We heard from several brand leaders on how they’ve transformed operations into their strongest marketing asset.
- Applebee’s increased manager visibility in the dining room to create meaningful touchpoints with guests
- Chipotle transformed crisis into positive brand perception through consistent, proactive storytelling with long-term brand health in mind
- Bolay reinforced its lost identity by getting back to its chef coat uniform, re-telling the brand’s chef-driven story
When experience becomes the marketing, every touchpoint—human or otherwise—should express your brand’s best self. If operators can take away one action item, it’s to create one moment per visit worth sharing.
Digital fragmentation and accelerated growth.
We couldn’t help but notice the rapid expansion of technology offerings at this year’s Show. Since 2024, an entirely new wing opened to host tech exhibitors—from on-demand merch creation to POS systems and digital merchandising. Digification of the restaurant was a key theme.
As more providers enter the chat, restauranteurs have more options than ever on how to automate, simplify, and customize their operations. While this observation doesn’t fit neatly in this blog’s “sensory play” storyline per se, the charge for operators is: When it comes to digital, it’s time to stop theorizing and just get into the game.
