Jenny: All right, we’re rolling.

Alex: Do you want me to start? Well, welcome back to The Build. Today is Thursday, September 4th, 2025. New York is feeling very fall – end of summer – in a good way. Kids are back in school, schedules are starting, the U.S. Open is happening, Fashion Week is kicking off – things are popping. And that means restaurants are probably also popping right now.

Jenny: Mm-hmm.

Jenny: Yep. So today we’re going to take on some of that energy – and talk about how technology powers hospitality. We’re back here catching up with Rasheeda, and we also have a very special guest today – Ming Tai, who is Square’s Head of Product and a true technology expert.

Jenny: We were already geeking out about tech stacks and things. So welcome to you both.

Alex: Welcome.

Jenny: Yay.

Ming: Awesome, thank you.

Ra: So excited.

Jenny: Happy to have you here. We always like to catch up quickly with Rasheeda, hear what’s going on. So before we dive into the wonderful world of technology, give us the quick update on construction since we last talked a week ago.

Ra: Um…

Alex: And just a refresher – last time we talked, you’d switched contractors.

Ra: Yes.

Alex: The new contractors were starting work – you were back in the groove of construction. So where are you now?

Ra: Yeah, back in a groove with the new team – but really the old team, because they built Bowery Market.

Alex: The original team.

Ra: I’m back with the OGs.

Alex: Keep ‘em young – the OG team.

Ra: So now we’re in the second week with them, and it’s taking shape – the vision is becoming real. There’s no confusion, no back and forth. Vision is in reality, and it’s aligning.

Ra: Things are looking just like they’re supposed to, and it gives me a sense of comfort. Seeing the change in the team and the space is exciting, but also making me anxious because I’m ready to be back. Seeing the improvements from last week to this week – I’m starting to miss my shop.

Ra: I think it’s because I’m seeing the reality of it. It’s not a worry – it’s just, “Hurry up, I miss my kitchen. I miss my tools.”

Alex: That’s good – because you’re about to spend a lot of time in there.

Ra: Yeah, exactly. The other day I walked to drop something off, and a friend in the industry happened to walk by. They said, “This looks like your home.” And I was like, “Yes, it does.” I’m starting to miss it – it’s getting emotional.

Jenny: Yeah, it’s starting to get real. Speaking of the timeline – originally you were tracking for October 1.

Ra: Yes.

Jenny: With the change in contractors, we’re now tracking toward November 1?

Ra: Yes, I’m hoping for that. It still gives time in case something shifts – but the extra time is for me to be in there alone, to train, test, and feel out any kinks. Maybe even invite folks over.

Jenny: We’re coming.

Ra: For some ramen.

Alex: We’re here for it anytime.

Ra: I just want to be comfortable before going live.

Jenny: Cool. And no surprises this past week?

Ra: Not really – but hey, it’s Thursday, there’s still time.

Alex: There’s always time.

Ra: Exactly. There’s time for surprises, but also time to handle them.

Jenny: For context, Ming – Ra’s goal was to do five weeks of construction, which would make her one of our fastest build-outs ever. How many restaurants have you built, Ming?

Ming: Eight.

Jenny: Eight! What was your fastest build?

Ming: My slowest was eleven months.

Jenny: Eleven months!

Ra: Oh my God.

Jenny: Even that’s not bad.

Alex: That’s your slowest? Okay, not bad.

Ming: I like the idea of five weeks.

Alex: It’s fast.

Jenny: It’s efficient. So we’re really at six weeks now, but that’s still impressive. Good job.

Jenny: All right – let’s talk tech. Ra, you’ve got a lot of components: retail space, window service, and reservations. When you were thinking about your tech stack, what was most important to you?

Ra: Honestly, the most important was the POS. From my background in fashion and retail, I saw how valuable a strong POS system can be – it helps you organize and see the path forward.

Ra: In retail, I had sales goals and used POS data to track weekly and monthly progress. I took that same mindset into food – so I could forecast realistically, turn seats efficiently, and understand costs. That training carried over perfectly.

Jenny: Ming, with your experience opening eight restaurants, what would you advise her to look for when picking her tech stack?

Ming: First, think long-term. Opening day is great, but the goal is profitability and sustainability. Technology should solve real pain points – for you, your team, and your guests. It’s not magic; it’s a tool to help achieve your business goals.

Alex: And usability is key. You need tools that are easy to use. In the kitchen you have no time to waste. Plug it in, check your numbers, go. Simplicity is everything.

Jenny: What are some of the features or tools restaurateurs might not realize are available to them through Square or other platforms?

Ming: Managing labor and inventory are huge. Those are your prime costs – labor and COGS. Use tech to track them efficiently. It’s not about cutting labor – it’s about optimizing it. Get insights into what gives you the most output for your time and money.

Jenny: And Ra’s not just doing food – she has a retail component too. How have you seen operators merge different revenue streams successfully?

Ming: Today, you can’t survive on just your seats. You need online sales, delivery, maybe catering. The beauty of Square is that it integrates all those channels – in-person, online, takeout, shipping – in one system. The guest is the same person; you’re just meeting them in different ways.

Jenny: And Square has CRM and marketing tools too, right?

Ming: Absolutely. It captures guest info like email and phone numbers, tracks loyalty, and helps you understand who your best customers are. Then you can target them – encourage repeat visits or promote new menu items.

Jenny: Ra, hearing that, how are you thinking about using that data to connect with guests?

Ra: At Bowery Market I didn’t have that, and it was a missed opportunity. People wanted more interaction, but I couldn’t manage it in real time. This time, I can – with Square.

Ra: I learned to balance not doing too much but still creating connection. Now, I can track orders, preferences, even merch purchases. If I see you bought a shirt two weeks ago, I can say, “Why didn’t you wear it today?” It’s a personal touch I couldn’t do before.

Jenny: You can’t wear the merch to the restaurant!

Alex: You absolutely can.

Jenny: I don’t know about that.

Alex: Please wear the merch – show your pride!

Ra: It brightens my day when they do.

Jenny: True, I do get excited when people show up wearing Tilit.

Ra: And if you don’t, that’s fine too – I can still see you bought it. Thank you either way.

Jenny: Another new element for you this time is employees. How are you using technology to manage that?

Ra: Through Square, yes. I already knew about their system from my time at The Wing – it was so efficient. At Bowery Market I didn’t need it as a solo operator, but now I do.

Ra: It syncs scheduling, clock-ins, payroll – everything. With pre-orders and weekly forecasting, I can align labor with demand. It’s all about divide and conquer – having a clear week ahead.

Ming: Having that speed of information is huge. The restaurant world is unpredictable – the faster you can react, the better.

Ra: Exactly.

Ming: And Square’s flexibility is key. You’re already using it pre-opening for presales and scheduling. That’s a great running start.

Alex: Speaking of usability – what’s the learning curve like?

Ra: Honestly, POS systems can intimidate people. But Square isn’t like that. It’s clean, fast, and straightforward – perfect for a busy New York morning rush.

Ra: Customers are used to it too. They can tap, go, or share info if they want. And employees often already know the interface, so training’s easy.

Jenny: Give us a rundown of what products you’re using.

Ra: Resy for reservations and pre-orders, Square for everything else – POS, the window, retail, employee tracking. It connects all the pieces.

Jenny: And you’re using it for email marketing too?

Ra: Not yet – I use Squarespace right now, but I might move everything under Square eventually to keep it seamless.

Jenny: What else is on your tech list?

Ra: Inventory control, of course.

Ming: And you could use Square for invoices too – catering orders, large events, BOs.

Ra: Oh, wow, yes – I’ve been doing that manually.

Ming: The flexibility lets you grow at your own speed. And we have onboarding specialists who help get you set up and train your team.

Ra: That’s amazing.

Ming: We also have AI features built in already, and more coming soon.

Jenny: Tell us about that – AI in restaurants sounds wild.

Ming: Restaurants are complex systems with tons of repetitive work – paperwork, data entry, payroll, ordering. AI can handle that faster and smarter. Not to replace humans, but to make better decisions faster.

Ra: When I saw chefs using software that automatically costed out recipes, I thought, “That’s genius.”

Ming: Exactly – not everyone is a spreadsheet expert. Computers can handle that for you. And Square already does it.

Jenny: So some of this AI is already in Square now?

Ming: Yes. Native AI features are live, and we’re expanding them.

Jenny: What kind of questions can it answer?

Ming: Anything data-driven. You can type, “When this person’s on shift, what’s my average guest check?” and it will instantly tell you.

Jenny: That’s wild – so you can see who your top performers are.

Ming: Exactly.

Jenny: And it’s just natural language – like chatting.

Ming: Yes, no coding required.

Jenny: I talk to ChatGPT all day long.

Ra: That’s my cousin.

Jenny: Same. It just makes you more efficient.

Alex: I’m slower to adapt – I’m a little scared of it.

Ra: I gave in this summer.

Jenny: But it saves so much time – what used to take hours now takes seconds.

Ming: Exactly. Think of it as having a CFO you can’t afford. AI gives you that insight instantly.

Jenny: Wow. And could it also predict things – like what menu items sell best together?

Ming: Totally possible. Predictive modeling for inventory, pairings, trends – the potential is huge.

Alex: And it’s helpful for creatives too. Sometimes you love a dish that’s not profitable. AI can tell you, “Stop making that.”

Ra: Yep, data doesn’t lie.

Jenny: What technology should operators consider early if they plan to scale?

Ming: Depends on the concept. But for quick-service, kiosks are the future. Shake Shack now does over half its sales through kiosks.

Jenny: Meaning guests order themselves, no server?

Ming: Exactly – it’s efficient. For casual restaurants, that hybrid model works.

Alex: Would you ever do kiosks, Ra?

Ra: I’d want a balance of both. People still want connection, especially with a unique concept like mine. They want to meet the chef and hear the story – but I also want to serve people on the go.

Jenny: Well, you’re kind of already doing that with pre-orders.

Ra: Exactly. It removes the less personal order-taking step but still leaves space for meaningful connection.

Ming: That’s the best approach – let tech handle the transactional stuff so you can focus on hospitality.

Ra: Yes. Ramen is the perfect vehicle for that. In Japan, it’s fast and efficient. In New York, it’s personal and interactive. I’m bridging both worlds.

Alex: Funny enough, Tokyo ramen shops were the original analog kiosks – vending machines with tickets!

Jenny: I remember that – trying to figure those machines was confusing.

Alex: Especially when you don’t read Japanese.

Jenny: People helped us – thank goodness.

Alex: Honestly, kiosks are great for families too. Kids handle it fast; no waiting for a server.

Ra: Exactly. At Bowery, guests loved skipping the ordering process. They could just sit, talk, and enjoy the experience. It made the meal feel more intentional.

Jenny: Will we see AI in kiosks soon?

Ming: Absolutely. Imagine a kiosk smart enough to understand your allergies or preferences and adapt the menu. That’s where we’re headed.

Jenny: That would be amazing for people with restrictions.

Alex: And if it connects to inventory data – showing there are no nuts in-house, for example – it becomes even safer.

Ra: We already use notes in orders for that, but AI could make it seamless.

Jenny: What are you most excited about, Ming, for technology in the next few years?

Ming: AI, for sure. Especially voice AI – turning from something people hate into something actually useful. It’ll make operations smoother, especially for back-of-house training, recipes, and efficiency.

Ming: I’m excited about technology that helps operators make smarter financial decisions while staying creative. Square’s goal is to make restaurants more sustainable by using data and scale to their advantage.

Jenny: Amazing.

Ra: I love it.

Jenny: Ra, what about you – anything you’re nervous about with tech?

Ra: No. Honestly, if I didn’t have the internet, I wouldn’t be here. Tech helped me get started. I’m not the average ramen shop – I learned from others, took feedback, and built a system that works for both the operator and the guest.

Ra: The margins are small, so you can’t waste time or resources. Tech lets me be efficient – it’s like scheduling a doctor’s appointment. You respect everyone’s time.

Jenny: That’s true.

Ra: I’m excited for what’s next – as both an operator and consumer. I’m jumping all in.

Alex: Awesome.

Jenny: Don’t jump out the window, though.

Ra: If I do, someone pull me back!

Ming: I’ll add this – Square serves everyone from first-time shop owners to massive venues like SoFi Stadium. We’re giving enterprise-level tools to small businesses. Tech helps scale smartly – whether it’s guest experience or profitability.

Jenny: Perfect note to end on.

Ra: Yes.

Alex: Thank you both.

Jenny: Thank you, Ming. This was fascinating – I learned so much.

Ra: So great to meet you.

Ming: Me too – can’t wait to get my bowl.

Jenny: You’re coming back!

Ra: Yes, yes. So excited.

Jenny: Next time, we’ll talk more about people, payroll, and how technology looks in practice.

Ra: Perfect.

Jenny: Thanks, everyone.

Ming: Loved it.

Alex: Thanks, guys.