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.
29 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.
Read
2 June 2026 · Simon Hatfield · Founder Insights
Order a meal out in the UK and 20% of the bill is VAT. In France, Spain and Italy it's 10%. There's a campaign to fix that, and we're backing it.
Read
15 April 2026 · Simon Hatfield · Marketing
You can't cost-cut your way to a good year in hospitality. The growth, when it comes, mostly comes from the same people coming back more often — if you can see who they are.
Read
4 March 2026 · Simon Hatfield · Reservations
The tempting fix for no-shows — a deposit on every table — mostly just costs you bookings. Here's what actually moves the number, and where deposits genuinely earn their place.
Read
1 February 2026 · Simon Hatfield · Guest Data
The most expensive thing in an independent venue isn't rent or stock. It's that your booking system, your till, your WiFi and your marketing each think your best regular is a different stranger.
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.
Read2 June 2026 · Simon Hatfield · Founder Insights
Order a meal out in the UK and 20% of the bill is VAT. In France, Spain and Italy it's 10%. There's a campaign to fix that, and we're backing it.
Read15 April 2026 · Simon Hatfield · Marketing
You can't cost-cut your way to a good year in hospitality. The growth, when it comes, mostly comes from the same people coming back more often — if you can see who they are.
Read4 March 2026 · Simon Hatfield · Reservations
The tempting fix for no-shows — a deposit on every table — mostly just costs you bookings. Here's what actually moves the number, and where deposits genuinely earn their place.
Read1 February 2026 · Simon Hatfield · Guest Data
The most expensive thing in an independent venue isn't rent or stock. It's that your booking system, your till, your WiFi and your marketing each think your best regular is a different stranger.
Read