When Service Plans Go Sideways
(And How the Best Teams Recover)
Even the best-laid service plans can go sideways—especially on a holiday weekend.
📸 Picture This: It's the Fourth of July weekend and after hours of walking in the sun and sand at the beach, all I wanted was a cold drink and a shady spot to relax. We finally found a nice looking brewery and gratefully settled in,hoping to kick back and enjoy the afternoon. It was pretty empty and no one approached our table so we scanned the QR code at the table and ordered. We thought it would be nice to sit outside so we asked the bartender if it was ok to move.
😱 What happened next wasn’t exactly the experience I’d hoped for.
When the food arrived, the server didn’t just bring it over. Instead, I was told that I had placed the order inside and should have stayed put until the food arrived. I get it, of course—it’s how the system was set up. But in that moment, hot, tired, and just trying to enjoy the holiday, the tone felt a little off. We weren’t trying to break the rules; we were just trying to cool down and have a good time. Plus, it doesn’t help correcting a tourist in your town when they’ll likely never return.
It was a sharp contrast to our experience at our hotel. It wasn’t perfect either—the ice machine was broken the entire time, and the guest noise levels were out of control. But the staff? Total pros. Every interaction was kind, helpful, and fast. They give me ice or quiet their rowdy guests, but they did make us feel taken care of.
❤️ And that’s the heart of it.
🖥️ Technology, systems, and service plans are essential—but when things break down or guests don’t follow the flow, it’s the people who make or break the experience. Hospitality isn’t just about following a process—it’s about how we respond when things don’t go to plan.
This month, we’re highlighting operators who embrace that spirit of adaptability and guest-first service. From a dog park + bar in Indiana to a multi-experience entertainment venue, these teams know how to balance innovation with warmth
Let’s Grow Together!
–Patricia, GoTab CMO
In This Issue
Discover some of our most creative eatertainment operator stories, and don’t miss July’s special offer for new customers.
Discover Indiana's First Dog Park + Bar
Our Favorite Case Study Yet (Because... Dogs!)
Meet Crate Escapes (Westfield, IN)—a 1.5-acre haven where pups run free and guests sip craft drinks from a self-serve tap wall, all powered by GoTab’s seamless mobile and RFID ordering. Launched in January 2025, this innovative concept combines a coffee bar, rotating events, memberships, and day passes—already welcoming over 300 dogs per weekend and quickly becoming the Midwest’s “new happy place.”
Want the full story on how Crate Escapes blends community, convenience, and canine joy? Read Indiana's First Dog Park + Bar Blends Community, Craft Drinks and Canine Joy.
Lessons from Bowl Expo: How Operators are Rethinking the Guest Experience
Straight from the Bowl Expo floor, we had the chance to meet with dozens of forward-thinking operators who shared how they’re evolving their service models to meet changing guest expectations.
In our latest Best Practices post, we unpack what we heard:
❌ Guests Don’t Want to Wait – Operators are prioritizing ways to reduce friction, from line-free ordering to faster fulfillment.
👥 Group Dynamics Matter – Shared tabs and more flexible ordering flows are helping venues cater to families, parties, and league nights without confusion.
✅ Efficiency is the New Standard – Many are rethinking staffing models to focus on quality of service, not quantity of transactions.
Read it all at What's Powering the New Guest Experience at FECs and Bowling Centers?
A Striking Example of Entertainment Done Right
Fresh off Bowl Expo, it felt like the perfect time to revisit one of our favorite stories from the lanes.
At Twisted Pin (Grand Prairie, TX), bowling meets elevated food & beverage—and the results speak for themselves. With GoTab powering mobile and RFID ordering across lanes, arcades, and lounges, Twisted Pin delivers a seamless guest experience that drives higher spend and smoother ops. Since launch, they’ve redefined what it means to serve at scale in a high-energy, high-volume venue.
A big shoutout to owner Jonathan Dow, whose drive to innovate keeps raising the bar:
“We’ve seen an 18.6% increase in sales using GoTab’s QR code ordering compared to kiosk sales with our previous provider.”
Read the full case study, Elevating the Bowling Alley F&B Experience.
Upgrade Your Payments, On Us
This month, new GoTab customers receive their first 2 card readers and network gateway at no additional cost. It’s the perfect time to modernize your payments and streamline service with GoTab’s powerful POS. Email us at info@gotab.io to learn more.
What Our Customers Are Saying
“GoTab was essentially one of the only companies that we found that could take what we had in our head and how it would work and actually make that happen. We wanted it to be as easy and customer-focused as possible. I wanted it so that once a person gets their wristband, it can travel with them throughout the park.”
-Jennifer Ehlers, Co-Owner, Crate Escpaes
See for Yourself ...
Got questions? We're here for you. Scheduled a personalized demo today at https://gotab.com/demo-request!
Libro de jugadas de Tap Room Episodio 2:
Cuando realmente lo piensas, con todo lo que los gerentes necesitan hacer en una sala de grifo, el aspecto de la hospitalidad a menudo se pasa por alto.
Ver ahora →.webp)
Libro de jugadas de Tap Room Episodio 3:
Las mejores cervecerías prestan atención a lo que representa su marca. ¿Cómo dan vida los mejores cerveceros a su marca?
Ver ahora →