Why Catering to the Business Diner Will Grow Your Profit

BREAKOUT SESSION / WEDNESDAY / APRIL 11, 2018 / 11:00 AM

Realizing that connections made over a meal drive understanding and shared perspectives, corporations and small businesses spend more than $60 billion each year in restaurants and via catering.

But how can franchises get a piece of that action?

This session will reveal a variety of tips and tricks to help operators not only grow their off-premise catering business but also to help them appeal to corporate teams looking for a go-to place for their next business lunch or dinner.

PANELISTS

Ed Keller | Director of Off Premise Sales | Corner Bakery

Ed Keller has extensive experience in the restaurant industry and specializes in off premise sales. He has not only led the catering and off premise functions for Which Wich and Boston Market, but he has also led the training, learning and development, ops services departments, and he is well versed in negotiating 3rd party agreements. A lifelong restaurant operator, Keller has created management and employee training programs; a monthly QSC inspection program; as well as developed and implemented a food truck program. His Off-Premise experiences includes heading up an established program at Boston Market, which catapulted him into leading a brand-new program at Which Wich.

Michelle Matthews | VP, Direct Sales | Dickey’s Barbecue Pit

Since she started at Dickey’s Barbecue Pit in 2011, Michelle Matthews has led the company’s efforts in catering, sales and third-party channels. In her role as Vice President of Direct Sales, Matthews created Dickey’s catering hotline, which fields up to 2,500 calls and 6,000 online leads per month. The catering hotline has been responsible for increasing catering sales system-wide by 25 percent. Currently, her team accounts for up to $1.3 million per month because of the systems Matthews put into place. Most recently, Matthews has introduced a new business segment for Dickey’s through third-party channel services such as Grub Hub & Door Dash.

Chris Patheiger | Head of Business Development & Partner | Uncle Smoke Cookhouse

Chris Patheiger is an entrepreneur and host of Bell Fibe TV1’s ‘Hogtown BBQ’ food show in Canada. He and his partners founded Uncle Smoke Cookhouse in 2015. Built on the premise of “dining room extension” which uses a combination of traditional catering, events and take-out models in conjunction with third-party technology platforms and sales partnerships. Uncle Smoke’s first Toronto storefront has only nine seats but produces more than a ton of their signature smoked meats every month. Prior to turning his attention to food, Chris was a founding partner of the digital advertising firm Redux Media which was acquired by TC Transcontinental in 2012.

MODERATOR

Joe Macchio | VP Strategic Partnerships | Dinova

Joe Macchio has been working in the restaurant industry for 15 years. As Vice President of Strategic Partnerships at Dinova, Joe is responsible for cultivating relationships with restaurants, specifically National and Regional brands. Prior to Dinova, Joe founded NY Bagel, a regional Bagel Company based in the Dallas area which he built up and later sold. His acumen as an operator combined with his 8+ years helping restaurants grow their revenues through Dinova’s network allows him to relate personally with restaurant owners, operators, and suppliers.

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