1:00 - 5:00 p.m.

Registration

Join us early at registration to grab your badge and our signature swag before we kick off the afternoon.

3:00 - 3:15 p.m.

General Session: Opening Remarks

Welcome conference attendees and sponsors!

David Cantu
Chief Executive Officer, Black Box Intelligence

3:15 - 4:00 p.m.

Opening Keynote: Monica Rothgery, author of forthcoming book 'Lessons from the Drive-Thru'

In this session, Monica Rothgery will share insights on empowering frontline leaders as the enabler to growing sales and profits.

A powerful story-teller, Monica will share observations from visiting thousands of restaurants over her thirty year career. She will share the leadership difference between all-star managers and those who struggle with a path to help all operators discover and do "what is theirs to do".

Monica Rothgery
Author of forthcoming book, 'Lessons from the Drive-Thru'

4:00 - 4:45 p.m.

Box Talks: State of the Workforce

Reflecting on the pivotal lessons from recent years, we observe the dynamic evolution of the workforce trends that have contributed to the most severe labor crisis in decades.

Victor Fernandez
VP of Insights & Knowledge, Black Box Intelligence

4:45 - 5:30 p.m.

Panel: Managing and Retaining in a New Operating Era

5:30 - 7:00 p.m.

Networking Reception

Indulge in a delightful selection of beer, wine, and beverages, accompanied by networking-friendly snacks. Afterward, visit any of the walkable restaurants to enjoy dinner in a more intimate setting.

8:00 - 9:00 a.m.

Breakfast

9:00 - 9:05 a.m.

Welcome Best Practices Attendees!

9:05 - 9:45 a.m.

The Business of Joy: Understanding Today's Consumer

9:45 - 10:15 a.m.

Box Talks: Voice of the Customer

10:15 - 10:45 a.m.

Networking Break

10:45 - 11:30 a.m.

Panel: Navigating the Hybrid Experience: Insights from Marketing Leaders

11:30 - 12:00 p.m.

Unlocking the True Performance of Hospitality: GuestXM’s Roadmap to Enabling Best-in-Class Experiences

12:00 - 12:45 p.m.

Lunch

12:45 - 1:30 p.m.

Unlocking the Power of GuestXM: Strategies Across Organizational Roles

Join us for a dynamic discussion as our panelists share insights into how they integrate GuestXM into their respective roles to drive improvements in company performance. From leveraging financial indexing to optimizing human resources best practices and understanding guest sentiment, our panelists will delve into the three pillars of GuestXM and their impact on decision-making.

Don't miss this opportunity to learn from industry experts as they share real-world examples of how GuestXM drives organizational excellence across departments. 

Kendall Ware
Chief Operating Officer, Walk On's 

Fasika Melaku
Chief Learning Officer, Denny's

1:30 - 2:30 p.m.

"Unreasonable Hospitality" with Keynote Will Guidara

2:30 - 2:45 p.m.

Sponsor Roundtable: Rapid Fire Learnings from goHappy, Instant Financial, and Opus

2:45 - 3:15 p.m.

Cheesecake Break!

Join us for a slice from the one and only - The Cheesecake Factory.

 

3:15 - 3:45 p.m.

The Evolution of Digital Payments - From Guest to Employee

It’s estimated that upward of 80% of all consumer transactions in 2023 were made using digital, non-cash methods. This shift in consumer habits will have profound impacts on the restaurant space, as operators update their own internal systems to adapt to these changing preferences. Join our panel of industry experts as they discuss the evolution of digital payments, and what impacts this is having on the entire restaurant experience continuum from guest payments all the way down to how employees are paid.

 

Kevin O'Bold

VP of Finance, Ultra Steak

 

Mark Heilig

Chief Legal Officer, Lazy Dog

 

Laura McLand

VP of Human Resources, Sun Holdings

 

Presented by:

 

3:15 - 3:45 p.m.

Connecting Frontline Engagement to Bottom Line Results

Explore the power of strong frontline engagement and its impact on business performance in the form of reduced turnover, improved guest satisfaction and stronger sales. Discover practical insights to collecting and acting on frontline employee feedback to foster genuine engagement and transform your business.

 

Moderator: Shawn Boyer

Founder & CEO, goHappy

 

Jeremy Edmonds

Vice President of People and Culture, Snooze A.M. Eatery

 

Presented by:

 

3:15 - 3:45 p.m.

Franchise Forward: Winning Franchisee Buy-In for Operational Excellence

In today's fast-paced restaurant industry, maintaining brand consistency while meeting customer needs requires swift action. That's why securing franchisee buy-in is more critical than ever. Join leaders from Paris Baguette and Flame Broiler as they unveil strategies to foster collaboration and alignment, ensuring a consistent brand experience across franchise operations. Discover actionable tactics to drive operational excellence and sustainably grow your franchise network.

 

Moderator: Raechel Nemeth

CEO and Co-Founder, Opus Training

 

Michelle Jagroop

Chief People Officer, Paris Baguette

 

Sherry Broesamle

VP of People, The Flame Broiler

 

 

Presented by:

 

4:00 - 4:45 p.m.

Ask the Experts: Crowd-Sourced Questions for Industry Leaders on the Frontlines of Restaurant Investments

4:45 - 5:30 p.m.

Fireside Chat with Legacy Award Winner, G.J. Hart, President & CEO of Red Robin

6:30 - 9:00 p.m.

Awards Ceremony

8:00 - 9:00 a.m.

Breakfast

9:00 - 9:05 a.m.

Welcome Best Practices Attendees!

9:05 - 9:25 a.m.

2024 Industry Address

9:25 - 10:15 a.m.

Panel: C-Suite from Experiential Brands Reveal the Lessons that Led to Growth

10:15 - 11:00 a.m.

Black Box Presents | Connecting Experience to Outcome

11:00 - 11:05 a.m.

Closing Remarks

David Cantu
Chief Executive Officer, Black Box Intelligence