Tech and Tradition: Balancing Innovation with the Human Touch in Restaurants

Tech on Toast, The Hospitality Tech Podcast

👤 Guest: Mark Bloom, General Manager, Wolseley Hospitality Group🎧 Host: Chris Fletcher🔗 Powered by: Lightspeed – the unified EPOS and payments platform for scaling smarter and faster.⸻👋 What’s the Episode About?In this unfiltered and refreshingly honest episode, Chris is joined by Mark Bloom, GM at the iconic Wolseley Hospitality Group. From his days running student club nights and DJing garage to leading operations in one of the UK’s most respected hospitality groups, Mark shares his incredible journey — and why culture, communication, and considered tech adoption still rule the game.⸻💬 Topics Covered • From Oxford Brookes to Big Brother 2: how Mark fell into hospitality • Lessons from launching a student nightlife empire and why he walked away from it • Humble pie moments: starting over as a waiter at 27 and why he never looked back • Building guest loyalty through values, not gimmicks • Why the best tech is the invisible kind — and how analytics is quietly changing the game • A candid take on tech sales, adoption challenges, and what operators really want • Leadership lessons: how to bring your team along the journey and build future GMs • SevenRooms, stock takes, and the tech tools that actually work on the ground • Culture over flash: scaling businesses without losing the heart • Why mistakes handled well can turn guests into lifelong fans⸻💡 Mark Says:“A nightclub is like hosting a house party. A restaurant? That’s a dinner party in your own home. The expectation is different — and the pressure’s higher.”“Tech only works if your team believes in it. If it’s clunky, confusing, or unproven, you’ll never get them on board.”⸻📣 Why Listen?This is a must-listen for any operator, tech supplier or hospitality leader who wants the real story — not just the slide deck version. Mark’s perspective is sharp, grounded, and brutally honest, making this one of the most insightful conversations we’ve had this season.Whether you’re scaling a group, thinking about tech adoption, or just need a reminder that heart still matters in hospitality, this episode’s for you.⸻🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your audio fix.🧠 Powered by Lightspeed – helping 165,000+ businesses scale with real-time insights and slick integrations. Book your free demo: lightspeed.co.uk/techontoast#TechOnToast #MarkBloom #WolseleyGroup #HospitalityLeadership #RestaurantTech #CultureFirst #HospitalityCareers #GuestExperience #SevenRooms #Lightspeed