The Playbook With David Meltzer

How Resilience Defines the Restaurant Industry

9 snips
Sep 2, 2025
In this engaging chat, Tony Smith, CEO and Co-founder of Restaurant365, shares insights from revolutionizing the restaurant industry. He discusses the creation of the Restaurant Transformation Festival, emphasizing community and authentic connections. Tony reflects on the resilience of hospitality workers during the pandemic and how innovation is reshaping the field. He also explores the promising role of AI in operations and training while celebrating the emotional connections food fosters, all guided by the principle of loving good food.
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ANECDOTE

From Tour To Festival

  • Tony describes building small regional 'Restaurant Transformation Tour' events before scaling to a larger festival.
  • He framed RTF as community-first, not primarily a revenue event, to connect customers and partners.
INSIGHT

Festival Vibe Beats Conference Format

  • Tony positions a festival between a conference and a party to prioritize vibe and connection.
  • He argues that genuine networking beats passive listening at traditional conferences.
INSIGHT

Hospitality's Distinct Energy

  • Tony highlights hospitality workers' resilience, creativity, and service orientation learned through firsthand study.
  • He credits the industry's pandemic response as proof of its problem-solving energy.
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