Olo’s Founder Noah Glass: The Restaurant Tech Gold Medalist

Noah has been a driving force in revolutionizing the restaurant industry through technology. With a background in Political Science from Yale and early career experiences ranging from service stations to tech startups, Noah launched Olo to streamline digital ordering and delivery for restaurants. Under his leadership, Olo has become a leader in hospitality tech, empowering restaurants to integrate both digital and traditional payment systems, enhancing customer experiences and operational efficiency.

Key Takeaways:
• Breaking news: Olo, a leading provider of digital ordering and delivery solutions, expands by introducing card-present payment processing through Olo Pay.
• Noah discusses leveraging data to increase restaurant sales – collecting detailed information from every transaction, Olo helps restaurants understand their consumers’ preferences allowing personalized marketing efforts tailored to individual guests’ tastes, driving higher engagement and increased sales.
• Noah, Jimmy, and Schatzy talk about how a majority of restaurant transactions still occur through traditional, in-person methods, despite the industry’s ongoing digital transformation. Noah shares how Olo’s integration of, “the old fashioned way” with digital payment allows operators to maintain their personal touch while leveraging modern technology to personalize and enhance guests’ experiences.
• "Just getting out of the dugout” – Noah describes the industry as being in the early stages of embracing digital transformation.
• The focus on data-driven decisions – According to Noah, restaurants that are "winning" are those leveraging data to drive traffic in a profitable way.
• Noah addresses the dilemma in the restaurant tech industry of whether to develop solutions in-house or to partner with established vendors.
• Noah explains that leveraging existing technology platforms while building unique, differentiated feathers can create something truly special and impactful – the "true magic" lies in tailored experiences that resonate with guests and set the brand apart.
• Olo goes public marking a significant milestone – Olo’s IPO provides the financial stability and transparency needed to support large-scale partnerships and further innovation.

In “Talking Back”, Noah asks Jimmy and Schatzy to share a time when they experienced genuine hospitality at a restaurant.
Noah, Schatzy, and Jimmy step up to the plate for an engaging session with games like” What’s Hot and Not”, “The Spice is Right”, “Branded Quick-fire” and “Trivia Tuesday”.

Restaurant Transformation , Hospitality Strategies , Brand Experience , Hospitality Insiders , Hospitality Stories , Hospitality trends , Success in hospitality , hospitality insights , hospitality success , hospitality , connecting players , funny food stories , hospitality insiders , success in hospitality , hospitality stories . hospitality podcast, Custom business solutions, restaurant technology, restaurant promotions, restaurant ownership, culinary topics, food customs

Episode Credits:

• Produced by: Branded Hospitality Media
• Hosted by: Michael Schatzberg, JImmy Frischling
• Producer: Julie Zucker
• Creative Director: Adam Levine
• Show Runner: Drewe Raimi
• Post Production: Three Cheers Creative

www.thehospitalityhangout.com