Branded Media sets live AI personalization panel with Firehouse Subs, Toast and Hang

Branded Media will host a live Hospitality Insiders panel on Sept. 15 focused on how restaurant brands are using AI for guest personalization and marketing at scale. The free Zoom event features leaders from Firehouse Subs, Toast and Hang and is designed to show what is already working in the field, not just what AI could do someday.

Why it matters: - Restaurant operators are under pressure to turn AI from a buzzword into measurable guest engagement, loyalty and marketing lift. - The panel is built around deployed use cases, which matters for brands looking for practical guidance rather than future promises.

What happened: - Branded Media announced the next Hospitality Insiders live panel, titled "Come for the AI. Stay for the Real Results." - The event is scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 15 at 1:00 PM EST and will be held online on Zoom. - Registration is free and open now through the webinar registration page. - The panel will feature Alan Zampella, Head of Product & Engineering at Firehouse Subs; Matt Smolin, CEO of Hang; and Julia Beebe, Senior Director, Enterprise Marketing at Toast. - Michael "Schatzy" Schatzberg, Managing Partner at Branded Hospitality and co-host of The Hospitality Hangout podcast, will host the discussion.

The details: - Firehouse Subs, Hang and Toast represent three layers of the restaurant tech stack: a national franchise brand, an operating platform and an AI personalization company. - The conversation will focus on how Firehouse Subs is using AI and 1:1 personalization across more than 1,000 locations. - The panel is set to cover real results, smarter guest engagement, guardrails for marketers, lessons learned and where AI-powered restaurant marketing goes next. - Audience Q&A is part of the format, giving attendees a chance to hear direct answers from the people doing the work. - Branded Media said the series centers on technology that is already running in the field and on what that technology is returning for the business. - Branded Hospitality is the New York-based hospitality media and investment platform behind Branded Media.

Between the lines: - The event signals that restaurant tech conversations are shifting from experimentation to execution. - Firehouse Subs' participation suggests national chains are looking for ways to apply AI personalization without losing operational discipline. - The inclusion of Toast and Hang points to growing interest in how operating data and personalization tools can work together.

What's next: - The live panel will take place on Sept. 15, with space described as limited. - Branded Media is positioning the session as a practical benchmark for restaurant marketers deciding how and where to deploy AI. - More information about Branded Hospitality is available at brandedstrategic.com.