Free restaurant industry tech seminar Monday in Philly

Whether you’re thinking about merging onto the technology fast lane or just want to up your game a bit, there’s a free restaurant tech seminar happening in Philadelphia on Monday.

Does your restaurant offer free wifi? Maybe you’re thinking about transitioning to a new, tablet-run hostess check-in system.

Whether you’re thinking about moving toward the technology fast lane or just have room for improvement, there’s a free informational tech seminar happening in Philadelphia this Monday, Oct. 26, at The Loews Hotel.

It’s called Setting the Table for Success, and it’s aimed at business owners, managers, and aspiring entrepreneurs.

The panel includes Jeff Benjamin, COO of Vetri Family of Restaurants; Bill Tubb, president of Sysco Food Services Philadelphia; and Robert Irvine — you know… the British guy from Food Network’s Restaurant: Impossible.

Having just landed in Philadelphia, keynote speaker Robert Irvine, representing the event’s sponsor Comcast Business, took a few minutes to give me the spiel.

Irvine’s been working with Comcast for the past three years, he said, and one of the things they’ve been trying to do is educate people on how to better run their businesses through technology.

For those in the business, a lot of new things can now be done electronically in both the back of the house, and the front of the house: supply chains, food delivery, payroll, apps for payment, seating, interactive wine menus, or video technology in your hotel rooms. And don’t forget about perpetual inventory.

“Now a days its all barcodes and computers,” Irvine said. “We dine out 5.8 times a week in the United States of America. Problem is if you can’t get a wifi signal you won’t go back to that place. Business travelers won’t stay in hotels if they don’t have connectivity.”

The transition into tech for the restaurant industry means staying relevant, profitable, and up to speed on emerging security issues, like paying table-side to keep the security of your credit card  information with you.

It’s a free all-day seminar, from 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., with complementary lunch included.