Shows
The Digital RestaurantIs First Party Ordering Losing the Fight?Send us a textThis week, Carl welcomes special guest host Markus Pineyro of Oomi Kitchen to dive into five major stories shaping restaurants and technology.Is first-party delivery really the answer? We explore the economics, customer experience, and hidden costs behind running your own fleet.Burger King’s security scare: An ethical hacker exposes vulnerabilities at RBI. What lessons should operators learn about digital risk and communication?DoorDash’s commerce platform expansion: Why their SaaS-like approach could reshape how independents think about tech stacks.FSTEC’s Tech Gu...
2025-09-1529 min
The Digital RestaurantWhy Agile Marketing is the Essential Restaurant Skill in the Digital AgeSend us a textThis week on The Digital Restaurant, Carl is joined by Jennifer Kern, CMO of Qu, for a fast-moving conversation about the headlines shaping restaurants, technology, and consumer behavior.We kick off with a surprising stat: half of adults are ordering kids meals. (01:00) What does this say about QSR value wars, portion sizes, and how brands like CAVA and Starbucks are reframing value through experience, not just price?Next, we examine Chipotle’s partnership with Zipline (05:00), which involves testing drone delivery in Dallas. Is th...
2025-09-0227 min
The Digital RestaurantBeware, Be Kind of Viral InfluencersSend us a textIn this episode of The Digital Restaurant, Carl is joined by Emmy Award–winning storyteller Mike Duffy of Yum Crunch. Together they break down five timely stories shaping restaurants and tech:McDonald’s bets on web ordering through DoorDash—does convenience outweigh control?Yum Brands’ Byte platform fuels $9B in digital sales and rewrites the restaurant tech stack.Social listening lessons: Cracker Barrel’s backlash vs. KFC’s potato wedge comeback.Drone delivery’s tipping point—new FAA rules, Texas rollouts, pizza robots in LA, and the Ghost Kitchen 3.0 vision.The power and peril of inf...
2025-08-1845 min
The Digital RestaurantWhy does Yum want to own the tech stack - with guest host Cijoy OlickalSend us a textCarl welcomes guest host Cijoy Olickal, a restaurant tech expert, to break down key industry trends.🔹 2025 Restaurant Industry Outlook – $1.5T in sales, shifting consumer habits, tech’s impact on profitability, and labor challenges. Articles One, Two, and Three🔹 Yum! Brands' Tech Strategy – Is building a proprietary tech stack the right move for a global franchise? Articles One and Two🔹 Wonder’s Expansion – Mark Lore’s meal kit & marketplace strategy—how does it compare to DoorDash and Uber Eats? Articles...
2025-02-1733 min
Give an Ovation: The Restaurant Guest Experience Podcast with Zack OatesInside the Digital Kitchen Revolution with Markus PineyroSend us a textMarkus Pineyro is not just a restaurant owner—he’s a visionary reshaping how we think about dining experiences. As the co-founder of OOMI Digital Kitchen, Markus has created a food hall that operates almost entirely through digital interactions, yet still boasts a remarkable 4.9-star rating. On this episode of Give an Ovation, we dive into how Markus has built a successful, customer-focused operation without the traditional face-to-face hospitality we expect from restaurants.In this episode, Zack and Markus discuss:The innovative concept behind OOMI Digital Kitchen and how it's rede...
2024-10-2119 min
Wisking it allRunning A Digital Food Hub with Markus Pineyro of OOMI Digital KitchenAbout the Episode
OOMI Digital Kitchen is a digital food hall based in Dallas, Texas, that focuses on making great food and specializes in delivery and carryout. The founder, Marcus Pinero, shares his background in the restaurant industry and the inspiration behind creating a digital food hall. The concept of OOmi Digital Kitchen involves operating multiple brands out of one central kitchen, with a focus on cross-utilizing ingredients and providing a diverse menu. The customer journey includes both in-person grab-and-go and online ordering experiences. The use of technology, such as Ovation and Empowered Delivery, has been instrumental...
2024-04-0238 min