Blog
Practical writing for independent operators on hospitality CRM, bookings, loyalty, EPOS, guest retention and marketing — from the team building Grace OS inside a working restaurant.
10 July 2026 · Simon Hatfield · EPOS
Most tills know what was sold and nothing about who sat there. When the till and the booking system share one record, small things change all night, and they add up.
Read8 July 2026 · Simon Hatfield · Payments
Three payment options that suit three different kinds of venue. Here is the honest version of who each one is really for, and what to check before you switch.
Read6 July 2026 · Simon Hatfield · Loyalty
A standalone loyalty app can only reward what it can see, which is usually a check-in. Loyalty built into the till sees the whole bill, and that changes what it can do.
Read3 July 2026 · Simon Hatfield · Reservations
Three booking setups, three different bets about where your covers come from. Here is the honest version of who each one suits.
Read1 July 2026 · Simon Hatfield · Payments
Card fees are one of the larger costs in a venue and one of the least understood. Here is what you are actually paying for, how to read a rate, and how to get money in before the night even starts.
Read29 June 2026 · Simon Hatfield · Loyalty
Most loyalty schemes either do nothing or quietly train your best guests to wait for money off. Here is how to build one that actually brings people back, from someone who has run the floor.
Read26 June 2026 · Simon Hatfield · CRM
Plenty of products carry the word CRM. Far fewer do the five jobs a hospitality CRM is actually for. Here is the working checklist.
Read24 June 2026 · Simon Hatfield · EPOS
Three very different kinds of till get pitched to independents, and they suit very different venues. Here is the honest version of who each one is really for.
Read22 June 2026 · Simon Hatfield · Reservations
A pound or two per cover feels like nothing in the moment. Across a year it can be one of the biggest cheques you write, and you are often paying it on guests who would have come anyway.
Read
19 June 2026 · Simon Hatfield · CRM
"CRM" is one of the most misused words in hospitality software. Here is what a hospitality CRM actually is, why it matters to your margin, and how to choose one that does the job rather than just storing email addresses.
Read
17 June 2026 · Simon Hatfield · EPOS
The till is the most-used piece of kit in the building and the one operators consider least. Here is how to choose an EPOS in 2026 without signing up to three years of regret.
Read
15 June 2026 · Simon Hatfield · Reservations
Most operators pick a booking system the way they pick a broadband provider, then live with it for years. Here is how to actually choose one in 2026, from someone who has signed the wrong contract more than once.
Read10 July 2026 · Simon Hatfield · EPOS
Most tills know what was sold and nothing about who sat there. When the till and the booking system share one record, small things change all night, and they add up.
Read8 July 2026 · Simon Hatfield · Payments
Three payment options that suit three different kinds of venue. Here is the honest version of who each one is really for, and what to check before you switch.
Read6 July 2026 · Simon Hatfield · Loyalty
A standalone loyalty app can only reward what it can see, which is usually a check-in. Loyalty built into the till sees the whole bill, and that changes what it can do.
Read3 July 2026 · Simon Hatfield · Reservations
Three booking setups, three different bets about where your covers come from. Here is the honest version of who each one suits.
Read1 July 2026 · Simon Hatfield · Payments
Card fees are one of the larger costs in a venue and one of the least understood. Here is what you are actually paying for, how to read a rate, and how to get money in before the night even starts.
Read29 June 2026 · Simon Hatfield · Loyalty
Most loyalty schemes either do nothing or quietly train your best guests to wait for money off. Here is how to build one that actually brings people back, from someone who has run the floor.
Read26 June 2026 · Simon Hatfield · CRM
Plenty of products carry the word CRM. Far fewer do the five jobs a hospitality CRM is actually for. Here is the working checklist.
Read24 June 2026 · Simon Hatfield · EPOS
Three very different kinds of till get pitched to independents, and they suit very different venues. Here is the honest version of who each one is really for.
Read22 June 2026 · Simon Hatfield · Reservations
A pound or two per cover feels like nothing in the moment. Across a year it can be one of the biggest cheques you write, and you are often paying it on guests who would have come anyway.
Read19 June 2026 · Simon Hatfield · CRM
"CRM" is one of the most misused words in hospitality software. Here is what a hospitality CRM actually is, why it matters to your margin, and how to choose one that does the job rather than just storing email addresses.
Read17 June 2026 · Simon Hatfield · EPOS
The till is the most-used piece of kit in the building and the one operators consider least. Here is how to choose an EPOS in 2026 without signing up to three years of regret.
Read15 June 2026 · Simon Hatfield · Reservations
Most operators pick a booking system the way they pick a broadband provider, then live with it for years. Here is how to actually choose one in 2026, from someone who has signed the wrong contract more than once.
Read