FSR NextGen | Track 6

A deep dive into how chefs, culinary directors, and operators merge trend data, sensory research, seasonality, and storytelling to build craveable, repeatable menus. Where do you spot trends first—and how do you know they fit your brand identity? From long-term trends vs. fads to the phases of the R&D process and the eternal marketing-vs-operations balance, this session breaks down what modern menu innovation really takes.

The right tech shouldn’t replace hospitality, but amplify it. This panel breaks down how operators are using AI, automation, scheduling tools, and guest data to deliver faster, warmer, more personalized service. From pay-at-the-table and kitchen optimization tools to speed-and-accuracy measurement and smart staffing, we’ll explore the systems that actually move the needle. We’ll also tackle the loyalty dilemma—native POS vs third-party—and how emerging brands can vet partners without costly missteps.

Learn why guests are gravitating back to warm, chaotic, personality-driven environments like diners and other legacy brands, and how restaurants can lean into emotional memory without becoming gimmicky.

Today’s full-service dining rooms have to feel good, photograph well, and move guests seamlessly through an experience worth sharing outside your four walls. This session explores how lighting, music, pacing, and spatial flow work together to shape craveability, amplify brand personality, and turn every corner of your restaurant into a connection-driven, camera-ready moment that keeps guests coming back (and posting about it).

Instead of the traditional “server + busser + bartender” model, many restaurants are shifting to service teams built around strengths, pacing, and collaboration. This panel breaks down how role clarity, communication patterns, and table support roles can reduce burnout and improve hospitality quality across the dining room.

Back for its third year, this high-energy session brings together the industry’s most forward-thinking beverage minds for a fun, interactive dive into what’s next behind the bar. From Gen Z–driven NA innovation and premium trade-offs to large-format sharables, crafted coffees, protein cold foam, dirty sodas, pairings, and even emerging THC beverages, this panel unpacks the trends reshaping beverage programs nationwide. Expect real talk on state regulations, operational realities, legal considerations, and cost implications—plus practical ideas you can take home and pour into your menu tomorrow.