At what point do dirty soda, cold foam, popping boba, and custom drinks become more than a trend and start functioning as a real restaurant growth strategy? PepsiCo’s Scott Finlow and Alison Dempsey explain how DRIPS by Pepsi is bringing crafted, personalized beverages to restaurants, theaters, and QSRs, and why…
Jimmy wants a sauce-off with the pizza robot—even if the robot wins. Perfect portions in seconds vs. human “ridges and valleys.” Who are you taking? #HospitalityHangout #PizzaRobot #RestaurantAutomation
Burger King’s Nightmare Burger, Pizza Hut jetpack delivery, and a Michelin-starred bowl of Frosted Flakes. Two happened. One did not. Can you spot the fake? #HospitalityHangout #HospitalityHeadlines #BurgerKing #FoodNews
Jimmy Frischling is NEVER on time for the airport. For everything else in life? Punctual. Professional. On it. But airports? He lives for the rush. The sprint through security. The gate closing behind him. The adrenaline. Schatzy on the other hand? Lounge. Drink in hand. Feet up. Relaxed. …Yes, Jimmy…
Hot or Not? Mushroom coffee, protein everything, Spam, ketchup on hot dogs, pickle flavor, private dining clubs and pineapple on pizza. Donatos says pineapple pizza has been on the menu for more than 30 years. Where do you land? #HospitalityHangout #Donatos #PineapplePizza #FoodTrends
This pizza robot sauce a perfect pie in 7 seconds! This restaurant automation tool delivers a precise sauce portion every time, helping teams focus less on repetitive prep and more on the guest experience. #HospitalityHangout #PizzaRobot #RestaurantAutomation
Donatos Pizza President and CEO Kevin King joins Hospitality Hangout to share the people-first growth playbook behind one of America’s most enduring pizza brands. From 100 pieces of pepperoni on every large pizza to sauce automation, employee retention, restaurant technology, and scaling a legacy brand without losing its identity, this…
1. Lawrence created the world's largest chicken tender festival 2. Lawrence created the Krabby Patty 3. Lawrence ate a burger every single day for a year Lawrence Longo brought Katz's Delicatessen to LA, launched Tenderfest, revived Irv's Burgers and collaborated with Travis Scott and SpongeBob. So at this point, we'd…
Burgers, chicken, and pizza are crowded. Boba tea is still wide open. Chris Noffze of Gong cha Americas explains why multi-unit franchise operators are looking at bubble tea: streamlined operations, customizable drinks, and a category built for growth. #BobaTea #Franchising #RestaurantGrowth
Gong cha’s Chris Noffze explains why bubble tea continues to grow, why younger consumers keep coming back for customizable drinks, and why the category is becoming a serious part of the restaurant beverage business. #BobaTea #BubbleTea #FoodTrends
Boba tea is still hot. But what about dirty soda, mushroom coffee, protein everything, pickle flavors, and K-pop collaborations? Gong cha Americas’ Chris Noffze puts the biggest food and beverage trends through Hospitality Hangout’s Hot or Not rapid fire. #BobaTea #DirtySoda #FoodTrends
Why are multi-unit franchise operators looking beyond burgers, chicken, pizza, and coffee? We break down why experienced QSR and multi-brand operators are paying attention to bubble tea, how Gong cha supports franchise growth, and why operational simplicity matters when expanding a restaurant portfolio.
What does a Gong cha director actually order when he walks into the store? Chris Noffze goes with a Dirty Brown Sugar Milk Tea with Pearls — then gets put on the spot about Tokyo, Wagyu, and his 4.98 Uber rating. #GongCha #BobaTea #BubbleTea
Is the restaurant POS becoming just one agent inside a larger AI-powered operations platform? Restaurant technology leaders discuss the future of restaurant POS systems, Aloha POS, cloud restaurant technology, AI, reporting, labor data, time punches, sales data, and the restaurant tech stack. #HospitalityHangout #RestaurantPOS #RestaurantTechnology #FoodserviceTech
Boba is no longer a niche menu item. On this episode of Hospitality Hangout, Chris Noffze, Director of Direct Franchising and Operations at Gong cha Americas, joins Jimmy and Schatzy to break down how Gong cha is scaling bubble tea in a cold, customizable beverage market that continues to pull…
Gong Cha’s Super Wu machine makes customized boba and bubble tea drinks in just 43 seconds. The system reads a QR-coded cup, dispenses tea and syrups to precise measurements, then lets the barista add ice, shake, seal, and serve. Faster custom drinks, more consistency, and less work behind the counter.…
Is the restaurant POS becoming just one agent inside a larger AI-powered operations platform? Restaurant technology leaders discuss the future of restaurant POS systems, Aloha POS, cloud restaurant technology, AI, reporting, labor data, time punches, sales data, and the restaurant tech stack. #HospitalityHangout #RestaurantPOS #RestaurantTechnology #FoodserviceTech
His go-to is a patty melt-style grilled cheese cheeseburger with bacon, grilled onions, grilled mushrooms, mustard, mayo, and pickles. For a first-time Five Guys order, he says keep it simple and taste the beef. #HospitalityHangout #FiveGuys #BurgerOrder #RestaurantIndustry
What are the biggest restaurant and foodservice trends right now: private dining clubs, membership restaurants, robot cooks, robots in the kitchen, mocktails, pickle-flavored everything, daily payments for restaurant workers, and the rise of protein everything.
What does the future of restaurant technology really look like? For Five Guys VP of Technology M.J. Worsham, it’s not about chasing the newest shiny tool, it’s about finding tech that actually works for operators, improves the guest experience, and makes life easier for restaurant teams.
Croissants are hot, but croissant crisps take the trend even further. A croissant crisp is a pressed croissant that turns flat, thin, crispy, caramelized, and perfect for sweet-and-salty flavors like salted caramel pretzel and pink velvet. #HospitalityHangout #CroissantCrisp #BakeryTrends #FoodTrends
The BlackBerry Curve, the physical keyboard, the trackball… and a whole lot of habits that definitely did not age well.
AI and restaurant technology are only valuable if they actually make life easier for the people using them. #HospitalityHangout #RestaurantAI #RestaurantTechnology #RestaurantIndustry #Restaurants
What does the future of restaurant technology really look like? For Five Guys VP of Technology M.J. Worsham, it’s not about chasing the newest shiny tool, it’s about finding tech that actually works for operators, improves the guest experience, and makes life easier for restaurant teams.