For this episode, Give an Ovation turned into two-question podcast on the road at the National Restaurant Association Show in Chicago. In this special edition, Zack interviews over two dozen industry leaders live from the show floor, asking each guest two key questions: “What should restaurants focus on over the next 12 months?” and “What can restaurants do to improve the guest experience?”

The result is a rapid-fire episode packed with real-world advice, trends to watch, and quick wins you can apply right now.

Doubling Down on Digital (02:04)

Guests emphasize how mobile ordering, guest data, and automation are driving results and creating more personalized experiences.

“Digital ordering isn’t the future, it’s the now.”

Invest in Your People (07:28)

Staffing remains a top challenge, but leaders share how retention improves when you invest in training, culture, and communication.

“If we take care of our employees, they’ll take care of our guests.”

Know Your Guests (11:04)

Many guests highlight the power of listening—through tech, in-person, or feedback tools like Ovation—to improve experience.

“The best operators are the best listeners.”

Consistency Wins (13:10)

Whether it’s food quality, service speed, or cleanliness, consistency is what builds loyalty across units.

“Guests don’t expect perfect, they expect consistent.”

Craveability + Convenience (17:24)

From packaging to menu design, guests talk about combining flavor with ease to create winning experiences.

“Make your food easy to crave and easier to get.”

Marketing with Meaning (22:45)

Leaders discuss how to cut through the noise with values-driven storytelling, creative campaigns, and influencer partnerships.

“Guests want to connect with a brand that stands for something.”

Ovation in Action (26:30)

Several guests mention how using Ovation helps them gather guest feedback quickly and make changes in real time.

“We’re using Ovation to truly understand the why behind our reviews.

Transcript

00:00:00:05 – 00:00:17:20

The National Restaurant Association show is about to begin and are right here in Chicago. And so what we’re doing is we are taking give an ovation on the street, and we are going to be doing a two question podcast. We’re going to figure out what are the most important aspects to focus on for the next 12 months, and what are some tactics used to improve the guest experience.

00:00:17:20 – 00:00:38:19

And you never know who you’re going to bump into for example, right here, let’s start a podcast with Sean Walsh. Chef. Hey. Oh hey Sean. Yes I am here with Sean Love Cali barbecue media okay, Sean, what should restaurants be focused on for the next 12 months? Guest retention and what are some tactics to improve the guest experience?

00:00:39:00 – 00:00:59:18

Talk to your guests. Boom! While Chef the mic drop. Never know you get above it. You at the NHRA and here we go Mike. Too expensive to offer, but next time we’ll be live streaming. I’m here with Hello and Howdy Doody, folks, this is Justin Roundy with ovation. All right. We’re doing man of the Street interviews. Justin two question podcast number one, what’s your restaurants?

00:00:59:18 – 00:01:19:11

Be focused on for the next 12 months? Guest feedback give more guest frequency. Get you guys back in the door. Put some tactics you’d recommend to guests to improve the guest experience. To restaurants to improve the guest experience. Listen to your guests any way possible more than your online reviews. There we go. Right here. Just Rowdy Man on the Street two question podcast I’m here with Troy Hooper of Hop Out America.

00:01:19:11 – 00:01:40:08

Pepper lunch restaurant brands buzzing. All right. Jerry, what should restaurants be focused on for the next 12 months? Air to make your life easier and more efficient? And what are some tactics used to improve the guest experience? I use ovation, oh, well, they use ovation. Love you two. Question podcast I’m here with Brandon Barton of Bites. What is something restaurant operators should be doing for the next 12 months?

00:01:40:14 – 00:01:59:17

Adopt a kiosk as fast as humanly possible. It’s not just because I’m a kiosk guy, but really it saves money and it increases your average check. The only way to have less customers and increase your revenue is to increase average check. It’s just math. Do it. Buzzing. One tactic to improve the guest experience. Ooh, smiling. Make sure your team smiles.

00:01:59:17 – 00:02:23:02

Everybody communicates with nonverbal cues. Smile out of the mouth of a Danny Meyer protege. Thanks Brandon chats two question podcast with Scott Porter of San Diego. Churros. What should restaurants be focused on for the next 12 months? Flavor. Oh, I love that. What is something to improve the guest experience? Always just look to humanize every touchpoint. Buzzing. Here we go to question podcast.

00:02:23:02 – 00:02:38:00

I’m here with Ming Thai hot of square Ming. What is something that restaurant should be focused on for the next 12 months? Oh well, you got to pay attention to. I know it’s a buzzword, but it’s definitely here as being more accessible than ever before. Really excited for that square I release actually, just this week. Hey, there we go.

00:02:38:00 – 00:02:52:18

What is a tactic to improve the guest experience? Look, I think you have to make sure that you’re making it human. Still there. You’re making eye contact. Really make the technology invisible. Look, I sell technology or work or technology use technology every day. Really? You got to make sure that human connection is always part of the center core.

00:02:52:20 – 00:03:16:05

There we go from restaurant tours and technologist Ming buzzing. Thank you also. All right to question podcast I’m here with Marcus the city with informal food service. What should restaurants be focusing on for the next 12 months. Guess frequency. And what is a tactic to improve the guest experience? Getting more reviews and responding to those reviews. Buzzing Marcus two question podcast I’m here with your first a month of Gauchos.

00:03:16:05 – 00:03:31:21

Tell me, what are some of the restaurants to be focusing on for the next 12 months? Reputation management and what is it tactic to improve the guest experience? Listening to your customers and taking immediate action. Buzzing. All right two question podcast here with Michael back. Is that the first question. No it’s not that’s not the question technically he’s being elected.

00:03:31:21 – 00:03:48:17

Everybody two question podcast here with Michael back of it GTM what should restaurants be focused on for the next 12 months. Guest engagement what is a tactic to improve the guest experience? Listen to their feedback. This buzzing two question podcast I’m here with.

00:03:48:19 – 00:03:53:22

Karen Sykes of of a Hawaiian frozen career revolving sushi bar.

00:03:54:01 – 00:03:57:06

Amen. What should restaurants be focused on for the next 12 months?

00:03:57:07 – 00:04:00:18

Driving the top line sales? It’s to battle for market share.

00:04:00:18 – 00:04:03:09

And what is a tactic to improve the guest experience?

00:04:03:11 – 00:04:06:13

Bring ovation on board buddy.

00:04:06:15 – 00:04:22:01

Two question Podcast I’m here with Sam, our guest editor in chief of The Nation’s Restaurateurs. There we go. What should restaurants be focused on for the next 12 months? How do you get through not knowing what’s coming tomorrow? I don’t know, uncertainty is what everybody says to me. So like, how do you find any kind of certainty? Study nation’s restaurant news.

00:04:22:01 – 00:04:36:01

Amen. What’s the tactic to improve the guest experience? Collect data on them, understand what they want based on their consumer behavior, and then act according to the data and what it’s telling you. Listen to your customers. Give them what they want. Create a great experience. Pay attention to all five senses. If you do that, it’s a great experience.

00:04:36:01 – 00:04:54:12

Buzzing. Do a question. Podcast I am here with Jim Sheridan of UN Fort. What is something restaurants should be focused on for the next 12 months? Making sure their guests love their experience. Amen. And what can you do to improve the guest experience? Know how they feel when they walk out the door. Amen. Buzzing. Oh, by the way, bonus question has been helpful for you.

00:04:54:16 – 00:05:01:02

It’s really helped us know about the little problems that we wouldn’t have known about without ovation. Amen. Thanks, Jim. Two question podcasts here.

00:05:01:02 – 00:05:02:08

With Sarah Grunberg.

00:05:02:08 – 00:05:02:19

Of.

00:05:02:19 – 00:05:04:17

Mount Verde Restaurant in Chicago.

00:05:04:17 – 00:05:07:20

What is something restaurants should be focused on for the next 12 months?

00:05:08:00 – 00:05:18:09

Oh, I think productivity and finding a way to connect the dots with all the technology that we have. So information systems, inventory, reservation, POS.

00:05:18:13 – 00:05:23:10

Love that, data unification. And what is a tactic to improve the guest experience?

00:05:23:10 – 00:05:35:08

I think being on the floor more and not being behind the scenes, being able to touch the tables, touch the guests and use the data we have of what the guests like and what they’re looking for to help curate a special experience for them.

00:05:35:10 – 00:06:11:20

Buzzing thank you. All right. I am here with Sean Feeney of Lillia Mercy mercy pasta Feeney pizza from Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Holy cow. That sounds like a Doctor Seuss book. What is something that restaurants should be focused on for the next 12 months? I just go crazy on AI. Every little thing that you’re doing in your restaurant. Think about how you can utilize AI, executive management, HR, financial forecasting, how you’re doing currently, communications, presentations, partnership pitches, absolutely every piece of operational management of your restaurant CRM guest experience every little facet of your restaurant.

00:06:11:20 – 00:06:32:12

Figure out how you can utilize AI to empower your teams to make it an even more amazing experience for others. You’d love that. And what’s the tactic that you would recommend to improve the guest experience before they enter your doors? Try to find a way in the time they make a reservation until they enter your doors, because that is when the experience starts.

00:06:32:13 – 00:06:54:06

Try to find a way to personalize or make them feel like you’re reaching out in a personal way to ask them sparkling or still, would you like a cocktail before you sit down? Oh, maybe send them a video of something that you’re very excited about at the restaurant at this moment, or have a team member text them something from them.

00:06:54:06 – 00:07:13:10

Who are they going to serve them? I would say focus on the experience of that guest, the experience before they walk in your doors and try to make them feel more excited and more seeing before they’re even in your presence. That’s what I would say. Buzzing. Thanks, John. All right. Thank you. Two question podcast with James Banana Upstream Hospitality.

00:07:13:10 – 00:07:37:24

What should restaurants be focusing on for the next 12 months using ovation? Obviously you know it’s cliche but right. It’s all about the guest experience, right? That’s what we do in the restaurant industry. And just having a conversation right here on the side. I’ve been using ovation for years, and it allows us to really, especially a multi-unit operator when as a founder of not in the stores every day gives me an understanding and visibility of what’s going on in my stores, which is different in all different stores.

00:07:37:24 – 00:07:57:02

Right? I was just saying, one store needs to focus on X, that’s one focus and Y ovation definitely gives us that visibility into those stores and kind of what we need to pay attention to. Awesome. Burak nice ask you two men two questions. Podcast I’m here with Peter. Stephanie from Making Raving Fans Hospitality Group. And what is something that a restaurant should be focusing on for the next 12 months?

00:07:57:03 – 00:08:12:23

I think right now we’re focusing on how we can use AI better because it’s so new and you know it’s going to be so big, but we got to figure out how we’re going to take that and use it to our advantage. And what’s a tactic that restaurants can use to improve the guest experience? Okay. So I’m going to give you my million dollar secret.

00:08:13:00 – 00:08:37:18

We write personalized messages in dessert plates. And so when we do that, it forces the server to focus on the guest to find something personal to write about. So don’t just say happy birthday. We got to at least know your name. But I’ll tell you, when I first started doing it, what we found out because my staff didn’t believe me after I had the big meeting, the very first table they came in, they said, oh my God, this.

00:08:37:18 – 00:08:53:06

You’re right, chef, this table, they’re here with their mom. Their mom was just diagnosed with cancer. They think it might be their last birthday with them. Oh, it becomes so much more important. What we do is not transactional anymore. It’s not like, hey, I’m gonna give you a chicken breast. You give me 20 bucks. We’re affecting people’s lives.

00:08:53:06 – 00:09:13:24

We’re creating these memories. Connection. And it’s that connection. And you can get the server to focus on it. If you make them write a personalized message on a dessert light. Love that. Bonus question. How has aviation been helpful for you? Ovation has been a game changer. I’ve seen you speak several times. Everybody tells me how great it is and I was just reluctant to pull the trigger.

00:09:14:01 – 00:09:37:08

So glad I did. In the moment we get the feedback, we’re able to save guests while they’re still in the restaurant. It’s been amazing and our scores are going up because all of the good scores get kicked up directly to Google and TripAdvisor and anything that’s not a great score, we’re able to track and fix those operational problems right away.

00:09:37:08 – 00:09:56:24

A tool only works if you work it and you obviously work and you care. So thank you. This is the two question podcast with I’m like the owner of Angelina’s Worldwide, a food group in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and a big user of a certain product, ovation. Oh, what should restaurants be focused on for the next 12 months? Experience driven everything.

00:09:56:24 – 00:10:17:12

Experience because it’s either value conscious or convenience conscious or experience conscious independent restaurants, they’re not going to win those first two. So experiences where it’s all about how are we enhancing the customer experience? Not like with money, like it’s just the little things to make it like, oh, I have to go there, I’ll drive an extra mile or I’ll pay an extra $5 because that makes me feel good today.

00:10:17:12 – 00:10:34:06

That’s where it’s all at. Yes. Love that. And what would you say as a tactic to improve the guest experience, everything is either increasing purchase price or decreasing purchase anxiety, knowing no matter what I’m going to be okay or oh my god, I’m so smart for buying this. Those are the two things that at any given moment we’re trying to achieve.

00:10:34:06 – 00:11:02:24

Oh, I love that framework. Okay, bonus question how has ovation helped you? If you know, you know how much I’m a fan of ovation, I speak the phrases no independent restaurant should not have that product. I do not like buying apps for apps. I tried proprietary create myself through Google Sheets and automations. There’s no way for me to do that better, or even in the realm of what you’ve created with ovation to have loss prevention and review Incentivization, which currently the number one pizza reviewed city in America is Tulsa.

00:11:02:24 – 00:11:20:09

Oh, that’s New York. Oh, no. Number two. So number two is Tulsa. And we are the best reviewed pizza in Tulsa. And it’s in no short reason. So the engagement we get from having more reviews via ovation and having someone like you who cares and crushes it. Mike thank you. Buzzing all right here we are two question podcast.

00:11:20:09 – 00:11:21:10

With Seana Smith.

00:11:21:14 – 00:11:22:20

And Andrew Smith.

00:11:22:22 – 00:11:24:00

Of Savory.

00:11:24:00 – 00:11:26:13

What should restaurants be focused on for the next 12 months.

00:11:26:16 – 00:11:30:02

I’d say delivering on quality on service, on consistency.

00:11:30:11 – 00:11:35:10

Storytelling. Tell your story better. What is it tactic that restaurants can use to improve the guest experience?

00:11:35:11 – 00:11:39:24

Training, making sure you treat the right people in front of the customer and make sure they are trained.

00:11:39:24 – 00:11:47:01

Love that. Accuracy is so frustrating. You’re not get the right stuff out. Yeah. Be accurate. Take a couple more seconds and be accurate.

00:11:47:06 – 00:11:49:15

That’s a good one. That’s actually probably better.

00:11:49:17 – 00:11:52:21

Love that. Bonus question. How’s it been helpful for you guys?

00:11:52:23 – 00:12:08:24

Oh it’s been a game changer overall I would say ovation. We know that there’s feedback. We don’t always know what the feedback is. We need to know that so that we can be better. And so getting that feedback is so invaluable for us. We are able to change what we’re not doing right immediately. So I would say that is has been invaluable I love it.

00:12:08:24 – 00:12:15:01

We don’t use anything else. Just use ovation. Love it. Love you guys that you question podcast I am here with.

00:12:15:01 – 00:12:15:23

Amy Hom.

00:12:15:23 – 00:12:16:08

Of.

00:12:16:11 – 00:12:19:17

Barcelona Wine Bar Whaley. It’s ovation. I’m with ovation.

00:12:19:17 – 00:12:23:22

Oh what should restaurants be focused on for the next year?

00:12:23:22 – 00:12:27:08

Investing in their team members development so that they can take care of their guests?

00:12:27:09 – 00:12:29:18

What does it take to improve the guest experience?

00:12:29:18 – 00:12:34:23

Focus on development plans that they understand how to do it, and what the mission is when they’re engaging with their guests?

00:12:34:23 – 00:12:56:24

Amazing. By the way, I have never gotten a text message from the person I was interviewing while I was interviewing them. That was pretty bad. Buzzing two question podcast I’m here with Brian Merriman. Meat of seemed to be nothing real. Yeah, nothing. 1140 501 tomorrow, Sunday the 18th, I’m done. Okay. So after an entire career in restaurants, what would you say next 12 months?

00:12:57:04 – 00:13:20:02

What’s your restaurants be focused on? Wow. I think you really need to take a look at your technology. Do you have too much? How can you merge things together? Or are you actually using everything? You have a man talk to your vendor. See, I guarantee you there’s things that they’re doing. You’re paying for that you’re not using. Second question what should people do to improve the guest experience in their restaurants?

00:13:20:06 – 00:13:43:00

Get back to understanding the true meaning of hospitality. You’ve invited them into your home to feed, though. Treat them as such and want to come back. Amen. Buzzing. Thanks, Ryan two question podcast here with Dana by LA capital VAWa of lobbying company New Orleans. You couldn’t tell by the accent. And then you are a industry icon on LinkedIn.

00:13:43:00 – 00:14:03:07

So want to get your take. What should people be focused on for the next 12 months? Retention of the customer that you got coming into your business, making sure you keep them. And with that, you’ll have retention of employees. Right now, I’m finding that the biggest problem that restaurants are having is they can’t find good help. Work on retention of the customer.

00:14:03:07 – 00:14:20:07

Your business will grow. So what would you say is a tactic that restaurants can use to improve the guest experience? Act like him. Be and act like he care. Kind of like that. You did a podcast so you’re not too long ago with a lady talking about agape love. Oh yeah. Jane from Donatos. Jane. Yes, that’s exactly what we need to do.

00:14:20:07 – 00:14:37:13

We need to start loving our customers a little bit more than just, you know, as a transaction. Love the customers that are coming into your restaurant. Treat them with love. And I promise you, your business grows. Two question podcasts here with Rusty Mills of Winter sets all SEO. What should restaurants be focused on for the next 12 months?

00:14:37:13 – 00:14:54:00

Labor management and elevating your data. Oh, I love that. That is some like deep stuff for SEO. Oh man. Normally it’s like just the basic restaurant stuff, but hey, there we go. You got to go into the data, that data. What is a tactic to improve the guest experience? One of them is to understand what your customers are experiencing.

00:14:54:00 – 00:15:14:09

So you got to get feedback before you can make any improvements. So I believe the data that you receive from rich data from your customers is going to be more impactful using technology in a smart way, and helping your crew provide a better experience based on the feedback you receive. So buzzing I love that thank you two question podcast here with selfie cam activate.

00:15:14:09 – 00:15:30:03

My name is Rev Casio and I pointed food on the internet and you are when I am with Rev Cantu and the CMO salad house and the head of marketing for Crazy Peter, the co-founder of Handcraft Burgers. The next 12 months. What a restaurant need to focus on guest retention. And that starts with making sure you collect their data.

00:15:30:03 – 00:15:52:17

And what is it tactic that you use to improve the guest experience? That is a great question. So and I swear you did not ask me anything before we started. It’s get feedback from every guest on every single order so that you can diagnose what’s going right or what’s going wrong. And honestly, God, this is the truth. When this out house franchisees call me and they go, we need help because we’re having whatever problem, the first thing I do is go into ovation and I look at a summary of what’s happening in their store.

00:15:52:18 – 00:16:11:03

And within three minutes, I have an idea of where they’re at and what they need was saying, thanks. There was no preload. That is absolutely true to question podcast I am here. Oh, we got a special guest. All right. Two question podcast I am here with Ryan Groff with the restaurant boss. What is something that restaurants should be focused on for the next 12 months?

00:16:11:03 – 00:16:33:17

Financials. Obviously things have gotten a little more challenging, a little more difficult previous to maybe the last two years. It’s always been this focus on the top line. Everything also work itself out. That’s generally my suggestion, but as things are tightening up, what we’re finding is even if your top lines down 10%, most of my operators, my clients are still able to bring the same margin in the bottom line by just getting a little more intentional with every expense.

00:16:33:17 – 00:16:51:12

So you really need good systems financially. Love that. What is a tactic to improve the guest experience? You’ve got to connect with your guests in a more genuine level. And again, I would say as the economy has changed a little bit, people are still going to go spend money, but if they’re going to spend 20% less of their money on restaurants, they’re going to be more particular about where they go.

00:16:51:12 – 00:17:06:02

And the way that they’re going to make a decision is not necessarily on how good the food is. It’s part of it. But it’s going to be on. Yeah. Am I spending my money at a place I want to spend my money? So give them a reason to want to spend their money with you, and you shouldn’t see any effect on your top line.

00:17:06:02 – 00:17:13:01

And if you focus on the financials, you could probably do better on your bottom line now than you ever did before. Buzzing thanks, Ryan. All right. Two question podcast here with.

00:17:13:01 – 00:17:15:02

Kathleen Wood of Kathleen Wood Partners.

00:17:15:02 – 00:17:18:15

What should restaurants be focused on for the next 12 months to thrive?

00:17:18:20 – 00:17:32:19

The number one thing that restaurants should be focused on for the next 12 months is their customer experience. Customers want value, not discounted food, but value from food service and the overall experience. That’s why ovation is such a great solution.

00:17:32:19 – 00:17:39:10

Oh geez. Wow. Well thank you. Besides ovation, what’s a tactic that restaurants can use to improve the guest experience?

00:17:39:10 – 00:17:54:11

Right now? I think what restaurants should be focusing on is really their service experience. So many people have their food dialed in, but with the amount of work that they’ve done to dial in their food, they need to dial in their service both online and in person. This is where the money can be found.

00:17:54:12 – 00:18:13:07

Buzzing. Thanks have been. Thank you. All right. To question podcast I’m here with Kip Walsh, president of 313 pizzeria. What should restaurants be doing for the next 12 months to thrive, to drive is going to have to all be about new menu items, new incentives for guests, loyalty rewards, and then making sure that delivery on hospitality is the strongest it’s ever been.

00:18:13:07 – 00:18:30:11

More competition in the space, and that’s how we’re going to stay relevant. Amen. And what is a tactic that they can use to improve the guest experience? All about engagement from the inside of the dining room to third party and takeout and delivery experience, making sure that the guest is feeling hospitality as well as gold standard food and beverage experiences.

00:18:30:12 – 00:18:47:23

I love that. Bonus question how is ovation been helpful for you? Ovation has been a game changer for us. The quick response time, the fact we can engage with the guests when there is an issue so quickly catch them inside of the restaurant, turn them around and wow them with an experience serving our guests sentiment scores through ovations or Google could not be happier.

00:18:47:23 – 00:19:03:04

Was it? Well, it works because you work at, you care and you rock. All right. Two question podcast here with David Youngberg, CEO of Stone Fire Grill. All right David, what should restaurants be focused on for the next 12 months to thrive? Traffic. I mean, getting people in the door. And how are you going to do that is through engagement.

00:19:03:06 – 00:19:25:13

It’s your differentiation of making sure that you have good food and that you’re different from your competitors. You serve great food, you provide great hospitality, and it’s a winning combination. And what is it tactic that restaurants can use to improve the guest experience? I would say loyalty, making sure that you have great food items that you’re bringing great altos in, that you’re doing anything and everything that you can to show your guests that the dollar that they spend inside your restaurant is gold.

00:19:25:14 – 00:19:41:21

All right. Two question podcast here with Xeno car from Garden Catering. All right. You know, what should restaurants be focused on for the next 12 months to thrive. The guest experience. So making sure you’re connecting with your guests on a 1 to 1 level, knowing who they are, what they like, their frequency, how you can increase that frequency.

00:19:41:21 – 00:20:06:23

So the data is king right now, day to day to data. And what is a tactic that you would recommend to improve the guest experience? Make sure you’re listening to your guests and responding to them with a useful tool like I don’t know, do you know any like useful I yeah, maybe something like that. Yeah. Use ovation and make sure that you’re maximizing the value that you get with all the different tools that ovation provides so you can reach out to your guests.

00:20:06:23 – 00:20:11:09

Amen. Buzzing things you know. All right. Two question podcast here with Peter Riggs.

00:20:11:09 – 00:20:13:10

Of Peter Pit and Thor’s skipper.

00:20:13:11 – 00:20:20:05

What should restaurants be focusing on for the next 12 months to thrive? Doing better. Amen. How could they be doing better?

00:20:20:05 – 00:20:40:22

Anyone? He told you that there is not enough money and people are shrinking their spending as misinformed. They’re just spending it somewhere more interesting. So do better work on your operations, your customer experience, all that, and create reasons for those guests to come back into your restaurant, because that’s the biggest problem. It’s not that they didn’t like you.

00:20:40:22 – 00:20:50:22

It’s not that they didn’t have a good experience. They just got busy and forgot you were there. And it’s not their fault. You need to get out there and remind them that you’re worth coming back for it.

00:20:50:22 – 00:20:56:24

Wow. Knowledge bombs. Second question what is something that restaurants can do to improve the guest experience?

00:20:56:24 – 00:21:15:18

Well, I think one of the biggest things they could do is probably work on making sure their reputation management is solid, because anyone who hasn’t tried your establishment is going to look at it on, online reviews, primarily through Google, and you’re going to see if you’ve got bad reviews, if they’re low star ratings, and if they’re unresponsive to it’s going to be a big problem for you.

00:21:15:18 – 00:21:41:19

So using something like ovation is a strong pathway to make sure that customers are coming in to your restaurant. And I’m being serious because you have to do what you need to do in your restaurant to retain the guests. But part of attracting the guests is making sure that when they look into you that they’re seeing what’s an accurate representation of your business online, and the only way to make sure that you’re getting that done in real time is through a company like ovation.

00:21:41:19 – 00:22:01:20

Hey man. Well thanks Peter Buzzing all right here we are two question podcast with Greg. We just came out of crave worthy brand Greg, what should restaurants be focusing on in the next 12 months to thrive? Labor and food costs. Question what a why? Because this the most important and it’s the most out of whack right now. So be spending attention on those two items no matter what, and keep those where they’re supposed to be.

00:22:01:20 – 00:22:22:05

You should be able to make money no matter what your sales do. What’s the tactic that restaurants can use to improve the guest experience? Ovation question to be how is it actually been helpful for you? It gives us instant access to feedback and everything else. But more importantly, if you actually look at the data it provides, you can see insights from your consumers before your managers, or you ever get to know if things are going wrong.

00:22:22:05 – 00:22:39:21

Complaints and they’re bitching about price and anything of that nature. You know, before anyone else does it, you can adjust it at that moment by saying, thanks, Greg. By all right. Two question podcast here with Michael and guru of Kings of Fish in San Pedro. Fish Market. What is something restaurants should be doing for the next 12 months to thrive 100%?

00:22:39:21 – 00:22:53:22

I don’t just think you know it. You gotta get into it. You got to learn how to kind of adopted, bring it into your practices and look at where it applies until you get ready to adapt to it and then exploit the hell out of it. Love it. What is it tactic the restaurants can use to improve the guest experience?

00:22:53:22 – 00:23:08:05

We are an experiential brand where we let customers touch their products and pick out their cortex. So anything you could do to give the customer an experience that’s memorable outside of just sit down, order, eat and leave, I think it’s going to stick with them when I hit them in the heart. You want to walk out with a memory about that buzzing.

00:23:08:05 – 00:23:28:23

Thank you. All right. Two question podcast here with Tony Smith of Restaurant 365. He like is restaurant 365 anyway Tony, what should restaurants be focusing on for the next 12 months to thrive? Oh, I think they got to be profitable. They got to be running a streamlined, efficient business, great visibility and everything that’s happening there. And what is a tactic they can use to improve the guest experience?

00:23:28:23 – 00:23:48:24

Labor management. You need employees to stick around. You need them. Well trained employee experience cannot exceed the guest experience. Thank you Tony Buzzing all right two question podcast here with Scott Gillman of Dine Technology. All right Scott what should restaurants be focusing on for the next 12 months to thrive. It’s always been the same thing. Sales, food costs and labor costs.

00:23:49:03 – 00:24:07:15

One department works on sales and the other works on food and labor. And that’s the key to success. And what can a restaurant do to improve the guest experience? What’s the tactic that you’ve seen? Well, this is a Loebsack, obviously. You need to know what’s going on with the gas. You need to be able to quickly get their feedback, what’s really good and what’s not so hot.

00:24:07:15 – 00:24:24:08

So, you know, you’re the best player in the game at getting guests sentiment. And, you know, what you’ve done is is amazing. It really gets the point. You know, you make it very easy for the guests to tell you exactly what the pain points are. Exactly what you’re a great success are so they just need ovation in every restaurant in America and will be in a much better place.

00:24:24:08 – 00:24:39:03

Buzzing thanks, Scott. Okay, Zach, I don’t get political there, but you’re definitely making restaurants great again. Oh. Right. Here we are with the two question podcast. I am here with Don Gillis of Golden Corral Corporation. Don, what should restaurants be focused on for the next 12 months to thrive?

00:24:39:03 – 00:24:43:11

Focusing on your guests and making sure that you’re operating with excellence.

00:24:43:11 – 00:24:47:07

And what is it a tactic that restaurants can use to improve the guest experience?

00:24:47:08 – 00:24:53:16

Hospitality all the way. Be nice. Serve your guests with a smile and the president make sure your food’s good.

00:24:53:16 – 00:25:09:06

Buzzing back to the roots. Thanks. All right two question podcast here with Chris Trillo. Work of clam burger. All right Chris what is something restaurants should be focused on to thrive in the next 12 months? Customer satisfaction one a why the best way to grow sales more than anything else you can do is just take good care of people.

00:25:09:06 – 00:25:22:02

People will always come back. They receive amazing service. So I think outside of marketing, outside of everything, as long as you take really good care of people, I actually think it’s even more important than how your food tastes sometimes, because everyone, in my opinion, that’s in the business has really good product. That’s why they got into the business.

00:25:22:02 – 00:25:41:22

The key differentiator out there honestly, is service. Take. And what is a tactic that restaurants can use to improve the guest experience? Feedback. Man, you got to constantly be interacting with your guests and know what they’re saying. One of the biggest things I see out there is that we receive negative feedback, right? Because people who are negative feedback are way more likely to give it to you than any of the positive or kind of the middle of the road feedback.

00:25:41:22 – 00:25:57:06

So you’ve got to constantly prompt them. I also think it really helps you and we maintain about a 4.6 on all of our Google Yelp like and stuff, and it’s because we’re very aggressive with not aggressive. I don’t wanna sound like we’re like forcing us. We’re like, give us feedback now. We believe wholeheartedly that the more feedback you get, you’re going to get so much more positive.

00:25:57:06 – 00:26:16:17

If you’re not prompting people for feedback, all you’re going to ever receive is the negative. Because in most cases, the overwhelming majority of your customers are happy, right? Unless you’re doing a really terrible job, in which case you’d be out of business. So the more that you can prompt feedback, a you can improve your business and be you’ll see your scores go way up because people will then go to Yelp, go to Google, go to all these other places and give you feedback.

00:26:16:17 – 00:26:32:06

Love it. Bonus question how is ovation been helpful? I think a big part of the reason that we have these high review scores and all these platforms is because we use ovation to prompt people to give us feedback, and because it’s so easy, the last thing you want to do being a consumer myself, is go through 30 questions on like how what you feel, how was the food?

00:26:32:06 – 00:26:41:13

Was it too cold? How were the bathrooms? I don’t want to do that mean. Just ask me what’s it good was not good. And then I’m good for saying thanks, guys. Thanks for joining us today.

00:26:41:13 – 00:27:02:22

If you liked this episode, leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or your favorite place to listen. We’re all about feedback here. Again, this episode was sponsored by ovation, a two question, SMS based, actionable guest feedback platform built for multi-unit restaurants. If you’d like to learn how we can help you measure and create a better guest experience, visit us at ovation up.com