Tech on Toast, The Hospitality Tech Podcast

Chris Fletcher
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Connecting hospitality with the tech that makes it better. Hosted by Chris Fletcher — former operator, now tech matchmaker — Tech on Toast brings you sharp, unfiltered conversations with the people shaping hospitality’s future. Each week, we sit down with operators, founders, and innovators to unpack the tech, tactics, and trends transforming how the industry works. From smarter kitchens and AI-driven scheduling to loyalty apps and next-gen EPOS, we cut through the noise to find what really works on the ground. Whether you run a pub, lead a restaurant group, or build tech for the sector

  1. Dojo Pocket and the Future of Table Service Payments with Tom Usher

    1D AGO · BONUS

    Dojo Pocket and the Future of Table Service Payments with Tom Usher

    Payments should never slow service down, but too often they do.In this episode of the Tech on Toast podcast, Chris is joined by Tom Usher, Engineering Manager at Dojo, to explore how modern payments technology is being built specifically for the realities of hospitality.The conversation dives into Dojo Pocket, a handheld ordering and payments device designed to keep teams on the floor, reduce friction during service, and help operators turn tables faster without compromising guest experience.Tom shares why Dojo chose to build its own hardware and payments stack, how reliability and uptime are critical in hospitality, and why even small moments of friction can have a big impact on revenue, staff stress, and customer satisfaction.The episode also covers cloud infrastructure, resilience at scale, security and trust at the point of payment, and why intuitive design matters in an industry with high staff turnover.If you’re thinking about tableside payments, handheld devices, or how to give time back to your team, this episode is a must listen.

    24 min
  2. Making Hospitality training simple, engaging, and actually useful with Tayl

    3D AGO

    Making Hospitality training simple, engaging, and actually useful with Tayl

    In this episode, Chris Fletcher is joined by Blair Lundie, Head of Business Development at Tayl, a learning management system built with one obsession: ease of use.They dig into why training in hospitality often becomes a tick-box exercise, what good looks like when you want real engagement, and how operators can use learning content to solve genuine business problems, from improving guest experience to reducing early staff churn.You’ll also hear a practical take on personalising induction, making compliance feel less painful, and why involving frontline teams in content creation can massively lift adoption.What you’ll hear in this episodeAn honest look at why compliance training gets treated like a chore, and what to do about itHow Tayl helps operators keep the basics simple: assign, track, complete, repeatWhy personalisation matters just as much in training as it does in CRMHow to build an induction pack that makes new starters feel welcome, not overwhelmedPractical ideas: GM welcome videos, local tips, “how we do things here”, and FAQs that stop managers repeating themselvesWhy relevance drives engagement, especially on high-risk topics like allergensThe trade-off between customising course content and keeping accreditationWhy short, TikTok-style videos made by frontline teams can outperform top-down training contentHow adoption differs by generation, and how to get older cohorts comfortable tooWhat mid-market operators (10+ sites) typically struggle with before switching LMSHow reporting should work in the real world: simple, readable, and actually usedBlair’s view on AI in training: helpful for speeding up content creation, but risky for compliance if accuracy slipsWhat “good” looks like in numbers: 75–85% completion as a common benchmark, and why 85%+ is strongUsing training as a strategic lever: tying learning to Google reviews, service confidence, retention, and early tenure drop-offStandout momentsTraining should start with culture, not compliance: make new starters feel like the company caresThe easiest wins often come from reducing repeated questions and giving staff instant answersGeneric e-learning can tick the box, but real examples from your menu and your operation drive learning that sticksCustomer support and onboarding matter as much as features if you want adoption to lastAbout TaylTayl is a learning management system designed to make hospitality training easy to roll out and easy to complete, with a focus on simple user experience for both deskless teams and managers.Find TaylWebsite: tayl.netConnect with Blair on LinkedIn: Blair Lundy

    28 min
  3. Making Tech Change Stick: Connectivity Rollouts, 24/7 Uptime, and the Realities of Multi-Site Delivery, with Shona Goodlad, Sky Business.

    JAN 28

    Making Tech Change Stick: Connectivity Rollouts, 24/7 Uptime, and the Realities of Multi-Site Delivery, with Shona Goodlad, Sky Business.

    Reliable connectivity now sits alongside water and electricity for modern hospitality. In this Sky Business–powered episode, Chris sits down with Shona Goodlad (Head of Existing Accounts, Sky Business) to unpack what really happens when you move from “one site” to “thousands of sites”. They talk honestly about why tech projects feel risky, what commonly goes wrong, how strong governance and communication reduce downtime, and why operators should start with the problem (not the product). If you’re planning a rollout in 2026, this is your practical playbook for making change land smoothly across sites, teams, and suppliers.What you’ll learnWhy connectivity is the foundation that enables every other tech decisionHow big rollouts break down (and how to plan for the uncontrollables)The role of governance, comms, and internal ownership in rollout successHow to avoid “speed obsession” and fix the real causes of poor experienceWhat a strong 30/60/90-day post-go-live cadence looks likeHow to align suppliers to business KPIs (loyalty, data, CX, risk)Why operators should bring partners in early to shape the journey, not just quote the priceKey moments00:00–01:20 Sky Business series intro + why “solve the operator problem” beats “sell the product”01:20–03:30 Shona’s background and what her team does for existing mid-market customers03:30–05:20 One site vs one thousand sites: what changes at scale05:20–07:30 Cost vs cyber vs downtime: what operators say they worry about vs what they really fear07:30–10:20 “Things will go wrong”: building trust, credibility, and mitigation plans10:20–12:40 Comms failures, site readiness, third parties, and why rollouts slip12:40–16:10 Post-go-live reality: stragglers, service cadence, and staying close to strategy16:10–18:20 Being unapologetically commercial (and why ROI matters for both sides)18:20–21:10 Connectivity as a utility + the real cost of downtime21:10–23:40 What operators should ask suppliers: “What will go wrong and how do we handle it?”23:40–26:20 Where mid-market operators should invest time when they don’t have a CTO26:20–28:40 Openreach realities: escalation paths, process, and why hospitality finds it alien28:40–29:50 How to reach Sky Business + meet the team at Tech on Toast’s February eventReach out to SKY at https://business.sky.com/s/medium-business

    30 min
  4. From Scheduling to Decision-Making: How Sona Helps Every Site Run Like Your Best GM, with Ben Dixon, Co-Founder Sona

    JAN 21

    From Scheduling to Decision-Making: How Sona Helps Every Site Run Like Your Best GM, with Ben Dixon, Co-Founder Sona

    Workforce is still the biggest lever (and constraint) in hospitality. Labour costs keep rising, guest expectations keep rising, and “just work harder” isn’t a strategy. In this episode, Ben Dixon — Co-founder and CTO at Sona — breaks down why Sona is approaching workforce management differently: not as another scheduling tool, but as a way to scale great operator decision-making across every site. We get into forecasting and demand (and why outlier days matter more than averages), how to build trust with managers, what “nudging” looks like in real life, and where agentic AI is heading over the next 12–18 months — including the idea of an AI “chief of staff” for GMs. In this episode, we cover: Why “people” is the #1 limiter to growth for many operators The “best GM in the worst site” thought experiment — and what it proves How Sona encodes great decision-making across staffing, onboarding, and coaching Forecasting done bottom-up: why each location behaves differently Building trust: showing the “why” behind forecasts and recommendations Why agentic AI is more than dashboards — it’s prioritisation and action Realistic ROI: where savings can show up quickly (and what it depends on) Vibe coding vs SaaS: what vendors must prove going forward Scaling globally: labour compliance rules engines with AI + human validation Guest: Ben Dixon, Co-founder & CTO, SonaWebsite: getsona.com Subscribe for more conversations on hospitality technology, operators, and what actually works on the floor. #hospitality #restaurants #workforce #labour #operations #AI #forecasting #SaaS #management #hospitalitytech

    33 min
  5. From 30% to 98% Adoption: The Frontline Access Problem Nobody Talks About with Regan Collins from Cocentric

    12/23/2025

    From 30% to 98% Adoption: The Frontline Access Problem Nobody Talks About with Regan Collins from Cocentric

    This week’s episode opens with something special: Always Open at Christmas, Tech on Toast’s brand new charity single created by the Hospitality Community & Choir in just 72 hours. All proceeds support Hospitality Action. Stream it, share it, and help spread the message. Then we’re joined by Regan Collins, CEO of Coentric and the team behind Connect a platform tackling one of hospitality’s biggest (and most overlooked) blockers: frontline access to the tools they’re meant to use. Regan shares why giving teams “great tech” isn’t enough if they can’t log in, why adoption stalls when access takes 12 steps, and how “quiet tech” can unlock huge wins across comms, learning, scheduling, HR, and beyond. Why frontline enablement breaks down at the identity and access layer The hidden cost of clunky logins: “step four and they’re out” Moving from 30% adoption to 98% by removing friction What “one front door” looks like for shifts, leave, learning, and comms Why generic passwords on paper are still (shockingly) a thing How better access improves retention, productivity, and belonging Replacing WhatsApp inside organisations (and keeping knowledge in-house) What’s next: facial recognition kiosks, smarter nudges, and AI-powered insights A practical reminder: demo everything and understand how it works in real life Charity single: thehospitalitychoir.org Connect: connectfrontline.com Find Connect on the Tech on Toast marketplace (look for the big blue “C” logo) If you’re trying to get more from the tools you already pay for, this is a must-listen.

    33 min
  6. Tech, Tinsel & Tough Decisions: Soho House, Prezzo & the Future of Hospitality IT

    12/17/2025

    Tech, Tinsel & Tough Decisions: Soho House, Prezzo & the Future of Hospitality IT

    This week Chris is joined by Mitz Patel, Global Head of IT Projects at Soho House, and David Broom, CIO at Prezzo Italian, for a festive-but-real chat about the tech challenges and breakthroughs shaping hospitality right now. They dive into inherited systems, shaky connectivity, labour and inventory headaches, AI that’s finally useful, and why hospitality tech still relies on strong human relationships. All of that… plus Abbey Road, Christmas rotas, and Mitz’s legendary community Christmas in Twickenham. 🎅💻 🌟 A quick word about “Always Open at Christmas” Before the episode begins, Chris introduces “Always Open at Christmas” – this year’s brand new hospitality charity single. Recorded at Abbey Road Studios in just 72 hours by volunteers from across our industry, it celebrates the people who keep hospitality warm, open and full of heart. 💛 All proceeds go to Hospitality Action, supporting workers and families who need a lift this winter.🎵 Search “Always Open at Christmas – The Hospitality Choir” on Spotify, Apple or Amazon Music and give it a stream, save and share. In this episode 👇 Why only 18% of operators would recommend their tech stack The reality of inheriting legacy systems and trying to modernise without breaking everything Connectivity battles: patchwork networks, microwave links, backups and the 1:30pm meltdown AI moving from hype to real operational gains Big vendors vs smaller, more agile players — and why relationships still matter more than features Christmas in hospitality: on-call IT shifts, family traditions and community hubs 🎄 Wishing you a brilliant Christmas from all of us at Tech on Toast – and remember:we are always open at Christmas. 💛

    51 min
  7. Seamless Tech, Human Hospitality: Live with Dojo, Côte and Pizzarova

    12/10/2025

    Seamless Tech, Human Hospitality: Live with Dojo, Côte and Pizzarova

    👋 What’s this episode about? Chris is joined by: Sasha (Product Marketing, Dojo) Chris (Côte Restaurant Group) Jack (Founder, Pizza Rover) to talk about what seamless tech really means when you are in the middle of a busy service – not on a slide deck. They cover how to cut friction for guests, keep systems reliable, use data and AI smartly, and still keep hospitality human. Friction and the “V” of guest anxiety Guests are most anxious when they arrive and when they want to pay 😬 Waiting to sit, waiting to order, waiting to pay – still the big three problems. Côte’s “V” model shows where tech can smooth those pinch points without forcing one way to pay. Integrations vs “too many apps” Jack on the pain of stacking loads of niche tools that do not talk to each other. When tech sits between you and the guest, direct feedback can drop – so you need data to fill the gap 📊. Reliability > shiny features Sasha explains Dojo’s “always on” mindset, multiple fail-safes and 4G backup. Downtime in payments, bookings or reservations during peak trading can cost a fortune – and trust. Data, loyalty and personalisation Mass blast offers make guests feel spammed or even “ripped off”. The panel talk about moving towards thousands of micro customer types and more personal contact 💌. Where AI actually helps (today) Côte’s AI phone assistant “Joe” answers every call and recovers lost bookings 📞. Biggest gains for now: phones, CRM, training, compliance and back-office efficiency – not robots replacing people on the floor. Future wishes & Christmas pressures Jack wants AI and computer vision to take complexity out of the back office and compliance, not the warmth out of service. Chris dreams of tech that simply understands how each guest likes to dine. Sasha sees AI agents taking admin off managers so they can focus on people and culture 🎄. If you are an operator wrestling with clunky systems, choosing between “all-in-one” and “best in class”, or wondering where AI genuinely fits in your world, this live episode will give you real stories, not theory. Hit play, follow the show, and share it with a fellow operator who is currently at war with their tech stack 🔁💚 🔑 Big themes👉 Why listen?

    51 min
  8. Simple Ops, Smarter Buildings: Brett Robbins on Snapfix, AI and The Future of Maintenance

    11/26/2025

    Simple Ops, Smarter Buildings: Brett Robbins on Snapfix, AI and The Future of Maintenance

    This week on the Tech on Toast podcast I’m joined by Brett Robbins, CEO of Snapfix – the 📸 photo-first “brain at the centre of your building” that helps teams stay on top of maintenance, safety and day-to-day ops in one simple app. We chat about why simple software is secretly the hardest thing to build, how Snapfix grew from a seaside town in Ireland 🌊 to Dublin’s Docklands and beyond, and why taking a picture + scanning a QR code can 10x safety reporting on the floor. We also dive into AI, sustainability and the real world of broken kit – from £30k of dead plants 🪴 to cameras spotting spills before a guest slips, and bots quietly reading your invoices to tell you when it is finally time to replace that AC unit ❄️. 🎧 In this episode you’ll hear: 📲 What Snapfix actually does and why Brett calls it “the operational brain” in your building 🧠 The “modern art” analogy – 10,000 hours of work behind a product that feels ridiculously simple 🏨 Real stories from hotels, factories, care homes and more (including the £30k plant disaster…) 🤖 Where AI really helps maintenance and facilities teams today (no robot butlers… yet) 🌍 Why sustainability needs more than a sticker on the bathroom door – and how ops tech can help 🇮🇪 Snapfix’s journey from rural Ireland to Dublin’s tech hub and into the UK & US 💡 Episode sponsor This episode is brought to you by Lightspeed – the POS and payments platform helping restaurants smash the festive rush 🎄, speed up tableside service and keep FOH and BOH perfectly in sync. 🔗 Links 🔧 Check out Snapfix: snapfix.com 👋 Connect with Brett on LinkedIn – search “Brett Robbins Snapfix” 🥪 More from Tech on Toast: techontoast.community From Tech on Toast – helping hospitality operators make smarter tech decisions (and have a bit of fun along the way). 🎙️✨

    44 min
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About

Connecting hospitality with the tech that makes it better. Hosted by Chris Fletcher — former operator, now tech matchmaker — Tech on Toast brings you sharp, unfiltered conversations with the people shaping hospitality’s future. Each week, we sit down with operators, founders, and innovators to unpack the tech, tactics, and trends transforming how the industry works. From smarter kitchens and AI-driven scheduling to loyalty apps and next-gen EPOS, we cut through the noise to find what really works on the ground. Whether you run a pub, lead a restaurant group, or build tech for the sector

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