Ever wondered what goes into creating a dining experience so memorable that guests can’t stop talking about it? Join us as we sit down with Jason Ganahl, the genius behind GQue Championship Barbecue, Denver’s first and only championship barbecue restaurant. Jason spills the beans on the art of personalized service, maintaining a consistent restaurant presence, and the transformative power of creating unforgettable moments for guests.

Here are some highlights:

What is the most important aspect of guest experience?

“I think that it needs to be memorable. It has to be something that sticks out. I think anybody can go anywhere and just get food, but if you can do something that transforms it to something that’s memorable for them, then that’s going to make them want to go out and tell somebody about the experience and that’s ultimately the best thing you can achieve from a guest that comes in the restaurant if they’re out there. Still the best form of advertising out there. So any chance we get to create an experience that’s going to generate that in somebody is powerful.”

What’s a tactic you’ve used to improve the guest experience?

“Ovation, obviously. I love our loyalty program. Our director of marketing has put a ton of time in getting that set up. We use Paytronix, yeah, we’re big fans of that. Personalizing the guest experience whenever possible. So we like to get people’s names when they come in.”

Who’s someone in the industry that deserves an Ovation?

“Well, I’m in the barbecue niche so one of the things I’ve noticed is barbecue’s hard as you scale it. It’s really hard to keep it consistently good every single time. I think the group in Kansas City, Joe’s Barbecue they do a really good job with their volume and their consistency.”

Learn more

To learn more about Jason and GQue Championship Barbecue, follow them on Instagram @GQBarbecue and check out their YouTube channel with over 100,000 subscribers for delicious content and barbecue tips.