Tech on Toast, The Hospitality Tech Podcast

Chris Fletcher

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. From Firefighting to Future-Proofing People Strategy, with Rachel Masing, Pool House

    11H AGO · BONUS

    From Firefighting to Future-Proofing People Strategy, with Rachel Masing, Pool House

    This series, Business in Better Shape, was born from new research by Tech on Toast and Square, The Long-Term Case for Smarter Tech Investment.We spoke to more than 150 hospitality leaders across the UK, uncovering an industry stuck between ambition and hesitation. Most hospitality teams buy tech only when something’s on fire - Square’s research shows just 6% plan purchases, while 94% react. That insight inspired this series, real conversations with operators who are finding ways to move forward, to simplify, to modernise without losing what makes hospitality human.Download the research here;https://www.techontoast.community/researchIn our second episode, Rachel Masing, People Director, Pool House - from the minds behind Topgolf & Puttshack, lays out how to flip that script and design people-first systems before opening day and use tech to create space for human leadership.Episode HighlightsTech-infused experience: ball & cue tracking, digitized scoring, and player-levelling to make pool competitive and inclusive.People blueprint: values → behaviours → role profiles → always-on feedback loops; hire for skill and behaviour.Scale by design: choose tools that work cross-city/country, not just for site #1.Noise killers: clear comms rules + project visibility (e.g., Slack for HQ, ClickUp for projects) so work doesn’t vanish into silos.Tech as strategy: not “keep the Wi-Fi up,” but a leader who scans the market and briefs teams on what to adopt next.AI where it helps: recruiting at scale and emerging AI-enabled coaching/L&D—augment humans, don’t replace them.GM = business owner: elevate GMs to run people, finance, sales, and ops—then upskill them to coach on site.Ownership mindset: equity for core teams and day-one employee ownership to hard-wire culture and commitment.Big missing piece: a light, continuous performance conversation tool (voice notes, auto-pull shift/attendance/peer signals, simple scheduling).This series is powered by Square - helping hospitality operators put their business in better shape through connected commerce, payments, and restaurant technology.https://squareup.com/gb/en

    43 min
  2. From Data Drowning to Performance Ops with Tenzo Co-Founder Christian Mouysett

    2D AGO

    From Data Drowning to Performance Ops with Tenzo Co-Founder Christian Mouysett

    This week, Chris is joined (again!) by Christian Mouysset, Co-founder of Tenzo, the “glue” that brings sales, labour, inventory, reviews and reservations into one real-time view. We talk actionable KPIs over vanity metrics, why speed of feedback beats perfect dashboards, and how “performance ops” helps GMs move the needle on today’s shift, not next quarter’s report. Highlights From data overload to action: pick 3–5 KPIs and shine a light—things improve. Real-time or it’s too late: feedback after lunch beats a board pack next week. Shift-level impact: targets part-timers can act on within a three-hour window. AI done right: ML for forecasting, LLMs for summaries, automation for delivery—different tools, different jobs. Integrations that work: human relationships + solid APIs matter. Best-of-breed vs all-in-one: choose your four dimensions (geo, sub-vertical, toolset, segment) and make trade-offs on purpose. Hotels turning F&B inside-out: untapped revenue if ops and insight align. Key takeaways: Start with one KPI (e.g., spend per labour hour) and prove a win before adding more. Put mobile, real-time insight in the GM’s hand; avoid 15 logins and 28-page PDFs. Separate ML, LLMs and automation; don’t lump everything under “AI”. Build integrations at the right granularity (hour, site, revenue centre). Timestamps 01:45 – Tenzo in one line: the “glue” for restaurant data 04:50 – Data drowning vs focusing on what matters 06:40 – “Shine a light and it gets better” (Hard Rock lesson) 08:50 – Real-time targets teams can act on today 12:30 – Why mobile matters for GMs (and part-timers) 14:50 – AI: forecasting, summaries and automation—what’s what 18:30 – Trust, accuracy and adoption 20:45 – Integrations: people, APIs and the right granularity 24:30 – Best-of-breed vs all-in-one (choose your sacrifices) 26:55 – Industry pulse: cautious optimism and real ROI 28:40 – Hotels & F&B: new momentum 29:55 – How to reach Christian Guest Christian Mouysset – Co-founder, Tenzo Web: gotenzo.com Email: christian@gotenzo.com Sponsor Lightspeed — POS and payments built for busy service. Close the year strong. Connect Host: Chris Fletcher Subscribe, rate and share if this helped your operation. Got a stack worth talking about? Share your tech stack and help build a better-connected industry.

    30 min
  3. What Operators Actually Want from Tech, with Jonny Bramwell, Rosa’s Thai

    NOV 7 · BONUS

    What Operators Actually Want from Tech, with Jonny Bramwell, Rosa’s Thai

    This series, Business in Better Shape, was born from new research by Tech on Toast and Square, The Long-Term Case for Smarter Tech Investment.We spoke to more than 150 hospitality leaders across the UK, uncovering an industry stuck between ambition and hesitation. Most hospitality teams buy tech only when something’s on fire - Square’s research shows just 6% plan purchases, while 94% react. That insight inspired this series, real conversations with operators who are finding ways to move forward, to simplify, to modernise without losing what makes hospitality human.Download the research here;https://www.techontoast.community/researchIn our third epsisode Jonny Bramwell, Regional Ops at Rosa’s Thai shares the operator’s view from the floor, pick tools that give time back, fit the brand, and lift service - not add noise.Episode HighlightsBrand-first fit: tech must support the Rosa’s experience (fast, fresh, friendly) without forcing guests down paths they don’t want.FSR: in full-service, tech should facilitate the theatre and human touch, not replace it.Test & learn (hard): run real trial sites, stress-test with frontline teams, and involve the partner directly in fixes.Time back for teams: main buying lens - does it reduce workload, protect work-life balance, and free GMs to plan (not just cover shifts)?Operator dashboard: mornings start with covers, like-for-like, delivery, and guest sentiment to decide where to lean in.Adoption signals: happier teams, lower turnover, stronger reviews, rising spend/head = tech is actually used and valued.Buying criteria: brand fit, guest experience, time back, scalable rollout (roadmaps alone are not enough).Work with reality: mistakes happen - what matters is a partner who stays to tweak and land it properly.Message to vendors: do the homework, tailor the pitch, and focus on the two outcomes that matter: enhance guest experience + coach/develop teams.This series is powered by Square - helping hospitality operators put their business in better shape through connected commerce, payments, and restaurant technology.https://squareup.com/gb/en

    32 min
  4. The Invisible Backbone: Why Reliable Connectivity Keeps Hospitality Running

    NOV 5

    The Invisible Backbone: Why Reliable Connectivity Keeps Hospitality Running

    💡 Connectivity in hospitality is no longer optional — it’s as important as gas, water and electricity. Host Chris Fletcher chats with Andy Maynard (Head of IT services and Solutions Caffè Nero) and Joe Strudwick (Head of National Accounts, Sky Business) about why reliable networks now power everything from card payments to coffee machines — and how smart operators are treating connectivity like a true utility, not an afterthought. ☕ How do you keep 600+ stores online?💸 What’s the hidden cost of downtime?🔐 And how do you build resilience that protects your brand, your teams and your guests? Powered by: Sky Business ⏱️ Chapters00:00 – Why connectivity is as vital as gas, water & electricity ⚡01:24 – Meet Andy & Joe02:09 – Inside Caffè Nero’s global network05:08 – Every SaaS tool depends on uptime08:01 – When Wi-Fi drops, operations stop10:02 – Fibre, EPOS, IoT & SD-WAN explained12:58 – Creating one “gold-standard” store setup16:59 – Downtime = money on the floor 💷17:42 – Staff experience and tech frustration24:03 – Treating connectivity like a utility30:04 – 4G failover & real-time monitoring35:03 – The future: security, resilience & smarter sites43:56 – Wrap-up & next steps ✨ Key Takeaways ​⚙️ Connectivity is as essential as your utilities​🚀 Uptime = revenue, morale & guest loyalty​📶 Standardise, monitor & build in resilience​🕓 Match support to trading hours — not office hours​🔐 Cyber security is now a board-level topic🎙️ Guests ​Andy Maynard – Head of IT services and solutions ​Joe Strudwick – Head of National Accounts, Sky Business👋 Host: Chris Fletcher🎛️ Production: Tech on Toast🤝 Series Partner: Sky Business

    44 min
  5. Human + AI in the Bakehouse: How La Maritxu Uses Inpulse to Nail Forecasting, Stock & Purchasing

    OCT 29

    Human + AI in the Bakehouse: How La Maritxu Uses Inpulse to Nail Forecasting, Stock & Purchasing

    AI isn’t here to replace ops, it’s here to amplify it. Laure Joyeux (Expansion & Partnerships, Inpulse) and Italo Vendramini (Head of Operations, La Maritxu) share how AI-driven forecasting powers inventory and purchasing, cutting order-building time, lifting availability, and reducing waste. We cover trust on the shop floor, onboarding and support, supplier integrations (incl. EDI/email), and what changes as you scale from one site to many.Presented by Lightspeed Restaurant. GuestsLaure Joyeux — InpulseItalo Vendramini — La Maritxu (Basque cheesecake bakery, London) Key takeaways• ~90%+ production accuracy trending to ~95% as models learn• Pre-filled orders save ~50% time; managers keep final say• Better availability, less spoilage, clearer supplier comms• Two years’ sales history = day-one accuracy; new sites settle in ~2–3 months Chapters00:00 Intro & sponsor02:00 Meet Laure & Italo06:30 What Inpulse does12:00 Trusting AI on site18:30 Purchasing & suppliers25:00 Onboarding & support31:00 Scaling to multi-site36:00 Final takeaways

    32 min
  6. Best-in-Class, All-in-One: How Embargo Turns First-Party Data into Real Revenue with Fryderyk (Frederick) Szydlowski

    OCT 22

    Best-in-Class, All-in-One: How Embargo Turns First-Party Data into Real Revenue with Fryderyk (Frederick) Szydlowski

    This week, Chris sits down with Frederick Szydlowski, Co-founder of Embargo, to unpack how an all-in-one, best-in-class approach to loyalty, ordering and CRM can actually move the P&L—without burying teams in complexity. Freddy’s story runs from professional basketball in Poland to JOE & THE JUICE on King’s Road, to building one of the UK’s highest-rated food & drink apps (4.9★). We dig into why hospitality still loves loyalty but hates complexity, why first-party data beats data scrapbooks, and how Embargo’s product philosophy (own the journey end-to-end) drives adoption, repeat visits and higher direct sales, operators are reporting ~60% higher delivery volume via their own channels versus marketplaces. We also cover Embargo’s expanding toolkit (web & table ordering, kiosks, payments), rapid onboarding (often live in 5–10 minutes per channel), and how their new AI models turn weather, behaviour and lookalike patterns into recommended campaigns you can run in minutes, not months. Brought to you by Lightspeed. This festive season, let your tech do the heavy lifting. Close the year strong with Lightspeed Restaurant.

    58 min
  7. Fixing Fairness in Tipping – with David Dillon, Founder & CEO of UROCKED

    OCT 15

    Fixing Fairness in Tipping – with David Dillon, Founder & CEO of UROCKED

    In this episode of the Tech on Toast Podcast, host Chris Fletcher sits down with David Dillon, Founder and CEO of UROCKED, the digital tipping platform making gratuities transparent, compliant, and fair for everyone in hospitality. Born from a real operator problem, watching his mum spend hours calculating tips by hand, David built UROCKED to make life easier for hospitality teams and ensure every pound of gratuity reaches the people who earned it. A year on from the UK Tipping Act, Chris and David unpack what’s changed (and what hasn’t), how technology is helping to close the trust gap, and why transparency is now essential to both compliance and culture. They cover:💡 The origins of UROCKED and how it simplifies tipping for operators and staff⚖️ One year on from the Tipping Act – has it worked?📱 Why digital tipping boosts transparency, retention, and guest trust💷 What customers still misunderstand about service charges📊 UROCKED’s latest research, 65% of staff rely on tips as part of their income🤝 How tech can balance fairness, compliance, and business sustainability From “tipping land” to the future of cashless gratitude, this is a refreshingly honest look at how digital innovation can make hospitality fairer, and how small changes can make a big difference to people’s lives. 🎧 Listen now and find out why UROCKED is redefining what it means to earn your tips. 🔗 Learn more at urocked.com💚 Explore hospitality tech at techontoast.community📍 Follow Tech on Toast on LinkedIn and Instagram for more industry conversations

    32 min
  8. The Disruption Delusion, Why We Still Fear Change in Hospitality with Maria McCann.

    OCT 10 · BONUS

    The Disruption Delusion, Why We Still Fear Change in Hospitality with Maria McCann.

    This series, Business in Better Shape, was born from new research by Tech on Toast and Square, The Long-Term Case for Smarter Tech Investment.We spoke to more than 150 hospitality leaders across the UK, uncovering an industry stuck between ambition and hesitation.The data showed that while most operators see technology as essential to their future, only 18% would currently recommend their existing systems, and a striking 94% only adopt new tech when absolutely necessary. Fear of disruption, complex integrations, and a lack of vendor support are holding progress back.Download the research hereThat insight inspired this series, real conversations with operators who are finding ways to move forward, to simplify, to modernise without losing what makes hospitality human.In this first episode, host Chris Fletcher talks with Maria McCann, Operations Director at Blacklock, about fear of change, leading people through transformation, and how curiosity and courage can help hospitality get into better shape.Maria’s career spans Hard Rock Café, Shake Shack, Living Ventures, and now Blacklock, where she’s helping scale one of London’s most characterful restaurant brands without losing its soul.This conversation dives into the industry’s long-standing fear of change, how to lead teams through disruption, and why curiosity and calculated risk-taking are essential for hospitality’s future.Episode Highlights🥩 Blacklock’s identity: A modern British chop house, famous for roasts, chops, and sharing culture.🎓 Career path: From studying dietetics to falling in love with hospitality via Hard Rock, then on to Shake Shack and now Blacklock.😨 Why we fear change: Hospitality people are problem solvers who learn from crises, so change is often associated with past mistakes.💬 Communication platforms: When Meta shut down Workplace, Blacklock had to pivot fast without losing team connection.🤖 Tech adoption: The secret is listening to staff frustrations first, then finding solutions to those exact pain points.📊 Sentiment analysis: A “quiet revolution” for guest feedback, giving operators clarity without the overwhelm.🚴 Personal challenge: Maria is training for a 400km cycle in Cuba with the hospitality community, despite being scared of bikes!This series is powered by Square, helping hospitality operators put their business in better shape through connected commerce, payments, and restaurant technology.

    31 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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