For owners and operators in the bar, restaurant, and hospitality world, the idea of personalization used to live almost entirely on the floor: a bartender remembering your drink, a server greeting you by name, a host saving your favorite table. It’s the kind of experience immortalized by the beloved television show “Cheers”—where everybody knows your name—and it’s long been the gold standard for turning first-time guests into regulars.
Today, as guest data flows through POS (point of sale) systems, reservation platforms, and marketing tools, that same sense of recognition is no longer limited to memory and instinct. Savvy owners and operators are using technology and data to deliver that “regular” feeling at scale, without losing the human touch that made it powerful in the first place.
For Grant Kneble, owner of Freddy J's Bar & Kitchen in Mays Landing, N.J., taking advantage of tech and data for personalization is “huge.”
“People love being a regular,” said Kneble. “'Cheers’ is still referenced for a great reason. Besides being a fantastic show, the idea that the bartender knows your name, the server remembers you, or someone behind the bar already knows your order before you sit down goes a very long way… It makes people feel special, and that feeling is what keeps them coming back. Technology should be doing the same thing. If the in-person experience creates that kind of loyalty, the digital side needs to mirror it.”
Cliff Cate, vice president of go-to-market for restaurants at Yelp—a community-driven platform that connects people with local businesses—believes personalization has gone from a nice-to-have to a necessity. “Guests expect to be recognized now, and the restaurants that deliver on that expectation are the ones building real loyalty,” he said. “The challenge is doing it at scale: Making someone feel like a regular even when you're managing busy nights or multiple locations. Technology allows restaurants and bars to create these moments for more guests, making it practical for any operation to build loyalty and stand out.”
Amber Trendell, senior director of strategy, Oracle Restaurants, which offers a suite of restaurant technology solutions, agrees that tech-bent personalization has become essential in bars, restaurants, and hospitality and that it’s now the baseline, even though owners and operators will put it into practice in different ways, based on concept and scale.
“When a guest shares information that enables something tailored, that’s a value exchange, and they expect you to deliver,” explained Trendell. “That makes personalization ‘table stakes’ in everyday service and a key differentiator in high-end, experiential environments where hyper-personalization drives satisfaction, spend, and loyalty.”
Kristen Taber, founder and CEO of Tabletop Media Group— a Raleigh, N.C.-based marketing agency that specializes in food and beverage, hospitality, and entertainment—said personalization is important within the industry but it doesn’t have to be complicated.
“Little things go a long way,” shared Taber. “Something as simple as using a guest’s first name in an email or text message already makes it feel more personal. Where technology really helps is when it shows that you actually know your guests. If someone shows up to every bourbon pairing at your bar, always books your hotel the same time of year, or consistently comes back for the same experience at your restaurant, that information should guide how you market to them.”
Taber suggested that Instead of blasting everyone with the same email or text message, owners and operators should consider segmenting guests based on real behavior and talk to them in a way that feels relevant. “At the end of the day, personalization should make people feel seen, not sold to,” he noted.
Emily Nichols, senior director of product marketing at Toast, a point of sale and management system that helps restaurants and other businesses improve operations, increase sales and create a better guest experience, thinks personalization is critical because guests are investing in an experience, not just a menu item.
“With 71 percent of guests surveyed reporting they visit bars or restaurants to celebrate birthdays, they are often looking to create memories around milestones rather than simply complete a transaction,” said Nichols. “Historically, that ‘regular’ treatment was something you could expect to see from veteran staff who spent years learning about their clientele, but technology now equips any employee—even someone on their very first shift—to deliver a tailored experience. By surfacing insights like a guest’s requested favorite booth or a VIP tag at the right moment, tech empowers the entire team to translate data into hospitality. These are the small, high-impact gestures that can make a guest feel truly seen.”
Ryan Damelin, founder and CEO of DealHop.app, an online, hyper-local platform that connects bars, restaurants, and retailers with nearby consumers through time-sensitive deals, pointed out that personalization is becoming essential, but not in the way most people think.
“Guests don’t expect venues to know everything about them—they expect relevance,” said Damelin. “The most effective personalization helps guests discover the right experience at the right moment, whether that’s a happy hour nearby, a seasonal special, or a deal that fits their schedule. From what we see at DealHop, personalization directly impacts conversion: When an offer feels timely and locally relevant, guests act on it. In an industry built on margins and timing, that relevance can make the difference between an empty table and a full one.”
What Guest Data Sets Actually Drive Meaningful Personalization?
For bars, restaurants, and hospitality businesses that are wondering what guest data to use, the most useful data is usually the most obvious—according to Taber of Tabletop Media Group.
“How often someone visits, how recently they’ve been in, and what they tend to order are huge,” explained Taber. “Loyal guests should be acknowledged and rewarded, and guests who haven’t visited in a while shouldn’t be forgotten about. Ordering and event history is especially underused. If someone always orders the same item or only shows up for certain events, that should absolutely shape what you send them. Sending wine dinner promotions to someone who only attends bourbon events doesn’t feel personalized, it just feels noisy. What gets overvalued is collecting too much information without a plan to use it. Demographics matter far less than behavior. What guests actually do tells you much more than what’s sitting in a profile that never gets touched.”
Trendell, of Oracle Restaurants, said that her team believes many brands aren’t maximizing the trifecta of transaction data, payment data, and anonymous behavioral data.
“You can group anonymous buyers into cohorts based on their payment-card alias and still deliver a level of personalization,” shared Trendell. “As you interact and deliver more tailored experiences, they may raise a hand and opt in, even if they weren’t in your loyalty program, simply because you were relevant. That’s the power of bringing those three data sources together: It’s a starting point that lets you rapidly accelerate hyper-personalization. Conversely, relying only on loyalty signups or a single data source without integrating payments and transactions often undervalues your data’s potential and limits a 360 view.”
As an owner and operator, Kneble, of Freddy J's, believes sales data is the most meaningful info for personalization.
“Everything related to what people are buying, when they're buying it, and how often,” said Kneble. “That's where the real insights are. The problem is that people tend to follow vanity metrics like likes and views because engagement statistics are fun to look at. That's where it gets lost in the sauce. Operators overvalue that stuff.”
Nichols, of Toast, agrees about sales data. “Some of the most powerful insights are knowing when guests come in, how often, and why,” she said. “While knowing a guest’s favorite drink can be helpful, knowing who's a ‘regular’ or being able to reach out to guests who haven't visited in a while is truly actionable. Equipped with these types of insights, operators can recognize trends and use products such as Toast's AI Marketing Assistant or automated SMS and email campaigns to message enrolled guests and invite them back through the door, quickly offering tailored promotions like a BOGO [buy one, get one free] deal or happy hour invite that are personalized to those guests’ actual habits.”
Damelin, of DealHop, also noted that the most valuable data is often the simplest: time of day, location, visit patterns, and engagement behavior.
“Knowing when guests typically go out, how far they’re willing to travel, and what types of offers they respond to is far more powerful than collecting deep personal profiles,” said Damelin. “Many operators overvalue static demographic data and undervalue behavioral signals like repeat engagement, dwell time, or response to past promotions. At DealHop, we’ve found that lightweight, behavior-based data drives the most meaningful and respectful personalization.”
Turning Guest Data into Real-World, Personalized Action
Taber, of Tabletop Media Group, said most bars, restaurants, and hospitality businesses aren’t struggling with collecting data. For those that do have data, they’re struggling with actually doing something with it.
“Everyone’s busy, and personalization often ends up on the back burner,” said Taber. “A lot of point-of-sale and reservation systems already have these tools built in, but some businesses don’t know how to turn these on or take the time to learn about the tools.”
Taber pointed to birthday messages as an example. “If you already have that information, sending a quick note with a free app or drink is such an easy win, and in many cases it’s literally just flipping a switch. I’ve seen this done really well. One of my favorite examples was at Oak Steakhouse in Charlotte, N.C. We noted that it was my husband’s birthday when we made the reservation, and they asked a few extra questions, including what he liked. When we arrived, he received a handwritten card from the staff, a small gift tied to one of his hobbies—classic cars—and a complimentary dessert. It felt incredibly thoughtful—and, quite frankly, blew my mind—but it was all powered by data they collected ahead of time. The tools are there. It’s just about using them intentionally.”
DealHop’s Damelin agrees that the biggest struggle for some owners and operators is activation. “Many operators collect data but don’t have systems that translate it into real-world actions like adjusting a menu, launching a targeted special, or filling slow hours,” she said. “Data often lives in silos—POS systems, email tools, loyalty platforms—without a clear operational use.
Damelin said owners and operators should prioritize systems that reduce complexity rather than add to it, when thinking about tech, data, and personalization.
“Flashy features matter far less than whether a tool integrates cleanly into daily operations and actually drives measurable outcomes,” explained Damelin, whose company focuses on turning insights into immediate, actionable outputs, such as time-bound deals or automated recommendations, so data actually impacts revenue. “The best personalization tools quietly handle the backend—automating insights, surfacing opportunities, and simplifying execution. From our experience, technology should feel like an invisible assistant, not another dashboard that staff has to manage.”
Taber, of Tabletop Media Group, said she always recommends that owners and operators start with a point-of-sale system. “That’s where most of the valuable data already lives,” she said. “Platforms like Toast or Square offer a lot of personalization and loyalty tools, but many businesses don’t fully explore what they already have access to, which blows my mind—especially if they are paying for it. Reservation and booking systems matter, too. Adding a few smart questions during booking can give you insights that help personalize the experience later. It’s not about collecting everything. It’s about collecting what’s actually useful. Flashy features are fun, but usability matters way more. If it’s not easy for your team to use, it’s not going to stick.”
Kneble—of Freddy J’s—said owners, operators, and their staff should be very open to the idea of tech, data, and personalization. “We aren't trying to complicate or ruin anything,” he shared. “It's easy to get caught up in all the bells and whistles, but if the technology isn't being used or your team isn't educated on it, then it can't do anything for you. The best tech in the world is useless if your staff doesn't understand it or doesn't want to touch it.”
What’s the First Step to Using Guest Data More Effectively?
To start using guest data more effectively tomorrow, first define your business goals, per Trendell of Oracle Restaurants.
“Are you trying to drive top-line revenue, margin performance, or influential cohorts that bring others?” asked Trendell. “Then let guest data help you define which segments to focus on. Leverage built-in AI to understand what those segments redeem and what motivates the behavior you want. That should be your primary focus.”
Damelin, of DealHop, said the smartest first step for owners and operators is to identify one slow period and test a targeted, time-bound offer tied to it. “Instead of collecting more data, operators should focus on using what they already have to drive immediate results,” she said. “Launching a simple, well-timed promotion—then measuring response—builds momentum and clarity quickly. Tools like DealHop help operators take that step without needing new infrastructure or major workflow changes.”
Taber, of Tabletop Media Group, suggested that owners and operators look at their existing systems as a first step. “Most operators already have tools sitting right in front of them and don’t even realize it,” she said. “Start small. Turn on birthday messages, activate a loyalty feature, or create one simple re-engagement campaign. You don’t need a full overhaul to start making personalization work.”
Yelp’s Cate said the best first step is to centralize guest information in a single, easily accessible place. “Collect reservation notes, special requests, and guest feedback where your team can review them before each shift,” he said. “Using a platform like Yelp Guest Manager makes this process straightforward, helping staff quickly see important details and use them during service. Making it a habit to review guest profiles as part of the daily routine can immediately improve the level of personalization you provide, even with a busy team.”
Kneble, of Freddy J's, encouraged owners and operators to get a POS system that also acts as a customer relationship management (CRM) system. “That's the foundation,” he said. “We use Toast, and the ability to tie sales data to guest profiles in one place changes everything. You're not juggling five different platforms. Your data lives where your transactions happen, and you can actually do something with it.
‘Technology Should Never Replace Hospitality’
Looking at the big picture, people are getting bombarded with emails and text messages all day long—according to Taber of Tabletop Media Group—but personalization can help owners and operators cut through that noise, if it’s done thoughtfully.
“Technology should never replace hospitality,” stressed Taber. “Technology’s job is to support better in-person moments. The real magic still happens at the table, at the bar, or during a stay. When data helps those moments feel more intentional and more human, that’s when personalization really works. At the end of the day, it’s not about having more data, it’s about creating better in-person experiences.”
According to Cate from Yelp, owners and operators should expect personalization to play an increasingly vital role as a key competitive differentiator in the industry's future.
“In a market where guests have endless dining options, the restaurants that make people feel truly recognized will be the ones that build lasting loyalty,” said Cate. “The foundation doesn't require massive investment, just the right tools.”
Cate concluded that tech-driven personalization—for owners and operators—works best when it’s woven into the culture of the establishment’s team, not treated as an extra task: “Empowering everyone on the team to participate makes it easier to keep the bar for hospitality high, even as the business grows.”
Recent research seems to agree. Per a February 2026 report— “Persistence and Adaptation: The State of Independent Restaurants in 2026,” from the James Beard Foundation Institute and Deloitte—“Restaurants with moderate, intentional technology adoption report stronger business performance than low- or high-tech usage.”
Main Takeaways:
1. Personalization is now “table stakes,” not a differentiator
What used to be a hospitality bonus (remembering names, orders, preferences) is now an expected baseline. Guests assume you’ll recognize them—digitally and in-person—and operators who deliver consistently are the ones building loyalty and repeat visits.
2. Behavioral data matters more than demographics
The most valuable insights come from what guests do, not who they are:
- Visit frequency & recency
- Order history
- Event attendance
- Time-of-day patterns
Operators often overvalue demographics or “vanity metrics” (likes, views) and undervalue transactional and behavioral data, which actually drives revenue.
3. The real challenge isn’t collecting data—it’s using it
Most operators already have the data (POS, reservations, marketing tools), but:
- It sits in silos
- Teams don’t activate built-in features
- Execution gets deprioritized
Simple activations (birthday offers, segmented campaigns, targeted promos) are often easy wins that go unused.
4. Relevance beats over-personalization
Guests don’t expect you to know everything—they expect timely, relevant experiences:
- The right offer at the right time
- Promotions tied to actual behavior
- Messaging that reflects real preferences
Poor targeting (e.g., irrelevant promotions) feels like spam and reduces engagement.
5. Technology should enable—not replace—hospitality
The goal isn’t more tech—it’s better guest experiences at scale:
- Use tech to surface insights to staff in real time
- Empower any employee to deliver “regular-level” service
- Keep the human touch at the center
The most effective setups are simple, integrated systems (POS + CRM) that teams actually use.
Aaron Kiel is an award-winning journalist and PR professional with more than 20 years of experience in the beverage, tea, coffee, hospitality, and technology sectors. He contributes to Questex’s Bar & Restaurant News as a reporter/writer, and he was previously the editor of Questex’s World Tea News, as well as the Specialty Coffee Association’s member journal, The Chronicle, among other editorial roles. His work with Bar & Restaurant News has earned multiple accolades, including the 2025 Folio: Eddie & Ozzie Award for “Range of Work by a Single Author – B2B” and the 2024 award for “Best Single Article, Culture & Community – B2B.” He also received a Gold Northeast Region Award in the American Society of Business Publication Editors’ (ASBPE) Azbee Awards under the “Diversity, Equity & Inclusion” category for best single article. In addition, Kiel was named a recipient of the 2024/2025 ASBPE Diversity Fellowship Award, which supports and recognizes diversity in the field of B2B journalism. Connect with him on Instagram @adventurer_explorer or visit akprgroup.com.
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