Fast Casual Executive Summit
Top restaurant leaders share insight on fueling growth through online engagement and smart promotions at the upcoming Fast Casual Executive Summit.
Image: Willie Lawless, Networld Media Group
July 29, 2025 by Judy Mottl — Editor, RetailCustomerExperience.com & DigitalSignageToday.com
Every fast casual restaurant wants its online experience to be as strong as its in-store experience. It wants to drive sales with data-driven promotions all while enhancing customer loyalty through personal experience.
Neither of those strategies are easy, but all of them are doable — especially when provided expert brand leader insight on what works and what doesn’t.
That’s exactly what will be shared during the panel session, “Digital Bite: Fueling Growth Through Online Engagement & Smart Promotions,” at the upcoming Fast Casual Executive Summit taking place in Austin, Texas, from Oct. 5-7. Register here for the session.
Panel participants include:
- Mike Burns, CEO, &pizza.
- Joey Cioffi, CEO, Salad House.
- Kayla Dillon, fractional CMO, Erik’s DeliCafe.
- Clay Dover CEO/President/Taco Maker, Velvet Taco.
The Fast Casual Executive Summit is owned by Networld Media Group, publishers of Fastcasual.com, QSRweb and Pizza Marketplace. The company’s next event is the Restaurant Franchising & Innovation Summit which will take place March 16-18, 2026 in San Diego, California.
Real world insight
One key to building a strong online presence, according to Dover, is to craft your own brand voice. At Velvet Taco that voice is rebellious, witty, edgy and unapologetic.
“Just like our tacos. Mirror your brand with your online personality,” Dove said in an email interview.
Another key strategy is to leverage user generated content.
“There are so many guests out there that are smarter, funnier and loyal to your brand. Search them out, use them to help your content, build your brand. I guarantee they make your job easier,” he added.
The content focus should be on highlighting people and culture.
“Yes the food porn is obvious, and for Velvet Taco we have it — but take the opportunity to highlight your team, share their stories, create heroes, create connections, make it more than just the food,” said Dover.
What not to do
The things not do, when building a strong online presence, are just as important as what to do.
One, said Dover, is not to act like a corporate chain online. True fans see right through generic ads, stock phones and AI content.
“You have to stay genuine and true to the brand,” he said, adding another ‘don’t’ is ignoring fans even if you don’t have an answer for them.
Fellow panelist Dillon said fast casual brands need to understand how the online presence is not separate from the in-store experience. The two experiences are the brand, she said in an email interview.
“Your digital presence should reflect the in store experience. Treat it like your most valuable piece of real estate. Window shopping is now the norm on Instagram, TikTok, Google, Reddit, and beyond. Make sure your information is consistent, accurate, and aligned with your brand voice,” Dillon said.
She also recommends brands ensure they are not treating customer interaction channels as a dumping ground for promotions.
“No one logs on hoping to be sold to. Show up as a brand worth engaging with, not just buying from,” said Dillon, adding that it’s not necessary to chase every trend to stay relevant.
“If it doesn’t reinforce your brand, it’s just noise. Focus on content that educates, entertains, or emotionally connects. It’s not about being everywhere — it’s about being intentional. Guests don’t owe you their attention. Earn it,” she said.
The key to data-driven promotions
When it comes to promotions Dillon advises brands to avoid trying to market to everyone — the “spray and pray,” approach and “market to someone.”
“Data-driven promotions work because they feel personal. They show the guest you know them, and you’re here to serve, not just sell,” she said.
When promotions are based on real behavior, such as visit frequency, ordering patterns and past preferences, they feel like a service.
“That’s what drives loyalty,” said Dillon.
The best approach to gather meaningful data, she added, is through a loyalty program that rewards behavior beyond just the transaction.
“Ask why guests behave the way they do, not just what they buy. Use tools like SMS, receipt surveys, and real time feedback loops. And act on what you learn,” she said. “At the end of the day, trust and value are the customer’s price for entry. Make it worth their time, and they’ll give you the insights you need to meet them where they are and bring them back again and again.”
Get personal
Dover described data-driven promotions as “critical” to restaurant success, as they enable brands to move from the one-size-fits-all discounts to hyper-targeted personalized offers that speak directly to guest behavior.
“The more I understand a specific guest, the smarter I can be about reaching them and motivating their behavior to come to my restaurant,” he said.
At Velvet Taco the approach is called “tailored incentives” which is based on knowing the guest and what motivates them. Velvet Taco has a database of over 900,000 members and targets guest on a level that includes everything from dayparts to check average.
“It’s super detailed information on an individual level but it took a few years to get that built up and in place,” said Dover.
