Explosion of Ghost Kitchens and Virtual Brands

Jonathan Maze, Restaurant Business Editor-in-Chief, is a longtime industry journalist who writes about restaurant finance, mergers and acquisitions and the economy, with a particular focus on quick-service restaurants. He writes daily about the factors influencing the operating environment, including labor and food costs and various industry trends such as technology and delivery. Jonathan has been widely quoted in media publications such as the New York Times and the Washington Post and has appeared on CNBC, Yahoo Finance and NPR. He writes a weekly finance-focused newsletter for Restaurant Business, The Bottom Line, and is the host of the weekly podcast “A Deeper Dive.”

Joy Lai oversees Sales, Marketing, Product, and Operations at Kitchen United. She brings two decades of experience driving growth for Enterprises and SMBs, including launching/scaling products, partnerships, and optimizing omni-channel strategies. Before Kitchen United, Joy has run several digital/eCommerce businesses in various verticals, including Travel & Leisure, Dental, and Florist. She also previously held strategic leadership roles at Internet Brands, The Wonderful Company, and Bain & Company. Joy received a Bachelor’s in Business Administration and Computer Science from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Master’s degree from Stanford University.

Scott Barton is Divisional President at Lettuce Entertain You and oversees concepts from fine dining to fast-casual, delivery and carryout only concepts to private event spaces including Eiffel Tower Restaurant, Osteria Via Stato, Pizzeria Via Stato, Tallboy Taco, M Burger, Ozzie’s Pops & Pretzels and Big City Chicken. Scott joined Lettuce in 1992 as a restaurant manager for Avanzare. Today he works directly with chefs, managers, and partners to develop and grow a variety of Lettuce concepts. Working closely with his management teams, he strives to define and achieve new goals to improve the restaurants and guest experience. His attention to what makes a restaurant successful— genuine hospitality and a focus on details—remains at the core of his operations and training.

John Miller is Chief Executive Officer for Denny's Corporation and is responsible for leading the strategic direction of the company. He joined Denny's in February 2011 and is an accomplished restaurant industry veteran, bringing more than 30 years of restaurant operations and management experience to the national diner chain. Prior to joining Denny's, Miller served as CEO of Taco Bueno Restaurants, Inc. He also spent 17 years with Brinker International where he held numerous management positions, including President of Romano's Macaroni Grill and President of Brinker's Mexican Concepts, responsible for On the Border and Cozymel's. Earlier in his career, Miller held various operations and restaurant management positions at Unigate Restaurant/Casa Bonita in Dallas, Texas. He is a member of Denny's Board of Directors.