A quartet of C-Suite executives from the burgeoning fast-casual space will gather in Denver, Colorado, on Tuesday, October 14, to discuss how changes in fast casual are impacting all areas of the restaurant business. The roundtable, presented by Heartland Payment Systems, will focus on current trends and future opportunities in fast casual, an industry segment that has seen an 11 percent increase in sales with 8 percent restaurant growth over the past year.
The discussion, hosted by Heartland Payment Systems’ hospitality group president David Gilbert, will feature panelists from major players in the fast casual industry. Roundtable participants are Peter Cancro, CEO and founder of Jersey Mike’s Subs; Scott Crane, CEO of Smashburger; Randy Gier, CEO of Pizza Inn and Pie Five; and Amit Kleinberger, CEO of Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt.
The CEO roundtable session, Fast Casual Executive Summit’s 2014 grand finale, will focus on the challenges these top executives faced in distinguishing themselves in a crowded, familiar market, to push their brands to the front of the fast casual pack.
“We’re going to do more than find out what these business leaders did to make their brands stand out,” Heartland’s Gilbert says. “I want to pinpoint the trends and innovations that are pushing fast casual—and the restaurant industry as a whole—forward.”
Heartland Payment Systems, one of the nation’s largest payment processors and restaurant solutions providers, is the session’s sponsor.
The Fast Casual Summit is reserved for top-level restaurant executives, leaders, and innovators of the fast-casual foodservice industry, bringing together an experienced group with common interests. Sessions will cover topics such as customer experience, sustainability, beverage trends, mobile CRM, mobile payments, integrated marketing, digital menuboards, getting business on the side, and more.
Gilbert is Heartland’s point executive within hospitality, responsible for the growth and development of the company’s hospitality portfolio. He has held leadership positions with Cracker Barrel Old Country Store Inc., Shoney’s Inc., Applebee’s International Inc., and the National Restaurant Association. His background also includes operations, product development, and management experience in the quick-service, casual-dining, and family-dining segments.
The grand finale Fast Casual Executive Summit CEO roundtable session will take place Tuesday, October 14, 2014, from 12:30–2 p.m., at the Four Seasons Denver.
