Latest news with #UnionSquareHospitalityGroup
Fast Company
19-05-2025
- Business
- Fast Company
Yes, chef! Behind the scenes of restaurateur Danny Meyer's checkless payment technology
Hello and welcome to Modern CEO! I'm Stephanie Mehta, CEO and chief content officer of Mansueto Ventures. Each week this newsletter explores inclusive approaches to leadership drawn from conversations with executives and entrepreneurs, and from the pages of Inc. and Fast Company. If you received this newsletter from a friend, you can sign up to get it yourself every Monday morning. For years, famed restaurateur Danny Meyer has wanted to reinvent the way diners pay their bills. He's dreamed of a world in which patrons can pay for their meals and simply walk out of an eatery without asking and waiting for the check. Meyer's vision for frictionless payments found its way to Frank Bisignano, who served as CEO of Fiserv, the financial services technology provider, until becoming commissioner of the Social Security Administration earlier this year. By 2020, the two executives hatched an idea for a checkless solution that would enable diners to settle their restaurant tabs without taking out a credit card or phone. It then fell to Krystle Mobayeni, a senior vice president and head of restaurants at Fiserv, and Kelly Macpherson, chief technology officer of Meyer's Union Square Hospitality Group (USHG), to build the software and systems that would bring their bosses' idea to life. The result is a system called Checkless Payments, which the companies announced last week at the National Restaurant Association Show. It isn't unusual for the top executive at a company to be the driver of innovation, especially at entrepreneurial or founder-led organizations. Nearly half the respondents to a 2024 Fast Company survey of its Most Innovative Companies honorees said their CEO was in charge of innovation, and 60% said their top innovation executive reported directly to the CEO. INNOVATOR IN CHIEF Since founding Manhattan's Union Square Café in 1985, Meyer has been a force in the hospitality industry. He was an early adopter of online reservations and has served on OpenTable's advisory board. USHG, where Meyer is executive chairman, has expanded beyond restaurants to include Hospitality Quotient, a consulting and professional development arm. In 2017, he launched Enlightened Hospitality Investments, a private equity fund that backs businesses that share his values around taking care of employees and customers. 'I've made a career out of driving some people crazy, but in a nice way,' Meyer says. 'If [an innovation] was easy, it would've been done already.' With Checkless Payments, Meyer challenged the USHG and Fiserv teams to develop a solution that was elegant enough for fine-dining establishments. He didn't want patrons to have to take out their phones to scan a QR code to pay; nor was it practical to set up sensors or other hardware that are part of checkout-free experiences at Amazon Go stores and other retailers. And he didn't want a 'walled garden' that would require customers to use only one kind of credit card or mobile operating system. He also wanted a system that could eventually be extended to other aspects of hospitality, enabling dinners to, say, alert the coat check room or valet that they are getting ready to leave the restaurant, letting them retrieve their belongings or car without waiting. Checkless transactions can benefit not just diners but restaurants, too. Meyer notes that the cumulative time servers and diners spend could instead be used to 'turn' tables—restaurant-speak for setting, seating, serving, and clearing a table. And Fiserv's Mobayeni says restaurants can use the checkless enrollment process for deeper customer engagement. 'They can let guests know there's a featured menu item or they have a special wine,' she says. She envisions a day when diners might use the platform to place their first drink order in advance, which also helps the restaurant operate more efficiently. IT'S NOT 'DINE AND DASH' USHG's Macpherson admits that diners may need some coaching on the new system, which was piloted at Manhatta, the group's fine-dining restaurant in New York's financial district. 'Even when I was using it there was this stigma of 'dining and dashing,'' she says. Servers, too, will have to adopt a new etiquette. Says Meyer: 'If I'm a guest, here's what I'd want my server to say at some point: 'I know you're part of the [Checkless Payments] program, and I hope I'm going to have a chance to thank you and say goodbye, but you're welcome to leave any time you want.'' USHG will begin rolling out the program at additional restaurants this summer. Fiserv, which last year reported revenue of more than $20 billion, will then make Checkless Payments available to customers of its new Clover Hospitality point-of-sale system for upscale restaurants. I asked Macpherson what it is like to work for an executive chairman who is also an innovator with a reputation for high quality. 'It's inspirational and exciting,' she says. 'Danny is a beacon in the industry, pushing us and challenging us to think bigger. I like thinking big, too. How can we do what people might say is the impossible?'
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Clover introduces new POS system for upscale restaurants
Clover, a point-of-sale (POS) solution from Fiserv, has unveiled Clover Hospitality by BentoBox at the 2025 National Restaurant Association (NRA) Show in Chicago. The launch represents an advancement for Clover, which already serves more than 125,000 restaurants, as it seeks to broaden its impact within the hospitality sector. The new technology suite meets the needs of upscale dining establishments, combining hardware, software and payment solutions to improve service and profitability. Clover's foray into the restaurant industry has been characterised by a grasp of the challenges faced by restaurateurs, from daily operations to the ever-changing expectations of guests, states the company. Its technology has supported an array of restaurants, enhancing operational efficiency with user-friendly tools that integrate front-of-house and back-of-house functions. Clover Hospitality is set to further streamline these processes to expedite service and table turnover. The Clover Hospitality system incorporates omnicommerce capabilities from BentoBox, which Fiserv acquired in 2021. This integration enables restaurants to expand their online presence, diversify revenue streams and interact with customers through advanced websites, ordering systems, reservation tools and marketing resources. With this expansion, Clover aims to cater to an even wider spectrum of dining establishments, from local outlets to global brands. Clover has partnered with Union Square Hospitality Group (USHG) to introduce Checkless Payments, a method allowing diners to pay without the traditional bill presentation. It has been devised by Fiserv's former Chairman, CEO and president Frank Bisignano, and USHG's executive chairman and founder Danny Meyer. Currently being trialled at USHG's Manahatta restaurant, this feature is set to be rolled out to other locations utilising the Clover Hospitality system. Fiserv senior vice-president and head of restaurants Krystle Mobayeni said: 'Clover has always been a leader in the industry and understands the pain points that restaurants are facing and the opportunities that lie ahead. 'We believe that the right technology can propel restaurants forward, allowing them to take day-to-day challenges in stride. Whether it's reducing check wait times, optimising labour and table turns, or ensuring consistent connectivity, Clover Hospitality provides an all-in-one solution empowering both diners and restaurateurs to have a seamless, elevated experience.' "Clover introduces new POS system for upscale restaurants" was originally created and published by Verdict Food Service, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
Forbes
29-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Great Food In New York's Theater District: Danny Meyer's New The View
The cocktail lounge on the 48th floor of The View. Read McKendree It seemed like an improbable takeover: a long-term touristy restaurant in the middle of that most touristy part of New York, Times Square. So there were many questions last month when acclaimed restaurateur Danny Meyer reopened The View, the bi-level, revolving restaurant in the Theater District atop the Marriott Marquis. Restaurants showcasing the view, particularly when they're spinning, usually emphasize that view rather than the food. But Meyer, Founder and Executive Chairman of the Union Square Hospitality Group, responsible for critically lauded restaurants like the Union Square Café, Gramercy Tavern and The Modern, had a plan. And his reasons. The main dining room of The View. Read McKendree 'Since I first moved from the Midwest to New York City in the 1980s, the Theater District has felt like the heartbeat of the city to me. It also has always held a special place in my heart,' he explains. 'I spent my very first New York City night staying at the Algonquin Hotel, highlighted by dinner at Broadway Joe's on Restaurant Row and a performance of the musical, Side by Side by Sondheim. Years later, I took my future wife, who's an actress, on our first date for drinks at The Algonquin followed by the comedy, Noises Off. To this day, Audrey and I remain avid theatergoers—she usually selects the show, and I choose where we'll dine before or after the performance. It's been an incredible privilege to re-imagine The View and to lovingly create our own pre- and post-dining destination for theater lovers. Above all, I hope The View will provide New Yorkers and visitors alike with a fun and delicious opportunity to experience Times Square from a different perspective.' The Grand Marquis at The View. Eric Medsker Meyer had not, admittedly, experienced the restaurant's previous perspective, an all you can eat buffet popular with tourists but shunned by New Yorkers when it shuttered five years ago. But he knew the reputation and the first step to changing it was a more sophisticated design. Masterminded by the Rockwell Group, that means a cocktail lounge draped in blue velvet with a marble bar under a massive lighted globe on the 48th floor. The dining room on the floor below has deep red carpets, gold chairs, burl wood walls in a herringbone pattern and reflective metallic paint on the ceiling that intensifies the rotating 360 degree views. (45 minutes for a complete cycle in the upstairs cocktail lounge, an hour for a complete spin in the dining room.) Grating Parmigiano Reggiano over a Caesar Salad. Eric Medsker Within that setting, chef Marjorie Meek-Bradley, formerly the Corporate Executive Chef for STARR Restaurants, is turning out stellar, elevated versions of American classics. Upstairs in the lounge are raw bar stars such as oysters, shrimp cocktail, chilled lobster and tuna tartare on their own or together in The Grand Marquis, a seafood plateau that also contains scallop ceviche and blue crab salad. Cocktail party style nibbles such as wagyu pigs in a blanket and stuffed mushrooms are also available, designed to go along with an exuberant cocktail menu combining both classics and jazz riffs like the Katz's martini fusing Brisket washed Bombay Sapphire with the pastrami spices from that famous deli on the Lower East Side. One of the limited number of portions of Prime Rib available in the main dining room each night. Eric Medsker Downstairs, Meek-Bradley keeps it elemental but extremely high quality with starters such as Jumbo Lump Blue Crab Cake with Spicy Remoulade, Beef Tartare with Black Trumpet Mushrooms and Sunchoke Chips and a perfect crunchy, tangy Caesar Salad. Diners who get there early should get one of their limited number of Prime Ribs before they run out; other good choices are Bone-in Ribeyes, Seared Duck Breast with turnips and dates and Black Bass en Papillote with rich creamed spinach and even richer, cheesy potatoes au gratin. The irresistible chocolate cake at The View. Eric Medsker Desserts also go back to basics but in a really luscious way. Classic New York Cheesecake is a bit lighter and creamier than the famous brick-like one available at the outpost of Junior's across the street but with the essential cream cheese and slight vanilla flavor along with raspberry sauce and vanilla whipped cream; the Cherry Jubilee Sundae with stracciatella ice cream and brownie bits will bring anyone back to childhood ice cream confections. But the standout is the skyscraper Chocolate Cake composed of Devil's food cake and chocolate caramel ganache drizzled with caramel sauce. It's served on both floors and if the show's curtain comes down after 10 when the dining room closes, the cocktail lounge is open until 12.
New York Times
11-02-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
The View Rotates Above Manhattan Once Again
Opening Forty years ago when it opened, the Marriott Marquis boasted the city's only revolving restaurant and bar: It has kept the title. The restaurant on the 47th floor with a bar and lounge on the 48th are in motion again, reopening under the management of Danny Meyer's Union Square Hospitality Group. Extensive renovations by Rockwell Group evoke supper clubs and cigarette holders. But the food will taste less retro than it looks with a menu by Marjorie Meek-Bradley that shows up at street level everywhere, with a seafood tower, crab cake, tuna carpaccio, Caesar salad, burger, bone-in rib-eye and, among the cocktails, espresso martini. (Opens Wednesday) Marriott Marquis, 1535 Broadway (46th Street), The last time France met Scandinavia at the table might have been at 'Babette's Feast.' Now Emelie Kihlstrom and Elise Rosenberg, who opened Colonie in Brooklyn Heights in 2011, are displaying Ms. Kihlstrom's Swedish roots on the menu and applying a French veneer. (The restaurant bears her grandmother's name.) Their executive chef, Brennan Taulbee, tops onion soup with rye bread, Comté and leeks; bases gougères on rye flour; and introduces Swedish meatballs with frites to au poivre territory. The authentic vintage interior has 72 seats with another 72 in the garden shaded by the Brooklyn Bridge. It was previously Gran Eléctrica. (Friday) 5 Front Street (Old Fulton Street), Dumbo, Brooklyn, 718-852-2700, The chef Peter He established Chili in Manhattan with food amplified by the requisite numbing Sichuan spice. Now this native of Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan Province, is about to make eyes and mouths water in Williamsburg. Chongqing spicy chicken, red-style Chongqing braised fish, braised beef tendon, dan dan noodles, spicy cumin mushrooms, even mala braised bullfrog are featured along with vegan choices. Most of it nods to street food until you hit the mapo lobster with tofu and truffled beef. The restaurant, accented with good luck red, is on a lower level of the Coda hotel, with a catwalk to the dining room. (Wednesday) 160 North 12th Street (Bedford Avenue), Williamsburg, Brooklyn, 516-960-1936. Here's a wine restaurant with a name that doesn't tip its hand. The cactus wren is the state bird of Arizona and nods to Tucson, the hometown of Sam Clonts and Raymond Trinh, the owners of this sibling to their Sixty Three Clinton nearby. The diverse food menu is long on seafood: raw, marinated and in preparations like oyster po'boy Dutch babies and lobster pot pie. Landlocked pizzas feature toppings with chicken livers, mortadella and pineapple.(Wednesday) 98 Rivington Street (Ludlow Street), 929-923-6998, Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
