In the latest episode of Hospitality Hangout, hosts Michael Schatzberg "The Restaurant Guy" and Jimmy Frischling "The Finance Guy" are joined by Christi Ravneberg, Director of Content Integration, Restaurant & Food Group, and Joe Donnelly, Group Director & Publisher, Restaurant and Food Group at Informa Connect.


Informa, a leading B2B global media exhibition company, aspires to become the foremost voice in content, connections, and intelligence. Generating approximately $2.2 billion in annual revenue, Informa is traded on the London Stock Exchange. Joe Donnelly and Christi Ravneberg are integral members of Informa Connect, the company's Knowledge & Networking division, which is spearheaded by CEO Andrew Mullins. With its extensive resources and expertise, Informa continues to drive innovation and foster connections across multiple industries worldwide.


The Informa team joins the conversation to discuss the recently released 2023 Market Leader Report for Transformative Tech Strategies for Restaurants. As foodservice operators seek tools and data to accelerate their growth, they are carefully considering technology's impact on operations, labor management, marketing, and scalability with their current tech stack and workforce. To help operators make informed investment decisions, Nation's Restaurant News Intelligence conducted a comprehensive investigation of the technology needs and upcoming initiatives of nearly 400 operators, representing a diverse range of service styles and brand sizes. The insights gleaned from this research are invaluable in guiding the industry toward successful and sustainable technology adoption.


Donnelly highlights how COVID-19 accelerated a technology revolution in the food service industry, which was bound to happen eventually. With over 15 years of experience in B2B technology, he aims to use Informa's platform to facilitate peer-to-peer recognition for best practices in technology adoption and application in the sector.



Ravneberg shares a key finding from a recent survey, revealing that 92% of operators are very likely to invest in technology within their restaurants and hotels over the next 12 months. Despite the industry's history of being slow to adopt new technologies, this statistic demonstrates the increasing understanding that embracing tech is now a non-negotiable factor for success. The challenges of cost and integration, as well as significant knowledge gaps and an overwhelming number of choices, still persist, but operators are more determined than ever to adapt and compete in this rapidly evolving landscape.

To hear “Tuesday Trivia, Two Lie’s and a Truth” check out this episode of Hospitality Hangout and to read the full 2023 Market Leader Report for Transformative Tech Strategies for Restaurants, you can click this here.