Getting Back to Hospitality? It Starts with Training

The restaurant industry seems to be having a bit of a “back to basics” moment, and we’re here for it.

Joe Guszkowski’s latest Tech Check column captured something we felt loud and clear at this year’s FSTEC conference. After years of tech-driven survival mode, restaurants are ready to put the human element front and center again.

The vibe? Hospitality is back on the menu. But getting there isn’t as simple as swapping tablets for smiles.

As Guszkowski points out, meaningful hospitality doesn’t happen just because a person shows up to work. And it doesn’t scale just because you script a thank you. It takes intention. It takes coaching. And yes, it takes training.

Real Hospitality Starts with Real Preparation

Whether it’s improv classes or customer service scripts, the one thing every operator seems to agree on is that today’s workforce needs a new kind of support. Gen Z and soon Gen Alpha didn’t grow up in the same customer-first training culture many of us remember. But that doesn’t mean they’re any less capable. It just means we have to meet them where they are.

At Shifty, we’ve always believed that training is a love language. It’s how you show your team they matter, and how you teach them to show that same care to guests. Structured training builds confidence. Confidence builds connection. And connection is what guests actually remember.

The Staffing Struggle Isn’t Going Away

Guszkowski rightly reminds us that turnover, staffing shortages, and labor costs are still major challenges. In fact, 63 percent of operators say retention is one of their top problems. But we believe that is exactly why training needs to be prioritized, not put off.

You don’t solve high turnover by accepting chaos. You solve it by creating clarity, consistency, and culture, right from the start. That means giving your team the tools, the knowledge, and the coaching they need to succeed on day one and stay longer than week two.

Technology Doesn’t Kill Hospitality. It Can Enable It.

This isn’t a battle between tech and touch. It’s about finding harmony. The best operators aren’t choosing sides, they’re blending both. Starbucks may be scripting “eye contact” moments, but they are also using new tools to help baristas spend more time with customers and less time tapping screens.

That’s the opportunity in front of us: to use tech to enable better training, smoother communication, and more empowered teams. Not to replace the human element, but to nurture it.

Back to Hospitality? We Never Left.

So yes, let’s bring the heart back to hospitality. Let’s teach our teams how to smile, connect, and care. But let’s not pretend that happens on its own.

It starts with training. It starts with leadership. It starts with a shift in mindset, from compliance and checklists to coaching and care.

At Shifty, we are proud to be building tools that make that possible, every single shift.

Want to learn how Shifty helps full-service restaurants bring the human element back to the floor?

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