Active Food Safety.
Hal King • July 2, 2025 -
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How nonalcoholic beverages are driving the next wave of profits
Expanded zero-proof menus are attractive to Gen Z, who drink 20% less than millennials, and yield better margins than traditional cocktail offerings, writes Sidework CEO Rishabh Kewalramani.
Rishabh Kewalramani • Feb. 5, 2025 -
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Serving the electorate: Restaurants and voters share common ground this election
Inflation, the job market, economy, taxes and immigration reform are key issues impacting operators ahead of the election, writes the National Restaurant Association’s Michelle Korsmo.
Michelle Korsmo • Oct. 18, 2024 -
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How to train your restaurant employees so they learn fast and enjoy their work
Training is an excellent opportunity to share your restaurant’s culture and what makes it unique, writes D. J. Costantino, senior content marketing manager at 7shifts.
D. J. Costantino • Sept. 24, 2024 -
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‘Tipflation’ narrative is harmful to the restaurant industry
Saying that tips have spun "out of control" is inaccurate, as data shows a minimal decline in tip percent averages, writes Kevin Bryla, CMO of SpotOn.
Kevin Bryla • Aug. 16, 2024 -
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Dynamic offers done right: Why Wendy’s was on the right track
Unlike surge pricing, dynamic pricing can enhance brand loyalty and foster a sense of community engagement beyond traditional marketing methods, writes Catherine Tabor, founder and CEO of Sparkfly.
Catherine Tabor • March 20, 2024 -
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What restaurants need to know about Valentine’s Day BOGO, marketing and menu items
Last year’s holiday drove a 34% lift in restaurant food sales compared to the daily average for the year, a boost operators can recreate, writes Julie Gregg, director of market insights and competitive intelligence at Toast.
Julie Gregg • Feb. 8, 2024 -
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Cafes and bakeries are only scratching the surface for additional revenue
Offering an alcoholic or “evening” beverages menu can grow end-of-day foot traffic and deepen regulars’ relationships with their favorite “third place,” writes Toast VP of Product Marketing Teddy Tsang.
Teddy Tsang • Sept. 28, 2023 -
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Why AI is a key ingredient for success at Primanti Bros.
The chain is simplifying and speeding up office processes by outsourcing tasks like sales and labor reporting to robotic process automation bots, writes Caitlin Stritmatter, director of financial planning and analysis at Primanti Bros.
Caitlin Stritmatter • Aug. 21, 2023 -
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Taylor Swift’s smash-hit tour shows restaurants can harness concert hype
Restaurants near Swift’s Nashville show saw a 35% bump in average transaction counts YOY for the three days she played, writes Teddy Tsang, vice president of product marketing at Toast.
Teddy Tsang • Aug. 11, 2023 -
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For restaurants still struggling, preserving outdoor dining is key to their survival
Since outdoor dining has become such a boon for local businesses, the question should not be whether we keep outdoor dining, but how we make it enjoyable for all, writes Austen Asadorian, SVP of sales at SevenRooms.
Austen Asadorian • Nov. 2, 2022 -
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Why ‘tipping fatigue’ isn’t impacting restaurant servers the way you’d think it is
Diner tips were 9.9% higher in Q2 2022 compared to the year-ago period, and digital payments hold opportunity for robust gratuity, says Kelly Esten, SVP & GM of enterprise at Toast.
Kelly Esten • Oct. 5, 2022 -
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Managing your online reputation during a global crisis
If your restaurant is impacted due to its name or presumed affiliation with an ongoing conflict, such as the Russian invasion of Ukraine, you need to act quickly, writes Monica Ho, CMO of SOCi Inc.
Monica Ho • April 21, 2022
