Restaurant catering doesn't need more tech. It needs better tech

Catering companies have plenty of tech options. The key is selecting the right ones for maximum efficiency.

How Tievoli Pizza Bar tripled sales with a zero-dollar marketing budget

by Mandy Wolf Detwiler — Editor, Connect Media

Husband-and-wife team Giovanni and Adrianna Labbate and their family have built a wildly successful Chicago-area restaurant, Tievoli Pizza Bar, entirely through word-of-mouth by offering premium, scratch-made New York and Detroit-style pizzas and refusing to compromise on quality or price.

3 leaders every Founder must hire to scale

by Kathleen Wood — Founder, K. Wood Partners

To successfully scale a company and transition from an overwhelmed operator to a confident CEO, founders must stop trying to manage everything themselves and instead invest in a strategic financial leader, a proactive business attorney and an experienced operational leader.

How Urban Bird Hot Chicken turned a bad lease into a fast-growing brand

Brandon and Chantel Gawthorp built 32 Wingstop franchises across three states over 20 years, then let it all go to bet on themselves. They opened the first Urban Bird Hot Chicken in 2020, in a space another restaurant left behind. Six years later, they have 24 locations open, many more on the way, and every single one built 100% debt-free

AI and the Future of Restaurants: From Foot Traffic to Predictive Insight

As consumer behavior and privacy expectations evolve, restaurants need smarter ways to understand diners and drive growth. Gladys Kong of Azira and Isabelle Soriano of Goodway Group explore how AI and location intelligence can inform site selection, media strategy, audience engagement, and faster, more informed decisions.

The 1:1 Personalization Playbook: Using AI to send every guest their own offer

In this session, Hang CEO Matt Smolin, whose platform powers millions of AI-personalized offers a month for restaurant brands, and Rev Ciancio, CMO of Salad House & Handcraft Burgers and Brew, walked through the playbook to start personalizing your own offers right away.

Papa Johns Q2 revenue falls 9% as North America sales slump offsets international growth

by Valerie Gritton

Papa Johns' turnaround efforts continued to face headwinds in the second quarter, as softer consumer demand and an intensely promotional quick-service…

2026 Pizza Marketplace Top 100 Movers & Shakers

This year’s Top 100 honors those who have mastered the "rare beast" of combining high-volume operations with artisanal quality. Whether it’s an independent shop utilizing AI to streamline inventory or a regional chain perfecting the 18-minute carryout window, these Movers & Shakers are the ones defining the future of the American slice.