I love the live music experience. Last week, I was lucky enough to see Bartees Strange (check him out!), Nick Cave, and Japanese Breakfast live. There is nothing like the energy exchange between the artist and the audience. They are mutually dependent for a great experience. Just like in restaurants, when a server is hitting the right marks, the drinks are right and the food is on point, the symbiosis between the staff and the guest elevates the experience. There is something about being with others, a sense of community, that just makes things better.
For the people who run restaurants, community isn’t a nice-to-have; it’s required for survival. To run a successful restaurant business, you need to be surrounded by people who care as much as you do, sharing ideas and experiences. Last year, we introduced “we actually give a sh*t.” It was inspired by something a client said in a meeting: “You guys actually give a shit!” We leaned into it, showcasing our boots-on-the-ground relationships, our knowledgeable Customer Success team, and the way people across SpotOn come together to make restaurant operators feel a little less alone.
It was a great campaign. But great campaigns—and great companies—don’t celebrate success and move on. If we claim to “actually give a sh*t,” we need to prove it with action—not just for our clients, but for all restaurants. It’s more than building reliable restaurant technology. We need to give restaurants the resources they need to thrive.
We believe Knowledge + Community = Profit
As the hospitality industry gets more unpredictable, operators are forced to pivot (then pivot again) to keep their business alive. At SpotOn, we want to see restaurants thriving—and maintaining profitability—for years to come. Our team is made up of experienced, passionate industry folks who live and breathe hospitality. So, we brought together their expert advice and diverse experiences to create an arsenal of templates, playbooks, and hands-on tools. These resources aim to help operators move the needle on profitability and tackle the next challenge coming around the bend, whether it’s labor, kitchen management, menu engineering, or coming up with a fresh idea for the next big holiday.
No restaurant should go it alone. We’ve made it our mission to uplift restaurant communities where they exist, and build them where they don’t. I’ve been lucky to join the regular meetings, led by our Restaurateur-in-Residence Scott Youkilis, and hear operators work through problems together in real time. Whether negotiating vendor partnerships or increasing crab ravioli sales through savvy marketing efforts, peer learning has helped our clients lower costs and spike sales even in challenging economic conditions. I’ve been in countless brainstorms and strategy sessions throughout my career—these discussions count among the most creative and productive.
We see the upcoming National Restaurant Show as one of the biggest opportunities for operators to share knowledge and build community. But it shouldn’t stop there. We’ll keep sharing resources and creating spaces for all restaurants to connect, whether or not they’re our clients. Because we are mutually dependent, like the performer and the audience. We can create a great experience by talking shop, sharing ideas, and figuring it out together.
