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How Jon Manes Uses IT Strategy to Grow Restaurant Revenue | Go Beyond the Connection Episode 18
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What if your IT department wasn’t just a support desk—but a driver of revenue, reputation, and resilience?
In this episode of Go Beyond the Connection, Jon Manes, Vice President of Information Technology at Mambo Seafood Restaurants, shares how he transformed IT into a revenue partner by building support systems that treat frontline staff like internal customers. With over 20 years of experience in restaurant technology, Jon brings clarity and urgency to what restaurant IT really needs—empathy, speed, and strategic influence.
He walks through the infrastructure that keeps operations running even when fiber lines go down, explains why “wireless-first” is now a business imperative, and shows how real-time guest feedback can power a culture of accountability across the company.
What you’ll learn:
- How dual connectivity and power redundancy protect every dollar earned at the point of sale
- Why fast, empathetic IT support directly impacts customer experience
- How cross-departmental leadership buy-in makes IT a growth driver
- The role of AI and loyalty programs in restaurant innovation
- Why respecting internal teammates like guests builds long-term success
"We are not a support department. We are not a cost center. We are a direct connection to customer experience, revenue growth. We support every single department and enable them." – Jon Manes
If you’ve ever wondered how IT can lead—not just support—this episode is your blueprint.
Listen now:
🔗 Full Blog + Podbook: https://www.bigleaf.net/podcast-episodes/018-jon-manes/
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