In this episode of Pitch The Tide, Ward Olgreen, Chief Operating Officer at Red Onion ai, shares how decades of restaurant operations experience led him to reimagine how brands understand their data. From years spent running multi-unit restaurants to building analytics for enterprise operators, Ward explains why Red Onion was designed to peel back the layers of guest behavior, marketing impact, and operational performance. He breaks down how tying transaction data to real-world events helps operators measure what actually drives sales and retention. At its core, Red Onion gives restaurant teams clear, fact-based insight to make smarter decisions, grow revenue, and focus on what matters most.

• Operator Led Intelligence – Red Onion was built by leaders who understand restaurant reality. Ward’s decades in multi-unit operations shaped a platform designed to answer real questions about guests, marketing, and performance, not surface-level reporting.
• Data That Proves What Works – Restaurants generate massive amounts of data, but most of it goes unused. Red Onion connects transactions to marketing events, menu changes, and operational shifts, helping teams measure what actually drives sales, retention, and profitability.
• Insights That Drive Action – Red Onion is not just analytics. By layering guest behavior, employee performance, and event impact, the platform gives operators clear direction on where to adjust, invest, and improve to grow revenue without guessing.

• Ward Olgreen LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wardolgreen/
• Red Onion ai: https://www.redonion.ai/
• Red Onion ai LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/redonion-ai/
• Cali BBQ Media: https://content.calibbq.media/
• Join Our Next Show: https://betheshow.media/rising-tides/
• Shawn Walchef on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawnpwalchef/

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CRS Hospitality is a group of 15 independent restaurant concepts across Champaign and Urbana, led by COO Kevin Hildebrand and grounded in a people first operating philosophy. Rather than forcing uniformity, CRS connects teams through shared systems that reduce friction while preserving each brand’s identity. Kevin’s path from golf to restaurants shaped his belief that strong hospitality comes from removing daily stress for managers and staff. That approach led CRS to adopt Kickfin, simplifying tip distribution and eliminating time consuming cash handling.

• People First, Systems That Support Them – Kevin Hildebrand believes hospitality starts with the humans running the restaurants. CRS Hospitality has grown to 15 concepts by creating a culture where managers are supported, teams collaborate across locations, and no one is left to struggle alone. Growth happens when people have the tools and structure to thrive, not just when new restaurants open.
• Technology Chosen for Real Operational Impact – CRS adopts technology only when it solves a true problem. Kickfin became essential because it fixed a daily pain point that was draining time and energy from managers. By integrating with Toast and making payouts transparent and instant, Kickfin helped simplify one of the most frustrating parts of restaurant operations.
• Modern Hospitality Requires Adaptation, Not Assumptions – Guest behavior continues to shift, and CRS is reshaping its restaurants accordingly. From redesigning floor plans for more takeout capacity to implementing digital tools that reduce administrative stress, Kevin and his team stay focused on meeting guests where they are. Hospitality today blends people, process, and technology working in sync.

• Kevin Hildebrand: https://www.crshospitality.com/team-member/kevin-hildebrand/
• Kevin Hildebrand LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-hildebrand-95558068/
• CRS Hospitality: https://www.crshospitality.com/
• Kickfin Online: https://kickfin.com/
• Kickfin LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kickfin/
• Kickfin YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@kickfin2618
• Kickfin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kickfin/
• Kickfin Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kickfin/

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Naming a restaurant feels personal, but it is one of the most strategic decisions an operator will ever make. In this episode, Shawn Walchef walks through the five names behind what is now Cali Barbecue, sharing the lessons learned from each iteration. From overly descriptive titles to names that created confusion, Walchef explains how memorability, clarity, and consistency ultimately won.

• Make It Easy to Remember – A restaurant name only works if customers can say it, spell it, and share it without effort. The simpler the name, the faster it travels through word of mouth, advertising, and search.
• Name What You Actually Do – As a concept evolves, the name must evolve with it. Clarity beats creativity when guests are deciding where to eat. If the name does not immediately signal what you offer, it creates friction.
• Your Name Is Infrastructure – A strong name powers everything downstream. Social handles, search results, media brands, and expansion all move faster when the identity is clear, consistent, and owned everywhere.

• Shawn Walchef LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawnpwalchef/
• Cali BBQ: https://calibbq.media/

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