Tommy Giraux began his career on the shop floor in France before moving to London in 2007. After managing sites for Costa and Itsu, he joined Honest Burgers in its early years. Over more than a decade, he went from General Manager to Operations and now to leading systems across their 39 restaurants. Alongside that, he advises other hospitality brands on how to build technology stacks that genuinely support growth.
This journey has shaped his perspective: technology in hospitality is never just about the system itself. It is about how it serves the people who use it and the guests who feel its impact.
The hidden costs of poor decisions
When restaurants adopt the wrong technology, the costs often go unnoticed until later. Lost time becomes an issue if staff juggles multiple apps or managers track performance across several tabs. We solved this with Tenzo, which consolidates all third-party system data in one place. Poorly matched systems also create operational friction through manual spreadsheets, duplicate entries, and wasted communications, which we eliminated by creating a single source of truth.
Technology in hospitality is never just about the system itself. It is about how it serves the people who use it and the guests who feel its impact.
Other hidden costs include staff turnover, guest disappointment, and change fatigue. Frustration with clunky processes drives retention challenges, while inventory mismatches lead to unavailable dishes and embarrassed staff. Each failed rollout reduces trust, making teams harder to convince when the right solution finally arrives.
These risks are often overlooked because technology is sold on features rather than on how it fits into the day-to-day reality of a restaurant. By the time the gaps are obvious, businesses have already invested heavily in licenses, training, and implementation.
Balancing innovation with long-term value
The pace of innovation in hospitality tech is exciting, but not every solution fits every business. At Honest Burgers, we evaluate potential tools with a few key questions: does it solve a real problem, like our AI Assistant with All Gravy that answers over half of staff queries 24/7?
We also consider whether it integrates seamlessly with existing systems and if it can scale without adding extra administrative work.
A new platform might look impressive in a demo, but the real test is whether it delivers measurable value over years, not weeks. Often, this means resisting the temptation to jump at every new trend and instead focusing on systems that will stand the test of time.
What makes a strong partner
Technology decisions are as much about the partner as the product. Your needs evolve, and the system must too. When assessing vendors, I prioritize clarity and transparency, pricing, roadmaps, and capabilities should be shared openly.
Integration is key, responsiveness essential and cultural fit non-negotiable. The best partners connect seamlessly with your tech stack, adapt quickly to feedback, and create tools that make daily work easier, not harder.
Bringing teams on the journey
Even the best system will fail if people do not adopt it. Successful implementation is less about technology and more about change management.
At Honest Burgers, we involve teams early so feedback shapes every rollout. GMs and AMs participate in selection and demos, making them central to each pilot.
Training is practical and concise, tailored to different learning styles, with easy access to refreshers. We emphasize that the goal is to simplify work and improve service, not add extra layers of control. When staffs feel heard and supported, adoption is faster and more positive.
Rethinking technology as infrastructure
Many see tech as a cost. Treat it like core infrastructure: just as critical as the kitchen or the building itself. It protects margins, improves staff retention, and enhances guest experience. But this only happens when choices are made carefully.
Pause before you buy. Define the problem. Test how it connects to POS, payroll, and inventory with real data. Think about the impact on people, processes, and guests, now and a year from now.
Bad tech costs more than the license. The right system, chosen and rolled out well, gives you a base to grow for years.
