What is great service in 2025? In this episode of Tech on Toast, powered by Zonal, we unpack why hospitality is still (and always will be) a people business—and how that truth fuels loyalty.

Host Chris Fletcher is joined by:

• Antony Pender — Founder, Yummy Collection (people-first pubs, bars & seafood concepts)

• Darren Smith — Head of Operations, Flat Iron (consistent, craveable steakhouse experiences)

• Gillian Nicholson — Sales Director, Zonal (tech that blends into brilliant service)

They dive into:

• Defining modern service: “relaxed rigor,” natural interactions, and letting guests drive the experience

• Training that sticks: stories, shadowing, and Gen Z–friendly, bite-size learning

• Tech that empowers (not replaces): surfacing the right info at the right time, seamlessly

• Culture and retention: flexibility, share schemes, meaningful recognition, and clear, kind feedback

• Protecting brand magic: value over hard sell; community, authenticity, and doing one thing exceptionally well

Pull quotes

“Hospitality is the job of making people happy.”
“It’s kind to be clear; it’s unkind to be unclear.”
“We’re far more emotionally intelligent than AI—especially right now.”

Catch up on the series: Missed an episode? Dive into the rest of our Loyalty Series to get fully up to speed.