Digital Hospitality

Becker Hall’s first pig roast raised $7,500 for the family of an eight-year-old with brain cancer. On Digital Hospitality, the Hogs For The Cause co-founder tells Shawn Walchef how that New Orleans cookout grew into a nonprofit that’s given away $20 million. Hall shares how barbecue teams raise money year-round, how restaurants can invite guests to round up their checks and what it meant for one family to stay near their child during cancer treatment.A pig roast for one family grew into a national charity - Becker Hall and his co-founder raised $7,500 at their first New Orleans pig roast for the family of an eight-year-old with brain cancer. Hall says Hogs For The Cause has since given away $20 million.Restaurants can help raise money year-round - Barbecue teams fundraise long before festival weekend, and participating restaurants can give guests the option to round up their checks through the Hogs Trail of Barbecue. Shawn Walchef said Cali BBQ plans to participate using Toast.A free place to stay can keep a family close through months of treatment - Hall shared the story of a child who spent six months in a New Orleans hospital. His family stayed at a Hogs House on campus and told Hall they couldn’t have managed without it.Episode LinksBecker Hall LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beckerhall/Hogs For The Cause: https://hogsforthecause.org/Hogs For The Cause LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hogs-for-the-cause/Hogs For The Cause Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hogsforthecause/?hl=enHogs For The Cause YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hogsforthecauseDonate to Hogs For The Cause: https://hogsforthecause.org/donate/ Where to find Cali BBQ MediaVisit our WebsiteFollow Restaurant Technology SubstackFollow us on InstagramFollow us on LinkedInLearn About our Media Services

Adam Feingold and Dustin Jeffers turned their experience running breweries into careers helping beverage producers manage their businesses through Next Glass. On Digital Hospitality with Shawn Walchef, they discuss turning a passion for brewing into a sustainable business, building systems before growth arrives and getting the whole team involved in using technology. They also explain why understanding inventory, costs and profit on each invoice matters more than tracking revenue alone.Treat Your Passion Like a Business – Adam Feingold and Dustin Jeffers understand the excitement of opening a brewery. But once employees depend on the operation, owners need clear processes, financial accountability and more than a passion for making great beer.Build Systems Before You Need Them – SaltWater Brewery had inventory, invoicing and production systems in place before rapid distribution growth. That preparation allowed the team to focus on product quality while handling increased demand.Know Your Profit, Not Just Your Revenue – Strong sales do not tell the whole financial story. Understanding costs and profit on each invoice helps operators decide which products to produce and which distribution opportunities make business sense.Episode LinksAdam Feingold LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-feingold-57171a206/Dustin Jeffers: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dkjeffers/Untappd for Business: https://utfb.untappd.com/Next Glass: https://www.nextglass.co/Ollie: https://www.nextglass.co/ollie/  Where to find Cali BBQ MediaVisit our WebsiteFollow Restaurant Technology SubstackFollow us on InstagramFollow us on LinkedInLearn About our Media Services

Thomas Durden and his wife bought Urban Tea and Creamery with a goal of building a business that could operate without them being there every day. On Digital Hospitality with Shawn Walchef, Durden discusses learning the responsibilities of ownership, controlling expenses without cutting quality and getting the first location right before expanding. He also explains how DAVO handles the shop’s sales tax reporting and payments, freeing up time to work on the business.Build Before Expanding – Thomas Durden and his wife want to grow Urban Tea and Creamery, but their first priority is improving the business they already own. Before adding another location, Durden wants to increase daily transactions and establish an operation they can repeat elsewhere.DAVO Frees Up Time – Durden found DAVO through Toast and continued using it after switching point-of-sale systems. By handling sales tax reporting and payments, DAVO removes an administrative responsibility from his plate, giving him more time to focus on improving the business.Control Costs Without Cutting Quality – After buying the shop, the couple reviewed expenses, changed point-of-sale systems and switched ice cream suppliers. Their focus is on strengthening the business while maintaining the quality and customized customer experience that bring guests back.Episode LinksUrban Tea: https://urbanteaihb.com/Urban Tea Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/explore/locations/109701475479589/urban-tea-and-creamery-ihb/Urban Tea Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Urbanteaihb/   Where to find Cali BBQ MediaVisit our WebsiteFollow Restaurant Technology SubstackFollow us on InstagramFollow us on LinkedInLearn About our Media Services

Jennifer Dodd, CEO and board advisor to Main Squeeze Juice Co., joins Shawn Walchef at the CREATE Conference to share how restaurant brands can use technology to strengthen hospitality without losing the human connection. From starting as the 15-year-old “Wendy girl” to leading major restaurant brands, Dodd explains why leadership development, operational excellence, and clear standards remain critical to growth. She shares how Main Squeeze uses KNOW for AI-powered employee training, communication, and restaurant audits, giving teams better tools to learn and improve. This episode explores digital hospitality, restaurant technology, leadership development, and why the best systems still depend on great people.Technology Should Strengthen Humanity – Jennifer Dodd believes restaurant technology should remove friction without losing the human connection that defines hospitality. At Main Squeeze Juice Co., KNOW helps employees build that connection through AI-powered training and role-playing that prepares them to better understand and serve guests.Great Leadership Makes Great Systems Work – Jennifer Dodd learned early that even the right site, systems, and operating model can struggle without strong leaders running the business. Developing people and building leadership across every level remains one of the most important investments a restaurant company can make.Operational Excellence Requires Clear Standards – Jennifer Dodd uses consistent audits, checklists, and training to help restaurants understand what great execution looks like. With KNOW, managers can use their phones to document audits and compare what they see against brand standards, helping leadership identify where teams need support and where strong performance should be celebrated.Episode LinksJennifer Dodd LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferedodd/Main Squeeze Juice Co: https://mainsqueezejuiceco.com/Main Squeeze Juice Co. Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/mainsqueezejuiceco/Main Squeeze Juice Co. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/main-squeeze-juice-co/posts/KNOW: https://www.getknowapp.com/KNOW LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/getknowapp/home/Krish Sridhar: https://www.linkedin.com/in/akrishsridhar/ Where to find Cali BBQ MediaVisit our WebsiteFollow Restaurant Technology SubstackFollow us on InstagramFollow us on LinkedInLearn About our Media Services

Shawn Walchef joins his longtime mentor David Meltzer in person in South Mission Beach to discuss thinking bigger, asking for help, and staying consistent when progress feels slow. Through personal stories and lessons from building Cali BBQ Media, they explore how clear goals, meaningful relationships, and daily action help entrepreneurs turn a bigger vision into reality.Be specific when asking for help. Know what you want and explain where you need guidance so others can understand how to support you.Do not let past setbacks limit your future. David’s experience with bankruptcy shapes his perspective, but it does not determine what he believes he can achieve.Give consistent effort time to compound. Daily action builds momentum, even when results take years to become visible. Shawn’s journey with Cali BBQ Media shows why persistence matters.Episode LinksDavid Meltzer Online: https://dmeltzer.com/David Meltzer Podcast: https://dmeltzer.com/#podcastDavid Meltzer Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidmeltzer/?hl=en  Where to find Cali BBQ MediaVisit our WebsiteFollow Restaurant Technology SubstackFollow us on InstagramFollow us on LinkedInLearn About our Media Services

David Boerlin’s work with restaurant displays began in 2001 with drive-thru screens that helped guests confirm their orders. Today, at LG, he works with restaurant brands on digital signage inside their stores and out in the drive-thru. On Digital Hospitality with Shawn Walchef, Boerlin discusses how screens can keep orders moving, promote menu items and improve the guest experience, along with why franchisees should have a voice in testing new technology.Keep the Drive-Thru Moving – David explains that digital displays should attract attention while helping guests order quickly. LG’s technology allows connected screens to show a large promotion when the lane is empty, then switch to a menu when a car arrives.Give Every Screen a Purpose – Inside the restaurant, displays can introduce seasonal products, promote meal deals and show guests when their pickup orders will be ready. David sees opportunities to use screens throughout the space to guide guests and strengthen their connection to the brand.Include Operators in Technology Decisions – David encourages restaurant brands to involve franchisees when testing new technology. Their experience using it in their own stores gives other operators practical feedback and helps the brand evaluate a wider rollout.Get More 5-Star Reviews for Your Restaurant with Ovation: Still running your restaurant on gut feel? Ovation helps you catch guest issues before they turn into bad reviews. Their AI-powered platform gives restaurants real-time guest feedback so operators can fix problems in the moment, improve experiences, and naturally drive more five-star reviews. Learn more at ovationup.com/shawnEpisode LinksDavid Boerlin LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dave-boerlin-2a11ab/LG Electronics LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lg-electronics/LG Electronics: https://www.lg.com/global/newsroom/LG Electronics YouTube: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LGGlobalLG Electronics IG: https://www.instagram.com/lg_global/LG Electronics Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LGUSA/?brand_redir=154510491226946#  Where to find Cali BBQ MediaVisit our WebsiteFollow Restaurant Technology SubstackFollow us on InstagramFollow us on LinkedInLearn About our Media Services

Jennifer Holmes and Maxine Smith opened Genesis Le Bleu Waters Restaurant to honor Genesis Holmes’ dream of cooking for people and serving his community. Today, the family keeps his memory alive through meals he loved and a restaurant built around caring for their neighbors. On Digital Hospitality with Shawn Walchef, Holmes and Smith reflect on opening without restaurant experience, learning the financial responsibilities of ownership and finding help through DAVO, which handles their sales tax filings so they have one less responsibility to manage.Purpose Keeps the Family Going – Jennifer Holmes and Maxine Smith opened Genesis Le Bleu Waters Restaurant to honor Genesis Holmes’ dream of cooking for his community. Serving meals he loved gives the family a way to carry his memory forward and a reason to keep going through difficult days.DAVO Helps Manage Sales Tax – Sales tax obligations caught Holmes and Smith off guard when they entered the restaurant business. DAVO now handles the restaurant’s sales tax filings, giving them one less responsibility to manage while they serve their guests.Learn the Business Behind the Food – Holmes and Smith opened without restaurant experience and had to learn bookkeeping, taxes and management along the way. Their experience shows why understanding the financial responsibilities of ownership matters alongside a passion for cooking and hospitality.Episode LinksGenesis Le Bleu Waters Restaurant: https://genesislebleuwaters.com/Genesis Le Bleu Waters Restaurant on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/genes.sislebleu/?hl=en   Where to find Cali BBQ MediaVisit our WebsiteFollow Restaurant Technology SubstackFollow us on InstagramFollow us on LinkedInLearn About our Media Services

Shannon McMenamin grew up riding in her dad’s keg delivery van with bootleg Grateful Dead tapes playing along the way. Today, as president of McMenamins, she helps carry that love of music into more than 50 locations across Oregon and Washington. On Digital Hospitality with Shawn Walchef, McMenamin talks about her family’s approach to turning historic buildings into community gathering places and how Soundtrack helps the team select music, manage playlists and protect the atmosphere across its pubs, restaurants and hotels.Music Should Fit the Space – Shannon McMenamin’s family has made music part of McMenamins from the beginning. From relaxed family settings to lively nightlife spaces, the team selects songs that support how guests should feel in each location.Soundtrack Helps Manage Music Across Locations – With more than 50 locations, McMenamins uses Soundtrack to manage playlists remotely, program music for special celebrations and prevent personal song choices from changing the intended atmosphere.Give Guests a Place to Connect – McMenamins turns historic buildings into gathering places rooted in their neighborhoods. Small bars, preserved architectural details and music give guests reasons to explore, start conversations and create memories together.Episode LinksMcMenamins: https://www.mcmenamins.com/eat-drinkMcMenamins Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mcmenamins/?hl=enBarley Mill Pub: https://www.mcmenamins.com/barley-mill-pubCrystal Hotel: https://www.mcmenamins.com/crystal-hotelGrand Lodge: https://www.mcmenamins.com/grand-lodgeThe Red Shed Tapes: A McMenamins podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-red-shed-tapes-a-mcmenamins-podcast/id1707619871The Red Shed Tapes: A McMenamins podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlIs-FXPAfMRT4QfzCzIQEt98MBhqKIJCSoundtrack: https://www.soundtrack.io/   Where to find Cali BBQ MediaVisit our WebsiteFollow Restaurant Technology SubstackFollow us on InstagramFollow us on LinkedInLearn About our Media Services

A restaurant’s story includes the decisions customers never see. Kelsey Bush, chef-owner behind Bloomsday, Loretta’s and Green Engine Coffee Co., joins Shawn Walchef to share how she’s building connections through her businesses. Blogs give her team room to explain everything from seasonal menus to the design choices inspired by her grandmother. She shares why Loretta’s needed a clear coffee-and-pastry concept, how ten years of operational challenges prepared her to lead and why she’s building businesses that can function without her handling everything. From branded kids’ cups to nostalgic drink names, Bush shows how small details create lasting family memories.Build a business that can work without you - Bush is hiring for roles she once covered herself so starting a family doesn’t leave her restaurants dependent on her daily presence.Make your concept easy to understand - Pastries struggled to sell at Bloomsday, but Loretta’s gave the same bakery program a clear identity built around coffee, pastries and neighborhood needs.Give guests something to remember - From drinks inspired by childhood memories to branded color-changing cups, Bush creates experiences that families carry home and share with others.Episode LinksKelsey Bush Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kelseyrae_3/Bloomsday: https://bloomsdayphilly.com/Bloomsday Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bloomsdayphilly/Loretta’s: https://www.lorettasphilly.com/teamLoretta Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lorettasphilly Where to find Cali BBQ MediaVisit our WebsiteFollow Restaurant Technology SubstackFollow us on InstagramFollow us on LinkedInLearn About our Media Services

What does it take to turn neighborhood food walks into a business across 23 cities? Kenny Dunn, founder and CEO of Eating Europe, joins Shawn Walchef to share how introducing friends to his favorite people and food in Rome became a business. As the company expanded, full-time salaries in cities with fewer bookings squeezed margins, forcing Dunn to pause growth and rethink the model. He shares how his team finds local characters and restaurants, why those relationships are difficult to replace and what makes a food tour memorable: helping travelers experience a city as if a local friend were showing them around.Grow where your business is strongest - Dunn says he would have built more of the business in Rome before spreading his attention across new cities that took longer to generate enough revenue.Give guests a story worth remembering - From a vendor selling 40 varieties of tomatoes to a historic Roman wine cellar, Eating Europe builds tours around people and places that make each city distinct.Plan for changes in your team - Local managers hold important relationships with guides and restaurant partners. Processes and backup plans help protect the business when those managers leave.Episode LinksKenny Dunn LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kenny-dunn-38567944/Eating Europe Food Tours LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/eating-europe-tours/home/Eating Europe Food Tours: https://www.eatingeurope.com/Eating Europe Food Tours Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eatingeuropeEating Europe Food Tours TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@eatingeuropeEating Europe Food Tours YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/EatingEurope Where to find Cali BBQ MediaVisit our WebsiteFollow Restaurant Technology SubstackFollow us on InstagramFollow us on LinkedInLearn About our Media Services