The Restaurant Technology Guys Podcast brought to you by Custom Business Solutions

In this episode, Jeremy Julian sits down with Kiplen Welsh, President of Via 313, to explore the incredible journey of building a rapidly expanding restaurant brand rooted in Detroit-style pizza. They discuss strategic growth, innovative menu development, off-premise excellence, and the value of thoughtful partnerships in scaling a restaurant business sustainably.
00:00 - Welcome to the Restaurant Technology Guys podcast
00:41 - Introduction of Kip Welsh and Via 313’s origin story
01:54 - Background of Kip’s career in casual dining
03:01 - Overview of Detroit-style pizza and brand concept
04:25 - Detroit style pizza history and what sets it apart
05:54 - The trailer beginnings and early challenges
07:06 - Growth milestones and multiple locations in Texas and Utah
08:50 - Partnership with Savory Restaurant Fund and brand protection
09:22 - Rapid expansion and future pipeline through 2026
10:11 - Why Detroit-style pizza is gaining more recognition
11:47 - Unique flavor profile and competitive landscape
12:23 - How Detroit-style pizza creates a different culinary experience
14:23 - On-premise vs. off-premise strategy and travelability of product
15:44 - Packaging innovations for delivery and takeout success
16:17 - Digital ordering, third-party partnerships, and mini brick-and-mortar models
17:55 - The potential of food trucks for market testing and expansion
18:39 - Balancing growth with quality and responsible operations
19:50 - Creative menu development and guest-driven innovation
21:30 - Launching limited-time offers and new flavor experiments
23:38 - Future menu strategies, including salads and desserts
24:36 - Importance of staying inventive and not relying solely on staples
25:37 - Personal favorite menu items and flavor combinations
27:19 - The partnership with Savory Fund: how it fosters responsible growth
28:57 - How to maintain brand integrity while scaling
33:02 - Connecting with customers through loyalty programs and marketing
36:54 - Exciting new initiatives like the food truck launch and market expansion
38:16 - The value of sustainable, responsible growth over rapid, unchecked expansion
39:09 - Closing remarks and encouragement for restaurant owners to consider strategic partnerships

00:00 Introduction to Restaurant Technology and Ken's Background
03:39 Understanding Winbrands and Its Evolution
07:55 Commonalities Across Industries: Insights from IT
12:37 Navigating Change Management in IT
16:30 Addressing Shadow IT: Definitions and Challenges
19:42 Building Relationships to Manage Shadow IT
24:02 Collaborative Problem Solving Across Departments

00:00 Introduction to Scale Social AI
03:20 The Birth of Scale Social AI
05:50 Authenticity in Marketing
09:33 AI in Content Creation
12:28 Data-Driven Marketing Strategies
17:46 User Experience and Content Quality
19:50 Leveraging User-Generated Content
21:13 Targeting and Localized Marketing Strategies
25:28 Hyper-Personalization in Advertising
30:54 Quality Control Through User-Generated Content
33:28 The Future of Influencer Marketing

00:00:15 Introduction to the Episode
00:00:24 Guest Introduction: Hardy Singh
00:00:42 Linga's Unified Platform
00:02:32 Hardy's Role at Linga
00:05:28 Linga's Mission and Expansion
00:07:20 Linga's POS Platform
00:14:00 Retail Transformation
00:16:11 Technology and Innovation
00:27:18 Linga's Product Evolution
00:28:57 How to Learn More About Linga

00:00 Introduction to Restaurant Technology and Data Intelligence
02:57 The Challenges of Fragmented Restaurant Data
05:36 The Role of AI in Restaurant Management
08:31 Real-World Applications of Livelytics
11:17 Leading vs. Lagging Indicators in Restaurant Analytics
13:56 Integrating Multiple Data Sources for Insights
17:08 The Importance of Quick Implementation
19:56 Ad Hoc vs. Canned Reporting in Restaurant Analytics
22:48 Ensuring Data Accuracy and Trust in AI
25:44 Competitive Advantage through Data Intelligence
28:21 Conclusion and Call to Action