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How Food On Demand Became the Hub for Off-Premise Innovation
Quick Lessons from Food On Demand
* Technology isn’t the future — it’s the foundation.
* AI isn’t hype — it’s a tool.
* Innovation doesn’t happen in isolation — it happens when the right people gather in the same room.
This year, I finally got to see it firsthand at the Food on Demand Conference in Las Vegas — a gathering that’s quickly become the Super Bowl for anyone building the future of restaurant delivery, digital ordering, and off-premises dining.
At the event, I also talked with Jared Pfeifer, the publisher of Food on Demand and a leader at Franchise Times, to learn how this show went from a niche event in 2018 to one of the most essential conferences in hospitality tech today.
You can watch our full conversation at the top of this post. If you liked it please leave let me know!
From Emerging Trend to Industry Lifeline
“When we started Food on Demand in 2018, off-premises was an emerging, growing segment, and we really thought that there was a need for support in a conference.”
What began as a forward-thinking event quickly became critical to the industry, Jared Pfeifer shared with me.
“Little did we know what was an exciting segment would become survival, right? For a couple of years,” Jared said. “It really fast-forwarded the growth of this event and what we do faster than it probably would have organically post-COVID.”
Today, Food on Demand connects everyone in the off-premises ecosystem — from packaging and logistics to online ordering, kitchen automation, and last-mile delivery.
The Backbone is Technology
Although Food on Demand isn’t a technology event by design, Jared says, “It’s the backbone of everything that we do, the backbone of this space.”
“You’ll find packaging companies, technology companies, industry services. It’s a much broader segment of the market, but technology is the backbone that threads through everything — from the online ordering to the execution of the actual delivery.”
Even more interesting, Jared added, “That exhibit hall is filled with both competitors and groups that partner and collaborate with one another. Each year we continue to see more and more of that.”
Breakfast, Barbecue, and Bleeding Edge Ideas
Beyond the keynote sessions, the Food on Demand experience is filled with actionable insights.
“I was at the EasyCater Catering Forum this morning,” I told Jared. “Got to hear a lot of really impressive things that I’m going to take back to my team — like adding breakfast as a day part. We have the capability, we have the staff. It’s a huge opportunity given how many people are searching for breakfast.”
The power of this event is not just hearing about innovation but applying it directly to your business.
AI: From Abstract to Actionable
Artificial intelligence was a major theme this year — not as a buzzword, but as a real, practical tool for decision-making and leadership.
The keynote featured Adam Brotman and Andy Sack, co-founders of Forum3 and co-authors of a new book featuring interviews with Sam Altman, Bill Gates and Reid Hoffman.
Their talk offered one of the most mind-blowing takeaways of the week: Brotman and Sack use ChatGPT as a literal “third leader.” When they disagree on a business decision, “they use ChatGPT… artificial intelligence to actually come up with a decision of figuring out which one is right.”
“AI is not going anywhere. Everywhere you go, people are talking about it.” But what stood out most was seeing it applied in real, creative ways. “This is something our kids are going to grow up with,” he said. “It will become table stakes.”
The Future of Food on Demand
Next year, Food on Demand is heading “back to where it all began” — Dallas, Texas.
“The space continues to grow and evolve. If we planned the conference every few months, things are going to be new. Things are going to be different because the space changes so dramatically.”
The team will start planning again this summer, curating the next wave of speakers, topics, and tech innovations — all with one goal: helping operators and innovators stay ahead of change.
Thanks for reading Restaurant Technology! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit restauranttechnology.substack.com
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By Cali BBQ MediaQuick Lessons from Food On Demand
* Technology isn’t the future — it’s the foundation.
* AI isn’t hype — it’s a tool.
* Innovation doesn’t happen in isolation — it happens when the right people gather in the same room.
This year, I finally got to see it firsthand at the Food on Demand Conference in Las Vegas — a gathering that’s quickly become the Super Bowl for anyone building the future of restaurant delivery, digital ordering, and off-premises dining.
At the event, I also talked with Jared Pfeifer, the publisher of Food on Demand and a leader at Franchise Times, to learn how this show went from a niche event in 2018 to one of the most essential conferences in hospitality tech today.
You can watch our full conversation at the top of this post. If you liked it please leave let me know!
From Emerging Trend to Industry Lifeline
“When we started Food on Demand in 2018, off-premises was an emerging, growing segment, and we really thought that there was a need for support in a conference.”
What began as a forward-thinking event quickly became critical to the industry, Jared Pfeifer shared with me.
“Little did we know what was an exciting segment would become survival, right? For a couple of years,” Jared said. “It really fast-forwarded the growth of this event and what we do faster than it probably would have organically post-COVID.”
Today, Food on Demand connects everyone in the off-premises ecosystem — from packaging and logistics to online ordering, kitchen automation, and last-mile delivery.
The Backbone is Technology
Although Food on Demand isn’t a technology event by design, Jared says, “It’s the backbone of everything that we do, the backbone of this space.”
“You’ll find packaging companies, technology companies, industry services. It’s a much broader segment of the market, but technology is the backbone that threads through everything — from the online ordering to the execution of the actual delivery.”
Even more interesting, Jared added, “That exhibit hall is filled with both competitors and groups that partner and collaborate with one another. Each year we continue to see more and more of that.”
Breakfast, Barbecue, and Bleeding Edge Ideas
Beyond the keynote sessions, the Food on Demand experience is filled with actionable insights.
“I was at the EasyCater Catering Forum this morning,” I told Jared. “Got to hear a lot of really impressive things that I’m going to take back to my team — like adding breakfast as a day part. We have the capability, we have the staff. It’s a huge opportunity given how many people are searching for breakfast.”
The power of this event is not just hearing about innovation but applying it directly to your business.
AI: From Abstract to Actionable
Artificial intelligence was a major theme this year — not as a buzzword, but as a real, practical tool for decision-making and leadership.
The keynote featured Adam Brotman and Andy Sack, co-founders of Forum3 and co-authors of a new book featuring interviews with Sam Altman, Bill Gates and Reid Hoffman.
Their talk offered one of the most mind-blowing takeaways of the week: Brotman and Sack use ChatGPT as a literal “third leader.” When they disagree on a business decision, “they use ChatGPT… artificial intelligence to actually come up with a decision of figuring out which one is right.”
“AI is not going anywhere. Everywhere you go, people are talking about it.” But what stood out most was seeing it applied in real, creative ways. “This is something our kids are going to grow up with,” he said. “It will become table stakes.”
The Future of Food on Demand
Next year, Food on Demand is heading “back to where it all began” — Dallas, Texas.
“The space continues to grow and evolve. If we planned the conference every few months, things are going to be new. Things are going to be different because the space changes so dramatically.”
The team will start planning again this summer, curating the next wave of speakers, topics, and tech innovations — all with one goal: helping operators and innovators stay ahead of change.
Thanks for reading Restaurant Technology! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit restauranttechnology.substack.com