GoTab Behind the Tab: Meet Nathan Merriman, The General Manager Leading GoTab’s Expansion in Australia

When Nathan Merriman got the call that would change the trajectory of his career, he wasn’t behind a desk or in a boardroom. He was at home, feeding his young son from an armchair.

“I was mid-bottle when the message came through,” Merriman recalled with a laugh. “I remember thinking, I’ve got to take this meeting.”

That message came from GoTab CEO and founder Tim McLaughlin. Within days, Merriman met with him in Melbourne to learn more about the company’s growing presence in Australia. “We just clicked,” Merriman said. “It was meant to be a quick meeting, but we ended up walking to his next one just to keep the conversation going.”

Merriman later joined GoTab in March 2025, leading the company’s first major international expansion. What’s unfolded since then has been nothing short of remarkable. In less than a year, his small team has brought GoTab’s technology to some of the most well-known names in Australian hospitality, from independent craft brewers to large entertainment venues.

GoTab chose Australia because the market is primed for flexible and unified technology in complex venues. Operators face high wages, increasing operating costs, and a counter-service culture that calls for smarter tools to stay efficient without losing the personal touch. The company saw an opportunity to serve a market eager for innovation but grounded in human connection.

“It is not about adding another piece of tech,” Merriman said. “It is about helping operators run their business more efficiently so they can focus on what really matters - hospitality.”

Merriman’s success in leading that effort has been masterful in many ways. It is hard to believe he only stepped into the role at the start of the year. Yet when you look at his career, from London’s luxury hotel bars to Los Angeles’ high-end restaurants, every step seems to have prepared him for this moment.

A Lifetime In Hospitality

If you meet Nathan Merriman, you understand why operators like working with him. He is personable. He has lived and worked on three continents and can relate to anyone in the room. He speaks both front and back of house. He comes across as engaging and charismatic, but what lingers is simpler. He has a heart for people.

Merriman grew up just outside Melbourne, and the industry hooked him early. 

“Hospitality has been my whole life,” he said. “Except for maybe two months of bricklaying for my brother-in-law and a stint in a Canadian bakery, this is all I have ever done.” He started on the floor, serving and running food. He learned the bar, then management. Each step widened his view of how a great guest experience is built.

In 2010 he left Australia for London and joined the team that helped reopen the Savoy Hotel and its American Bar. That room carried a sense of history he still remembers. “It was one of those rooms you walk into and feel the history,” he said. “If walls could talk, that one would have a lot to say.” Seven years in London brought private members clubs, restaurants, and a deep immersion in standards that never cut corners.

Opportunity pulled him to Los Angeles next. He joined the Zuma group to help open a new Japanese concept called Inkō Nito. The move was more than a change of scene. It was where he began to stitch technology into the craft he already knew. Digital tools could speed a ticket or streamline a tab, yet the lesson he took away was not about software. It was about service that feels effortless because the right tools sit behind it.

The pace, however, was relentless. “I loved the buzz of restaurants and bars, but after years of 2 a.m. finishes and 10 a.m. starts, I wanted a more sustainable pace,” he said. 

In 2020 he returned to Australia as the world was closing its doors. He joined a company that was an early mover in QR ordering and payments. The role kept him in the industry he loved while shifting him closer to the systems that power it. 

“It was the perfect blend,” he said. “It allowed me to stay in the industry I loved, while helping operators modernize and thrive.”

By then he had learned the industry from both sides. He knew what a bartender needs on a slammed Friday night, and he knew what a CFO needs on Monday morning. He could sit with a chef and talk mise en place, then sit with an owner and talk about margins. That range is part of why his move to GoTab made sense when the call came.

The path also explains his style. He is present in venues, he listens, he helps, and he shows up again. “Hospitality is about relationships and being personable,” he said. “Sometimes it is just sitting down for a coffee and problem solving something that might not even be related to GoTab, but you are an ear.” 

Merriman: ‘I Knew This Was A Place Where Ideas Could Become Real’

There were two things that drew Merriman to GoTab almost immediately.

The first was the company’s foundation. GoTab was created by a hospitality operator who had experienced the same challenges firsthand. 

“It is really rare in this space,” Merriman said. “If you think of other companies, many come from retail backgrounds. Tim solved a problem in his own venue and then built the rest of the ecosystem around it. We now have a hospitality operator who recognized a problem and created a solution that works for all of us. That is such a powerful story.”

The second was the culture of innovation. 

Merriman still remembers sitting with McLaughlin when he pulled out a napkin to sketch an idea. “He said, if we have ideas, let’s write them down and build them if they make sense,” Merriman said. “That kind of environment is rare. It showed me that GoTab moves quickly and actually builds what the industry needs.”

For Merriman, that combination of hospitality roots and inventive energy made the decision an easy one. 

“I knew this was a place where ideas could become real,” he said. “That is what excites me the most about what we are building here.”

A New Era For Australian Hospitality

Expanding into Australia hasn’t been without its challenges. The market operates differently than the U.S., from tipping culture to wage structures. 

“In Australia, the average wage is over $20 an hour, and tipping is minimal,” Merriman explained. “That changes the entire service dynamic. People often order and pay at the counter instead of being waited on, so the relationship between technology and hospitality looks different.”

But those differences are where GoTab shines. “The flexibility and efficiency of the platform fit perfectly here,” Merriman said. “Operators can manage everything in one system - from the front-of-house to the kitchen, to loyalty and payments - without juggling five different tools.”

He pointed to Asahi Hospitality, a major Australian group with 21 venues and more than 3,000 employees, as an example of GoTab’s local success. “They were exploring separate loyalty providers before realizing GoTab could handle it all internally,” he said. “That’s the power of having everything under one roof.”

GoTab’s approach also resonates with Merriman’s personal philosophy: hospitality is still, at its core, about people. “Technology should never replace human connection,” he said. “It should enhance it. I tell our team all the time: we’re in hospitality, not just tech. Our job is to be present - to show up, listen, and help.”

In just nine months, Merriman and his small but mighty Australian team have deployed GoTab across some of the nation’s most recognizable venues, including 4 Pines Brewing, Bridge Road Brewers, Pirate Life Brewing and Fortress, a next-generation entertainment hub featuring esports arenas and themed taverns.

“What we’ve done in under a year is remarkable,” he said. “We’ve built not just a deployment team, but a support model that truly mirrors what GoTab stands for: partnership and presence.”

Looking Ahead: Building Relationships And Roots

As GoTab continues to grow in Australia, Nathan Merriman’s focus is clear. 

“Yes, we’re expanding, but it’s not about rushing,” he said. “It’s about building real partnerships with local vendors, breweries, and tech partners - and becoming a trusted part of the community.”

That community mindset has shaped everything his team has done since launch. What began as a three-person operation has already expanded into a growing network, supporting some of the country’s most recognized hospitality brands. 

“When you look at our early partnerships, from independent craft brewers to entertainment venues like Fortress, it’s clear we’re building something special,” Merriman said. “These are brands that reflect the culture and creativity of Australian hospitality.”

The foundation they’ve laid is both strong and intentional. “We’ve created a really good base to build off,” he said. “The next step is to deepen our roots and work more with local operators, tech partners, and vendors, and continue to grow our world here.”

For Merriman, it all comes back to people. “Come say hi, meet us,” he said. “It all starts with a relationship. Come and see what GoTab is doing. We just want to meet people.”

How To Join GoTab Australia 

GoTab is growing fast across Australia, and Nathan Merriman and his team are ready to connect with operators who share their passion for innovation and great hospitality. Whether you run a brewery, a multi-venue entertainment space, or a neighborhood favorite, GoTab’s platform is built to meet you where you are.

If you’d like to explore what GoTab can do for your business, reach out to Nathan directly on LinkedIn or via email at Nathan.Merriman@GoTab.io. 

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