Modern food hall operators face a unique challenge.
Guests expect the convenience of a single destination where they can explore multiple cuisines, order however they prefer, and pay once at the end of their visit. Behind the scenes, however, operators must support multiple independent businesses, reconcile vendor revenue, manage house fees, coordinate events, and maintain visibility across an increasingly complex operation.
Many food halls still rely on disconnected point-of-sale systems that create unnecessary friction for both guests and operators. Guests wait in multiple lines, complete separate transactions, and often abandon additional purchases simply because ordering feels cumbersome. Operators spend valuable time reconciling vendor sales instead of focusing on growing the business.
The Market at Malcolm Yards set out to build something different.
Today, guests can move freely throughout the venue, order from multiple food vendors, pour their own beverages, open a shared tab, and pay once at the end of their visit—all while each vendor maintains operational independence.
Powered by GoTab's Entertainment Commerce Platform, Malcolm Yards has become one of North America's leading examples of what a modern food hall experience can look like.
The Challenge: Making Multiple Businesses Feel Like One Destination
Food halls aren't simply collections of restaurants. They're destinations.
Guests arrive expecting freedom of choice, flexibility, and a social experience they can't find in a traditional restaurant. Operators, meanwhile, must balance three very different audiences simultaneously.
Guests want simplicity.
They don't think in terms of vendors. They think in terms of the overall experience.
They want to:
- Explore multiple cuisines
- Eat together regardless of where each person orders
- Open one tab
- Pay once
- Move freely throughout the property
- Skip unnecessary lines
Vendors need independence.
Each food concept has unique menus, pricing, staffing, reporting, and operational requirements. They need technology that allows them to operate independently without sacrificing the guest experience.
Operators need visibility.
Property owners need centralized reporting, automated remittances, house fee management, consolidated analytics, and the ability to understand how the entire destination is performing—not just individual vendors. Traditional POS systems rarely accomplish all three. Instead, they force operators into compromises that create friction throughout the guest journey.
A Vision for a Different Kind of Food Hall
When Malcolm Yards was developed, the goal wasn't simply to create another collection of food vendors.
The team envisioned a destination where great food, local beverages, community events, and social experiences came together under one roof.
Guests would be encouraged to explore.
Try multiple vendors.
Share meals.
Meet friends.
Attend events.
Stay longer.
Return frequently.
Technology needed to support that vision—not dictate it.
Rather than requiring guests to complete separate transactions every time they visited another vendor, Malcolm Yards wanted the entire property to function as one connected hospitality experience.
That vision aligned naturally with GoTab's approach to commerce.
Instead of treating every transaction as a separate event, GoTab connects ordering, payments, tabs, vendors, and guest interactions into one unified platform.
The Solution: A Connected Commerce Platform for Food Halls
GoTab powers Malcolm Yards through a flexible commerce platform designed specifically for complex hospitality environments.
Instead of stitching together multiple systems, Malcolm Yards operates on one connected platform that supports both guests and operators.
Guests can choose the ordering experience that feels most natural to them.
Some prefer ordering directly with staff.
Others scan a QR code.
Some begin at one vendor before ordering dessert from another.
Groups often split up before gathering together again.
Every path leads back to the same shared guest experience.
One Shared Tab Across the Entire Property
One of the defining features of Malcolm Yards is the ability for guests to maintain a single tab throughout their visit.
Instead of juggling multiple receipts from different vendors, guests simply continue adding food and beverages as they explore the property.
Whether someone orders tacos, pizza, sushi, dessert, or another round of drinks, purchases remain connected to the same visit.
The result is a dramatically more convenient experience that encourages exploration while reducing payment friction.
For operators, shared tabs create opportunities for higher guest spend by making additional purchases effortless throughout the visit.
Flexible Ordering That Matches Guest Preferences
Today's guests expect flexibility.
Some want to interact with staff.
Others prefer ordering from their phones.
Many switch between both during the same visit.
Rather than forcing a single service model, Malcolm Yards supports multiple ordering experiences simultaneously.
Guests can:
- Order directly from vendors
- Scan QR codes to browse menus
- Place mobile orders
- Continue ordering throughout their visit
- Pay once at the end of their experience
This hybrid approach accommodates different guest preferences while helping vendors manage peak periods more efficiently.
As GoTab's recent research on high-volume hospitality venues demonstrates, giving guests multiple ways to order doesn't replace hospitality—it enhances it by reducing friction and creating more opportunities for incremental purchases.
Independent Vendors. One Unified Experience.
Behind every successful food hall is a careful balance between independence and consistency.
At Malcolm Yards, each vendor maintains control over its own business.
Individual concepts manage their own:
- Menus
- Pricing
- Staff
- Kitchen operations
- Daily service
Meanwhile, GoTab gives property management centralized oversight across the entire venue.
Operators gain access to:
- Property-wide reporting
- Consolidated analytics
- Automated vendor remittances
- House fee management
- Operational visibility across every vendor
Instead of requiring vendors to sacrifice autonomy, the platform allows every business to thrive while contributing to one seamless guest experience.
Beyond Point of Sale: A Platform Designed for Modern Food Halls
Many technology providers still approach food halls as if they're simply several restaurants sharing a building.
GoTab takes a different approach.
Food halls are ecosystems.
They combine independent businesses, communal seating, bars, events, entertainment, retail, memberships, and increasingly diverse guest journeys.
Supporting that complexity requires more than a traditional POS.
It requires a commerce platform capable of connecting every interaction across the property while giving operators the flexibility to evolve as their concepts grow.
That's the philosophy that continues to shape Malcolm Yards today—and increasingly, food halls across North America.
See how GoTab's Food Hall POS supports the Market at Malcolm Yards' technology needs, read The Modern Food Hall Technology Guide: Building Better Guest Experiences with Connected Commerce.
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