Vishal Agarwal, Founder and CEO of Checkmate, delves into the company's pivotal role in integrating third-party orders into restaurant POS systems. He outlines how the organization has expanded to support over 50 POS systems and 100 ordering platforms, propelling restaurants into a state of digital omnipresence.

Vishal shares his motivation for founding the company, centered on a deep understanding of the challenges faced by restaurant operators. He underscores the commitment to customer-centricity, highlighting the offer of risk-free trials to demonstrate the solution's effectiveness. Vishal also details the company's approach to piloting and scaling their solutions for prominent brands, along with the essential business practices that underpin their success, including the importance of assembling the right team and maintaining comprehensive documentation.

Furthermore, he explains Checkmate’s strategies for helping restaurants safeguard and augment their revenue through innovative power management and continual evolution. He points out the benefits of real-time dashboards and alerts that allow for the monitoring and optimization of digital operations. Vishal also discusses how Checkmate enhances customer satisfaction through optimized menus and A/B testing, and concludes with insights into the future of restaurant technology and the impact of remote work on urban centers.

• Checkmate integrates third-party orders into restaurant POS systems, helping restaurants become digitally omnipresent.
• Understanding the pain points of restaurant operators is crucial for developing effective solutions.
• Putting customers first and offering risk-free trials can lead to successful partnerships with large brands.
• The process of piloting and scaling involves optimizing menus, customizing solutions, and providing exceptional service. Having the right team and solid documentation are fundamental for business success.
• Checkmate helps restaurants manage and protect their revenue through power, management, and evolution.
• Real-time dashboards and alerts are used to monitor and optimize digital operations.
• Optimizing menus and offering A/B testing can improve customer satisfaction.
• The future of restaurant tech lies in consolidation and finding a balance between centralized and distributed solutions.
• Remote work is here to stay, but downtown cores may not fully return to pre-COVID levels.

00:00 Introduction and Overview 00:47 Checkmate Overview 03:19The Inspiration Behind Checkmate 05:10 Developing and Creating Solutions 11:46 Checkmate’s Success Stories 15:23 How Checkmate Enable and Provide Technological Solutions to their Customers 18:36 Running and Managing Multiple POS Systems Smoothly 20:40 POWER, MANAGE, and EVOLVE: Managing and Protecting Restaurant Revenue 25:29 How Checkmate Satisfy their Customers through Menu Optimization 28:43 Hard Work, Consistency, and Resilience: Key to Achieving Goals 29:52 The Next Few Years of Restaurant Tech 32:53 The Impact of Remote Work on Downtown Cores 37:13 Where to Find Checkmate

Jennifer Ryan, the Co-founder and CEO of Croux and Blueroot, shares her journey in the tech and hospitality industry. She started as a server in New York, then went into finance and real estate before launching a healthy food restaurant in Alabama. During the pandemic, she faced challenges in the restaurant industry and realized the importance of listening to customer feedback and focusing on what truly moves the needle. She then co-founded Croux, a platform that connects trusted talent with understaffed businesses in the hospitality industry.

Croux is a platform that provides flexible work opportunities for individuals in the hospitality industry while helping businesses fill staffing gaps. The mission is to economically empower communities, starting with individuals and local businesses. The platform offers benefits, tax support, flexible schedules, and fast payment to support workers. It also helps businesses retain their core staff by providing additional support and extra hands when needed. Croux focuses on the event space and works with businesses that are mission-aligned. The company is experiencing growth in existing markets, expanding to new markets, and developing new technology features.

• Listening to customer feedback and focusing on what truly moves the needle is crucial for success in the restaurant industry.
• Iterating and evolving quickly is essential for survival and growth in the hospitality industry.
• Being open to feedback and willing to make changes based on customer needs can lead to unexpected success.
• Starting a tech company like Croux can be a way to address industry challenges and support businesses in the hospitality sector.
• Techstars can provide valuable support and resources for entrepreneurs in the tech industry. Croux provides flexible work opportunities for individuals in the hospitality industry and helps businesses fill staffing gaps.
• The platform focuses on economically empowering communities, starting with individuals and local businesses.
• Croux offers benefits, tax support, flexible schedules, and fast payment to support workers.
• The platform helps businesses retain their core staff by providing additional support and extra hands when needed.
• Croux is experiencing growth in existing markets, expanding to new markets, and developing new technology features.

00:00 Introduction and the Importance of Croux in the Hospitality Industry 03:03 Challenges and Listening to Customer Feedback in the Restaurant Industry 08:48 The Journey from Restaurant Owner to Tech Founder 13:06 The Role of Iteration and Evolution in the Hospitality Sector 24:09 Techstars: Empowering Entrepreneurs in the Tech Industry 26:59 Balancing Staffing Needs and Business Viability 28:27 The Challenge of Low Wages and Thin Margins 29:24 Economically Empowering Communities Through Croux 31:14 Onboarding and Using the Croux Platform 34:35 Roles and Opportunities on Croux 36:27 Utilizing Croux in the Event Space 38:43 Retaining Core Staff and Filling Staffing Gaps 43:57 Growing and Expanding Croux

Marcus Viscidi, VP of Enterprise Sales at Informa Connect, discusses the trends and challenges in the food service industry, particularly in relation to trade shows and conferences. He highlights the importance of technology in streamlining operations and improving customer experiences.

Viscidi also mentions the rise of plant-based options and sustainability as key trends in the industry. He emphasizes the need for experienced and well-capitalized operators in the restaurant business and discusses the importance of addressing food waste and reducing single-use plastic. The conversation covers topics such as plastic waste in the restaurant industry, trends in the post-COVID landscape, and trade shows in the food service industry. The main themes are sustainability, industry trends, and trade shows.

• Technology plays a crucial role in streamlining operations and improving customer experiences in the food service industry.
• The rise of plant-based options and sustainability are important trends in the industry.
• Experienced and well-capitalized operators are more likely to succeed in the restaurant business.
• Addressing food waste and reducing single-use plastic are key sustainability challenges in the industry. Plastic waste is a significant issue in the restaurant industry, with approximately 30% of food purchased in restaurants going to waste.
• Restaurants are exploring ways to reduce waste and optimize their ordering to minimize food waste.
• The post-COVID landscape has seen a shift towards convenience and experience as key factors for consumers.
• Alcohol consumption among Gen Z is decreasing, which may impact full-service restaurants that rely on alcohol sales.
• Trade shows, such as the National Restaurant Association show, provide valuable opportunities for networking, learning, and staying updated on industry trends.

00:00 Introduction and Background 07:55 Trends in the Restaurant Space 12:39 The Future of Technology in the Restaurant Industry 22:01 The Impact of Changing Alcohol Consumption Habits