RTN Town Hall Recap: 'Integration is the New Innovation' when Rolling out Digital Ordering Experiences

I seriously enjoy the RTN Town Hall format:  restaurant operators and tech suppliers take the mic for very open, candid conversations on hyper-relevant topics. We call it: Where Restaurants and Tech Meet. No Slides, Just Solutions.

This week’s RTN Town Hall delivered first-party ideas for third-party success. Digital ordering experiences should start with execution, simplicity, and integration — not just the latest tool. Here's what RTN members had to say: 

The Foundations of Digital Success

Data Simplicity is Non-Negotiable: Ensure your tech is set up properly from the start. Keep data simple and consistent (e.g., all "single cheeseburgers" are named the same across every POS and platform). 

Integrations are better than Innovations: Focus on making your existing tech stack compatible and integrated before adding another tool. Integration is what allows you to scale quickly. 

Phase Your Rollouts (Crawl, Walk, Run): Avoid overloading finite IT resources and operational teams. Implement one major system function at a time and resist the urge to deploy everything at once. 

Test Properly: Do not skip steps. If you are testing new tech (like dynamic pricing or Voice AI), use the exact POS and displays in your lab environment that you will use in the store. 

Winning with 3rd-Party Delivery (3PD)

Execution is Marketing: Your operational efficiency (e.g., food ready in under 7 minutes) is just as important as your reviews when it comes to your ranking. Seamless handoffs impact your visibility and position on delivery platforms. 

The Price Strategy: Reducing prices on 3PD apps can be a winning strategy in driving a consistent rise in sales. Once a customer orders four times, your brand gains higher visibility for repeat orders.

The Double-Edged Sword: Go into 3PD knowing they capture customer data and are expensive. Focus intensely on strategies to move 3PD customers over to your first-party customer list as much as possible. 

The Human & Operational Edge

Tech Doesn't Fix People: The biggest opportunity—and challenge—is with people. Technology only solves problems if your team uses it correctly.

Build Trust Where You Can't See: If you operate a digital-first or ghost kitchen model, you must work hard to build a human connection. Showcase your team and add visible signage to build trust and visibility in the community.

Customer Service Pays Off: Going the extra mile (like delivering a missing ketchup packet) builds trust and ensures the customer returns.

Preparing for the AI Tsunami

Data is the Foundation: Get your data right and your tools integrated now. While no one has perfectly figured out AI yet, getting your foundations ready will allow you to scale quickly when the inevitable rapid changes occur.

Focus on the Core Problem: AI solutions are proliferating, but the market has yet to discover the single "right way" to implement them. Executives must look ahead and build the right data infrastructure to capitalize on the coming shift. 

Contributors: 

• Peter Wiley, Director of Marketing & IT, Hot Head Burritos
• Steve Lieber, VP of Business Development, BurgerFi
• Janet Monroe, CEO, ClusterTruck
• Paul Schwantes, Digital Services Manager, The Howard Company
• Diane Le, Head of Marketing & Loyalty Strategy, PAR Technology