The Disruption Delusion, Why We Still Fear Change in Hospitality with Maria McCann.

Tech on Toast, The Hospitality Tech Podcast

This series, Business in Better Shape, was born from new research by Tech on Toast and Square, The Long-Term Case for Smarter Tech Investment.We spoke to more than 150 hospitality leaders across the UK, uncovering an industry stuck between ambition and hesitation.The data showed that while most operators see technology as essential to their future, only 18% would currently recommend their existing systems, and a striking 94% only adopt new tech when absolutely necessary. Fear of disruption, complex integrations, and a lack of vendor support are holding progress back.Download the research hereThat insight inspired this series, real conversations with operators who are finding ways to move forward, to simplify, to modernise without losing what makes hospitality human.In this first episode, host Chris Fletcher talks with Maria McCann, Operations Director at Blacklock, about fear of change, leading people through transformation, and how curiosity and courage can help hospitality get into better shape.Maria’s career spans Hard Rock Café, Shake Shack, Living Ventures, and now Blacklock, where she’s helping scale one of London’s most characterful restaurant brands without losing its soul.This conversation dives into the industry’s long-standing fear of change, how to lead teams through disruption, and why curiosity and calculated risk-taking are essential for hospitality’s future.Episode Highlights🥩 Blacklock’s identity: A modern British chop house, famous for roasts, chops, and sharing culture.🎓 Career path: From studying dietetics to falling in love with hospitality via Hard Rock, then on to Shake Shack and now Blacklock.😨 Why we fear change: Hospitality people are problem solvers who learn from crises, so change is often associated with past mistakes.💬 Communication platforms: When Meta shut down Workplace, Blacklock had to pivot fast without losing team connection.🤖 Tech adoption: The secret is listening to staff frustrations first, then finding solutions to those exact pain points.📊 Sentiment analysis: A “quiet revolution” for guest feedback, giving operators clarity without the overwhelm.🚴 Personal challenge: Maria is training for a 400km cycle in Cuba with the hospitality community, despite being scared of bikes!This series is powered by Square, helping hospitality operators put their business in better shape through connected commerce, payments, and restaurant technology.