Accelerate Restaurant Technology Podcast

The 2024 National Restaurant Association Show, considered the Super Bowl of foodservice events, is set to take place in Chicago from May 18-21. Now in its 103rd year, this comprehensive industry event brings together operators, suppliers, associations, education providers, media, and more from the global restaurant and foodservice industry. Highlights include the Technology Pavilion and Innovation Theater featuring industry-leading sponsors, exhibitors, and thought leaders sharing insights on front and back-of-house tech, supply chain, labor, loyalty programs, and other operational topics. Additionally, the inaugural 'Expo + Education' sessions will offer best practices across various industry segments. With over 400 tech exhibitors showcasing POS systems, signage, robotics, IoT, AI (including the next iteration of voice AI), and more, the National Restaurant Show promises to be a vital destination for operators seeking new technologies to enhance their operations.

As seniors increasingly use technology in their daily lives, innovative solutions are emerging to cater to their unique needs across different industries. Terence Ronson, Founder of Pertlink, has leveraged his hospitality expertise to develop technologies for senior living residences, such as voice control for simple tasks and dietary tracking systems in hospitals. While integrating such personalized technologies into the hospitality and restaurant industries with shorter patron stays poses challenges, there is growing potential for these sectors to learn from senior-focused innovations. The intersection of advanced technologies and the specific requirements of the aging population presents opportunities for enhancing experiences and accommodating varying abilities across senior living, healthcare, hospitality, and dining environments.

Across almost every industry, self-service is being implemented in some format. Grocery stores have self-checkout, hotels have self-check-in/out, and of course the foodservice industry has embraced kiosk ordering.
 
Joining in an Accelerate Spotlight conversation this week with Rob Grimes is Tyler Wells, ISV & Strategic Accounts Partner Manager, Americas at MicroTouch. MicroTouch is a global leader in capacitive touch solutions and innovator in touch technology, with more than 50 million touchscreen installations in 80 countries worldwide. With a 10-year technical background himself, Tyler is an ideal conversation guest as a thought-leader on the future of self-service and touchscreens in the retail, hospitality, and foodservice industries.
 
The episode begins by defining self-service, what is a kiosk and where they are found in all sorts of operations. Tyler says that self-service is relying on the customer to make their experience quicker and more convenient. Kiosks are free-standing interfaces placed in public areas to engage with customers and display information. Rob adds that he believes COVID turned around the attitude towards kiosks in the restaurant industry.
 
When it comes to the adoption of self-service or kiosks within the retail, hospitality, and foodservice industries there is variation. Retail’s self-service technologies focused on inventory management efficiency and being able to track better what’s being sold and what’s in the store. In hospitality, the use of kiosks is enhanced efficiency and convenience in the customer experience. Orders are put in directly by the customer reducing human error, while providing better communications through language translation, graphics and ai-generated response and suggestions.
 
The evolution of customer interaction is paving the way for self-service and kiosks to play a significant role in the foodservice industry and beyond. Tune in to this special edition of Accelerate Spotlight to discover the reasons behind the staying power of self-service and kiosks, and how they are adapting to incorporate robotics, AI, and automation technologies.

This episode is sponsored by MicroTouch


Improve the speed and ease of transactions. Whatever your business or application, MicroTouch projected capacitive screens offer seamless convenience for employees and customers alike.

Hong Kong has always been ground zero when it came to hospitality, tech, innovation and education.  How this came to be, and was put to practical use was the subject of conversation with this week’s guest, Richard Hatter. Richard has an extensive background in the hospitality space, opening many hotels in the Asia-Pacific market over the last 25 years. Richard’s operations expertise led him to become an adjunct professor at Hong Kong Polytechnic University which opened up new doors, putting his hotel background, love for technology, a desire to teach, all together to enable Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives within the hospitality industry. 

In the competitive Asian market, innovation with technology was seen as a way to teach students. As GM of hotel ICON, Richard put a technology prototype, development and testing center working with suppliers and hoteliers, and at the same time being a teaching hub for hospitality students. First, this gave suppliers a chance to test their products and viability with real guests, providing the ability to make adjustments to ensure a successful launch. A secondary benefit of this being that the hospitality students would go on to lead the market and be familiar with the suppliers who’s products were being tested. 

In terms of technology, everything from robotics to sustainability in uniforms and reducing food waste was tested. Richard believes that hotels today can learn from these methods. As a center for innovation and creativity it’s very attractive to students and patrons alike. Students come for the education and hotel patrons desired more dynamic experiences during their stay. The hotels themselves could use the opportunity to update outdated systems.

Tune in to this episode of Accelerate to learn more about the teaching hotels, and how education, hospitality, and innovation can become an ICONic experience.

One of the problems the industry has always had, what is ‘technology’ in the first place?” jokes this week’s guest, Barbara Timm-Brock, CEO of E-Track. With a mutual passion for tech and operations with the foodservice industries, but coming from different starts in the industry, Barbara joins Rob as they examine the past, present, and future from their individual viewpoints.

They begin by reflecting on their work experience, Rob at Marriott and Barbara at Pillsbury. The pair note how the approach to restaurants used to only worry about the guest who was physically in the restaurant. Now, it has evolved into dealing with 3rd parties and anyone with access to the internet.

In leadership, Barbara says many senior executives are trying to figure out where to prioritize when it comes to technology. She likens it to a pool with different swim lanes. It’s important to define the different lanes of technology, to adequately assess what resources to supply them with. Restaurant workers are an important stakeholder in the process too.

Looking at the future, Rob asks Barbara a series of rapid-fire questions about different technologies and what the path forward looks like. One example, Electrification of businesses, Barbara says it’s a sure thing and to jump on board now. She also says to use data to understand the peaks and valleys of one’s business will be important moving forward.

Tune in to this episode of Accelerate to listen to two passionate problem solvers in the restaurant and technology industry discuss best approaches, lessons learned, and why it’s important to help operators understand technology better.

In this episode of the Accelerate Podcast, host Rob Grimes, delves into the pulse of hospitality tech in a "Hospitality Tech: State of the Union" episode. Drawing inspiration from the recent State of the Union address, he embarks on a comprehensive exploration of the technological landscape within the hospitality industry.

Join Rob, as he navigates through various industry predictions, presentations, and articles, shedding light on the latest tech trends shaping the hospitality industry. Recognizing the pivotal role of consumer and operator perspectives, we uncover how these insights shape the trajectory of industry innovations.

Our journey extends beyond mere observation, as we engage extensively with suppliers, operators, and industry associations to glean invaluable insights into the industry's current state. Anticipation builds as we prepare to attend upcoming events such as MURTEC, The Bar & Restaurant Show, Pizza Expo, Multiunit Franchising Conference, and Shop Talk, where industry discourse thrives.

We dive deep into industry Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), including consumer spending trends, tech budgets, and leadership evolution, providing a holistic view of industry dynamics. Explore with us as we discuss new opportunities for operators and drivers of progress, analyzing tech spending trends and the emergence of new leadership roles within companies.

Furthermore, we examine supplier marketplace dynamics, uncovering new product offerings and international expansion strategies. Delve into labor market trends, noting the increasing interest in hospitality technology careers and the industry's evolving workforce landscape.

Through it all, we recognize the critical role of technology in meeting consumer expectations and propelling industry growth. Join us in this conversation, culminating in an overall positive outlook on the future of technology within the dynamic realm of hospitality. Tune in to the Accelerate Podcast for a compelling exploration of Hospitality Tech's, 2024 State of the Union.

In this week's episode, host Rob Grimes puts the spotlight on TechSpectations, or rather, the expectations of tech within hospitality. Not about airing grievances or frustrations about technology but rather a constructive dialogue aimed at dissecting observations and insights shared with Rob by industry insiders.

From investing in cutting-edge technology to grappling with execution challenges, the conversation draws from recent industry developments and personal anecdotes, the podcast presents a comprehensive view of how technology intertwines with every aspect of the hospitality experience.

The emphasis is on the importance of technology that serves a purpose beyond its novelty, the discussion delves into the significance of meeting the diverse expectations within hospitality operations of consumers, employees, management, and shareholders. Whether it's about optimizing operations, enhancing guest interactions, or staying ahead of evolving consumer preferences, TechSpectations offers actionable insights and strategies to navigate the ever-changing landscape of hospitality tech.

With a keen focus on bridging the gap between tech innovation and real-world application, TechSpectations sets the stage for informed discussions and actionable takeaways in the fast-paced world of hospitality tech. To hear more of Rob’s thoughts, and start your own conversation on TechSpectations, tune in to this episode of Accelerate.

On this episode Accelerate, host Rob Grimes asks, can technology provide a solution to iconic brands and hospitality to avoid their demise allowing them to live on, not only in our hearts & minds, but in our stomach as well?

Having recently visited a graveyard, Rob was able to look up names on headstones and find out a bit about their history by searching online, which prompted the idea for this episode. New technology is taking this concept even further, by providing immortality to people, places, food and experiences that are no longer with us. New technologies are allowing access to more information than ever, which in turn extends the life of the data through the infinite longevity of information.

All sorts of digital information is collected and stored including the chef or entrepreneur’s communications to live on into eternity via audio and video. Recipes and cooking techniques are stored preserving a chef’s signature dishes, giving us the ability to recreate and experience food in its original flavor, texture and presentation.

If you want to be an extend the life of a hospitality brand - Rob recommends focusing on the experience. By recreating the various elements of a great hospitality experience - food, service & environment - you can digitize your brand in a way you want to be remembered.

Listen to this episode of Accelerate for insights on creating a long-lasting and memorable hospitality brand, food and experience by delving into the advancements in technology that are bringing the idea of immortality closer to reality.

Continuing the conversation around what is expected to be the top industry technology trends for 2024, Accelerate host Rob Grimes shifts his focus this week to technology influencers. Influencers, according to Rob, is more than just individual people. Rather, it’s individual focus areas that influence what happens to technology and innovation in general. But it is the Futurists that predict the future and set the path to get there.

Rob breaks down influencers into two types - vertical and horizontal. Horizontal influencers are global industries that fund technology innovation - namely military, healthcare and education. Vertical influencers are the areas of technology that cut across all tech such as big data, social media, e-commerce, communications. These silos provide data and research which ultimately drives innovation.

Focusing back on the Futurists, Rob discusses their larger technology predictions. Nano technology, the concept of higher power coming in the form of smaller and smaller microchips, is something which is constantly evolving. Communication technologies are helping to bridge the gap of global communications, and many predict will soon allow us to smoothly communicate with anyone across the globe. Immersive technologies such as the meta-verse of e-learning (digital classroom) are making their impact emotionally and philosophically based upon an individual’s personal and professional life - another trend which is expected to grow.

If you want to hear about the innovations taking place in these industries, or want to know what the Futurists are predicting to be the top trends that will impact food and beverage technology in 2024, take a listen to this episode of Accelerate.

Since the start of 2024, there have been many discussions about technology trends or top 10 lists published. This episode of Accelerate, host Rob Grimes is diving into some of the top trending technology for the foodservice industry. Drawing from firsthand experiences, discussions with other industry leaders, and looking at industry ‘cousins’ retail or lodging, Rob dissects these emerging trends poised to evolve the foodservice industry.

Starting from within the foodservice industry, Rob highlights the expectations and limitations of a technology such as robotics. Where back of house may see more application and integration of robots, drone technology is held back with governance and regulations. From contactless ordering to cloud kitchens, and AI powered customer interactions, we are starting to understand which areas foodservice operators are placing more emphasis.

The second part of the episode shifts focus to specific ‘cousin’ industries, retail and hotels. Retail is focused a lot on EV charging and supplementing labor with autonomous channels, hotels placed more focus on guest personalization and contactless technology. Contactless payments were common among both of these sectors but hotels are taking the technology a step further, making the in-room experience increasingly more contactless. Green initiatives and sustainability technology within hospitality are also very popular. Green technology isn’t just a trendy choice anymore; it's the game

Tune in to this episode of Accelerate and explore the top technology trends shaping the future of the foodservice, retail, and hospitality industries and where we can learn from each other.