Experience Restaurant Next: Be transported to a simulated restaurant and explore five unique environments. Each room is designed for the new normal of restaurant operations and packed with technology and education to inspire you.
On-Demand Content
(Available Now - November 10)
All Content is Organized by Room
The Auditorium
Title |
Speaker |
Description |
|---|---|---|
Keynote: A View From the Top |
Hear how The Howard Hughes Corporation turned a piece of prime New York City real estate into the hottest place to see and be seen, a socially-distanced mega-rooftop with individual dining lounges in squares of green, complete with contactless technologies, enhanced bandwidth, unique culinary partnerships and spectacular views. |
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Keynote: Spotlight on White Castle's Tech Initiatives |
Susan Carroll-Boser - White Castle |
From revolutionary robotics in the fryer area to sophisticated AI in the drive-thru, nearly a century-year-old, beloved brand White Castle is shaking up the QSR world by embracing cutting-edge tech. The Crave is a Powerful Thing. And so is the next-gen tech this legacy brand is putting to work in powerful ways. |
Panel: Contactless Customer Journey |
Emma Dye - Crisp Salads |
The pandemic has forced restaurants to embrace contactless technologies that keep customers and employees safe, while keeping revenues coming in the door. Find out how some operators are going contactless, including some of the most innovative solutions out there, from facial recognition payments to pick-up lockers, and everything in between. |
Restaurant Technology Network Industry Update |
Restaurant Technology Network Industry Update |
Curbside & Delivery Room
Title |
Speaker |
Description |
|---|---|---|
Firechat with Papa John's |
An explosion of ordering channels and on-prem / off-prem access points has forced every restaurant to rethink technology and business strategies that maximize return on investment. With a hyper-focus on digital and menu innovation, an exciting plan for growth, and estimated systemwide sales up nearly 25% in August in North America, Papa John's brand is on the rise. Find out how the company has aligned business objectives with smart technology architecture to come out on top. And how it plans to stay there. |
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Firechat with Topper's Pizza |
Tony Ellis, VP of IT, Topper's Pizza |
Topper's Pizza VP of IT details the tech investments made that empowered the brand to quickly add three major features in a matter of weeks. |
Panel: Evergreen Off-Prem |
Tamy Duplantis - Return On Information Consulting |
Now that we understand how critically important off-prem revenues are, how do we prioritize and optimize every aspect for the long-term? |
Panel: Native Delivery Rising |
Chris Demery - P.F. Chang's |
From third-party to hybrid to owned channels, hear how three brands are navigating through the complex world of delivery. Matt Friedman founded Wing Zone, a concept thriving for nearly three decades, always delivering on delivery. Former Domino's and Bloomin' Brands off-prem expert Chris Demery explains how he's currently overseeing P.F. Chang's smart delivery moves. And Skip Kimpel, CIO of 4R Restaurants and TechChef podcaster, describes the pivot from hybrid to owned delivery, with a little help from RTN's Native Delivery TCO Calculator. |
Full Service Restaurant Room
Title |
Speaker |
Description |
|---|---|---|
Firechat with Brinker International |
We sit down with Wade Allen, SVP, Head of Innovation at Brinker International, to explore how the brand pivoted at lightning speed to accommodate 100% off-prem at the start of COVID. We're also talking about Brinker's new virtual brand, It's Just Wings, recently rolled out to 1000+ of the company's own kitchens exclusively through DoorDash. |
|
Firechat with Torchy's Tacos |
Scott Hudler, CMO, Torchy's Tacos |
Scott Hudler, CMO of Torchy's Tacos, sits down with us to talk about how the brand has pivoted and stayed strong through the pandemic - and the best is yet to come. |
Panel: Loyalty 2.0: Points, Perks and Profits |
Reed Daniels - Red's Savoy Pizza |
We're unveiling to hottest trends in next-gen loyalty, going far beyond points and rewards to leverage in-depth customer understanding and habits to provide world-class service and opportunities for up-selling. |
Kitchens/Ghost Kitchens
Title |
Speaker |
Description |
|---|---|---|
Trend Talk on Voice Ordering |
Bradley Metrock, CEO of Score Publications and This Week in Voice VIP |
AI-assisted voice ordering is happening now and is poised to move from "good idea" to "must-have." Learn how voice is bringing efficiency and ROI not only to the ordering process but also to management and inventory processes. |
Host Kitchens Heat Up |
Geoff Alexander - Wow Bao |
Explore what's next as business models evolve like never before. From a beloved family brand innovating with new concepts to a concept that any kitchen can prepare, and a completely new business model for maximizing unused real estate and chef talent to deliver exceptional culinary experiences, we're talking hot new ideas, and exciting new revenue streams. |
Wrap Up: What's Next for You? |
Event Wrap Up: What's Next for You? |
QSR, Fast Casual & Drive-Thru Room
Title |
Speaker |
Description |
|---|---|---|
Firechat with El Pollo Loco |
Andy Rebhun, VP of Digital, El Pollo Loco |
Andy Rebhun, VP Digital at El Pollo Loco, gives Restaurant Next the inside scoop on the brand's updated app that includes more personalized rewards, GPS enabled curbside pickup and more. |
Firechat with Dickey's Barbecue: Leveraging Analytics to Create a Mobile-First Platform |
Laura Rea Dickey, CEO of Dickey's Barbecue Restaurants, explains how this famed barbecue brand has leveraged analytics to identify friction points in the customer journey and then used its in-house tech team to quash those obstacles, reducing checkout times, increasing spend and improving customer satisfaction along the way. |
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Firechat with Dunkin' Brands |
VP of IT at Dunkin' Brands, Gagan Sinha is implementing some of the company's most innovative technologies to date, from cashierless and contactless, to a drive-thru of the future guest experience. The brand is staying ahead of the pack, and America is running on Dunkin' better than ever before. |
Universal Solutions Room
Title |
Speaker |
Description |
|---|---|---|
Firechat with Church's Chicken |
Felicia White, Vice President of Global Operations Training and Development at Church's Chicken |
Felicia White, Senior Director of Operations & Training at Church's Chicken, tells the story of implementing an intense, international, multilingual workforce training and health & safety platform. |
Panel: ANALYZE THIS! Real-World Data Does Double-Duty |
Tanvir Bhangoo - Freshii |
Restaurants are collecting more customer data than ever before and our expert panel will take a deep dive into how that data can be leveraged to enhance customer service, loyalty, and revenue. |
RTN Lounge
Title |
Speaker |
Description |
|---|---|---|
RTN's Open API Industry Update |
Bob Gibson, CRO, Jolt; Chris Lybeer, Chief Strategy Officer & CMO, Revel Systems; Robert Peterson, VP of Sales, Qu; Brian Whitney, VP of Sales Appetize |
Technology leaders from both restaurants and supplier worlds have been working together for over a year to create an Open API Framework, arguably the most impactful foundational initiative to ever exist in the restaurant industry. Leading voices share why the framework is critical to shaping the future of integration, and how it will ease interoperability for restaurants who have long struggled through a mind-boggling maze of complexity involving disparate systems. |
Firechat with the Altanta Hawks and State Farm Arena |
Marcus Wasdin - CIO, the Atlanta Hawks and State Farm Arena |
Marcus Wasdin, CIO of the Atlanta Hawks and State Farm Arena, will share how the organization has created the #1 Guest Experience in the NBA with technology that delivers for its fans. In addition, we’ll hear about how State Farm Arena is supporting the cause for social justice and is transforming its venue in partnership with the Fulton County Elections Commission, to create a social-distanced, safe and convenient space for voting in the run-off and general elections. |
On-Demand Environment Tours
Each Restaurant Next room features a series of self-guided audio tours, offering up fascinating insights into how the industry is already evolving, and delivering future-looking predictions for the next wave of innovation. Tours are available on-demand throughout the event, and are narrated by the Restaurant Next team, with special guest Joe Tenczar, Co-Founder, Restaurant CIOs. |
Title |
Description |
Location |
|---|---|---|
Tour the Curbside & Delivery Room |
As curbside and delivery become tablestakes, restaurants are embracing truly innovative business models and new technologies to meet evolving consumer expectations. |
Curbside & Delivery Room |
Tour the Full Service Restaurant Room |
This environment includes technology that is helping restaurants reopen full-service dining experiences with a focus on communication, controls and new health and safety protocols for staff and guests. |
Full Service Room |
Tour the Kitchens/Ghost Kitchens |
The heart of the restaurant has become a hotbed of innovation, as technology advancements and new business models are driving kitchens to operate smarter, faster, cleaner and more efficiently than ever before. |
Kitchens/Ghost Kitchens |
Tour the QSR/Fast Casual/Drive-Thru Room |
This space offers a glance at the evolving practice to focus not only on speed, but on highly personalized and contactless experiences. |
QSR/Fast Casual/Drive Thru Room |
Tour the Universal Solutions Room |
Some solutions are so universal that they touch a multitude of restaurant environments. As new technologies infiltrate the four walls and beyond, restaurants are tapping robust infrastructure platforms to embrace those innovations faster. |
Universal Solutions Room |