20 • FOODSERVICE EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES • MAY 2017
consultant's viewpoint
Back to the Future
T
he introduction of technology
into the front of the house re-
mains one of the hottest trends
in today's restaurant industry.
Lots of industry professionals have their
own ideas as to how the use of technol-
ogy will shape hospitality in the years
to come. Before we can start shaping
our own vision of the future, though, we
must look to the past.
In 1978 I was working with a rock and
roll band by the name of Angel that used
a hologram as part of the stage show. The
use of that technology was truly lead-
ing edge at that time. Several years ago, a
tribute to Michael Jackson used this same
technology to bring the King of Pop back
to life during performances.
Twenty years later, I was part of the
corporate team developing the Hard Rock
Hotel in Orlando. Several of us were
tasked with coming up with ideas to help
create the ambiance that's now a standard
part of the Hard Rock experience for
specific areas of the property. In my case
this included all of the kitchens, bars, the
arrival/check in area and the lobby space.
My thought was to include an interactive
space that spanned both the check-in area
and the lobby. While checking in or hang-
ing out in the lobby, guests could see a
hologram of top-notch musical acts such as
the Beatles. While it would have definitely
delivered a wow factor, the feature was
omitted due to budgetary reasons.
In 2003, I was fortunate enough to work
as a consultant to Darden Restaurants while
the multi-concept operator was developing
its Seasons 52 concept. This concept set
out to prove that a restaurant could serve
a menu of better-for-you meals that were
still decadent. As part of the progressive
By Tom Galvin
Principal
Galvin Design Group
Orlando, Fla.
tom@galvindesigngroup.com