Ovation

06/17/2026

Personalization isn't a nice-to-have anymore. It's how the best restaurants are building loyalty that compounds.

In our new playbook, we broke down four dimensions that separate them:

- Brand voice at every touchpoint
- Feedback that's actually specific
- Menu decisions backed by data
- Real-time visibility, wherever you are

Check it out on the blog:

There's a moment every restaurateur knows. A regular walks in and the server calls them by name, remembers their order, asks about their kid's soccer tournament. The guest lights up. They feel like they belong there. That moment is worth more than most restaurants ever stop to calculate. The problem...

06/04/2026

Boston, you were wicked good to us! 🦞

What an incredible two days at the 2026 Restaurant Marketing Workshop! Huge thanks to everyone who joined Ovation's Julio Arevalo and an amazing panel for How to Have a 5-Star Guest Feedback Program. 🎤⭐

We tackled one of the biggest challenges restaurant marketers face. What do you actually do with all that guest feedback?

Big shoutout to our incredible panelists:
🍽️ Marc Howland, Founder & CEO at Breadless
🍽️ Pedro Uchoa, Partner & CEO at TAP

Great guest feedback programs don't just collect reviews. They drive retention, revenue, and loyalty. 🙌

Thank you to the RMW team for putting together such a great event and to Toast for the incredible venue. Boston, it's been real. 👋

06/03/2026

What does it take to scale a restaurant brand without losing its soul?

In this episode of Give an Ovation, Derrick Hayes shares how honoring his father's legacy became the foundation for Big Dave's Cheesesteaks, why employee experience drives guest experience, and how culture can become your greatest competitive advantage.

🎙️ Listen now for practical insights on leadership, team development, guest experience, and scaling a restaurant brand while maintaining operational consistency.

05/28/2026

🚨 Heading to the 2026 Restaurant Marketing Workshop? 🚨

We'll be in Boston next week for two days of restaurant marketing insights, strategy, and guest experience conversations. 🙌

🎤 Don’t miss Ovation’s session:
How to Have a 5-Star Guest Feedback Program
📅 Tuesday, June 2, 2026
⏰ 4:30 p.m.

Julio Arevalo will lead a discussion on how restaurant brands can turn guest feedback into retention, revenue, and stronger guest relationships. From AI-powered responses to building a feedback program that actually drives loyalty, this session is packed with actionable takeaways restaurant marketers can put to work right away. ⭐

Joining him:
👤 Pedro Uchoa, Partner & CEO at TAP
👤 Marc Howland, Founder & CEO at Breadless

More session info here: https://bit.ly/3PPliDn

📍 And stop by our table to chat about all things guest experience, feedback, and retention.

See you in Boston! 👋

05/27/2026

Personalization at scale is here. ✨ Ovation's Spring 2026 Release just dropped, and it gives restaurants everything they need to make every guest feel known, every time.

• AI responses that sound like your brand
• Surveys tied to what guests actually ordered
• Menu performance connected to real guest sentiment
• Your key metrics, always in your pocket
• Guest recovery, measured in dollars

Check out our blog post to see everything that's new → https://bit.ly/4e0jr7W

05/21/2026

Chicago, that’s a wrap! 🎉

From MEG conversations to the Fast Casual Top 100 Movers & Shakers Gala and a packed week at NRA 2026, we loved connecting with so many operators passionate about the future of guest experiences.

We were honored to present the Ovation Award for Excellence in Guest Experience to Cheba Hut 🥪🏆 and excited to see 20+ Ovation customers recognized on this year’s Top 100 list. Huge congrats to all the brands continuing to raise the bar. 🙌

The gala also brought style. ✨ Congrats to Derrick Hayes of Dave’s Cheesesteaks and Brittany Mercer of Cowboy Chicken for taking home Best Dressed!

And of course, thanks to everyone who stopped by Booth #5534 to talk AI, guest feedback, ratings, retention, revenue growth... and food pillows! 🌮🍩🍔🍕

Huge thanks to , Cherryh Cansler, and the entire NRA community for an incredible week. See you next year, Chicago! 👋

05/17/2026

Tacos, donuts, burgers, and a pizza walked into a booth... 🌮 🍩 🍔 🍕

We’re live at NRA 2026! Come visit us at 📍Booth #5534 in the North Building and say hello. 👋

Today award-winning restaurateur Mike Bausch of Andolini's Pizzeria is joining us for a special presentation starting at 1:00 PM local time. You won't want to miss it! 🙌

05/13/2026

Good food fills seats. We fill them again. 🍕 Stop by the booth to see what we mean. 👀

The Ovation team is heading to the National Restaurant Association Show in Chicago later this week, and we'd love to see you there! 👋

Find us at 📍 Booth #5534 in the North Building and see how leading restaurant brands are using AI to turn guest feedback into stronger ratings, higher guest retention, and measurable revenue growth.

Come meet the team:
Mike Rabinoff | Julio Arevalo | Aaron Jocano | Collin Tees | Jake Levine | Amanda Spradlin | Zack Oates

See you at McCormick Place! 🙌