Justin Keenen, CTO of the hot new plant-based QSR, Hart House, is redefining the role of tech in restaurants with his burn-it-down, fail-forward fast mentality. Justin’s willingness to embrace change in tech and use it to create remarkable experiences establishes him as a titan in the industry. Hear how Justin is building Hart House’s restaurant tech stack from the ground up to align with the brand’s vision and high-growth goals.
Moments to Listen For
- What “legacy tech” really means (and why it’s often an excuse)
- Why you shouldn’t be afraid to burn it all down and start over
- The shift to a startup mindset in restaurant tech
- Why tech is no longer optional — it’s a requirement
- Aligning technology with remarkable brand experiences
- Why employees come first in building great tech
Key Insights
Legacy Tech Isn’t the Problem — Mindset Is
"Legacy” gets blamed a lot, but Justin flips the narrative. It’s not about outdated systems — it’s about not making the changes you should have already made. Avoiding innovation is the real issue.
Burn It Down. Fail Forward. Move Faster.
Justin brings a startup mentality to restaurant tech — test, implement, adjust, repeat. Long timelines are out. Speed and adaptability win. If something isn’t working, rebuild it. Fast.
Tech Should Drive the Experience — Not Just Support It
At Hart House, tech isn’t an afterthought — it’s core to the brand. From POS to machine vision, everything is built to create a better employee and guest experience.
Best-of-Breed > All-in-One
All-in-one sounds easy, but it often means average at everything. Justin
Episode Highlights
Rethinking “Legacy Technology”
Justin challenges the industry’s obsession with blaming legacy systems. For him, it’s less about the tech itself and more about accountability.
“It’s not legacy’s fault that your restaurant tech hasn’t been updated in 25 years.”
Adopting a Fail-Forward Mindset
Instead of slow, cautious rollouts, Justin pushes for speed and experimentation. Build, test, break, rebuild.
“If your tech isn’t working, burn it down and start again. Don’t be afraid to fail forward fast.”
Building a Tech Stack from the Ground Up
At Hart House, everything starts with experience. Justin built a best-of-breed stack — cloud POS, online ordering, KDS — then layered in innovation like touchless boards and machine vision.
“I wanted to build something fun, interesting, and as useful as possible."
