Culture That Counts: Why people-first service drives loyalty

What is great service in 2025? In this episode of Stacked⁠ , powered by Zonal, we unpack why hospitality is still (and always will be) a people business—and how that truth fuels loyalty.Host Chris Fletcher is joined by:Antony Pender — Founder, Yummy Collection (people-first pubs, bars & seafood concepts)Darren Smith — Head of Operations, Flat Iron (consistent, craveable steakhouse experiences)Gillian Nicholson — Sales Director, Zonal (tech that blends into brilliant service)They dive into:Defining modern service: “relaxed rigor,” natural interactions, and letting guests drive the experienceTraining that sticks: stories, shadowing, and Gen Z–friendly, bite-size learningTech that empowers (not replaces): surfacing the right info at the right time, seamlesslyCulture and retention: flexibility, share schemes, meaningful recognition, and clear, kind feedbackProtecting brand magic: value over hard sell; community, authenticity, and doing one thing exceptionally wellPull quotes“Hospitality is the job of making people happy.”“It’s kind to be clear; it’s unkind to be unclear.”“We’re far more emotionally intelligent than AI—especially right now.”Catch up on the series: Missed an episode? Dive into the rest of our Loyalty Series to get fully up to speed.