Hannah Kelly views dining as more than just a simple exchange. As the chief marketing officer for Resy, a restaurant booking service owned by American Express, Kelly considers dining to be among the final strongholds of genuine human interaction. Her role, as she sees it, involves not only mirroring dining trends but also actively influencing them.
TL;DR
- Resy CMO Hannah Kelly uses data to influence dining trends and highlight emerging culinary styles.
- Resy leverages data and narrative to promote chefs from marginalized backgrounds and off-peak dining.
- Resy's initiatives align with American Express's goals of cardholder loyalty and merchant benefits.
- Resy combats reservation fraud and bots, emphasizing equity and safeguarding the dining experience.
“We think about it as trend creation,” says Kelly, who spent nearly a decade at AmEx before moving to Resy in 2019 when the company acquired the startup.
Resy has transformed into a data powerhouse and a cultural indicator, adept at identifying current diner preferences and anticipating future trends. The company's yearly trend report synthesizes analytical data, menu observations, and discussions with partners to create a predictive roadmap for the coming year. However, Kelly notes that her team not only monitors diner habits but also actively shapes them, employing data and narrative to highlight emerging culinary styles, chefs from marginalized backgrounds, and dining during less popular seasons.
Her strategy hinges on the interplay of cultural sway and market success. Amidst the pandemic, Resy's editorial section highlighted Chinatown eateries, pushing back against xenophobia and financial strain. This philosophy continues today via Resy's Discover tab, offering curated guides and local collections that prompt diners to venture past typical destinations. “It’s telling the stories that are untold,” Kelly states.
Resy's strong ties with American Express introduce further complexity. While Resy pursues its own expansion objectives, such as growing its restaurant partnerships and enhancing customer interaction, these initiatives complement AmEx's overarching aim of fostering cardholder loyalty and delivering merchant benefits, according to Kelly. By drawing in millennial and Gen Z patrons who enjoy dining out, Kelly notes, Resy bolsters AmEx's role as a key financial supporter of the hospitality sector.
Meanwhile, dining demand stays robust with important consumer groups. Kelly points out that dining out is now a rapidly expanding segment of travel and entertainment expenditure for Younger AmEx customers, who consistently favor experiences over material goods. Her team diligently monitors seasonal patterns, like the approximate 30% decrease in restaurant income each year from December to January, and seeks innovative methods to mitigate these effects. A recent initiative employed striking visuals of vacant dining spaces to motivate individuals to “show up” restaurants during less busy periods. This effort contributed to increased engagement and the acquisition of new partners, according to Kelly, indicating that narratives informed by data can benefit both the industry's vitality and consumer motivation.
The business also sells table management systems, “which isn’t sexy,” Kelly admits. However, what makes it powerful is the brand affinity that surrounds it. That dual identity enables Resy to innovate through features like Notify, which alerts users when tables become available, and Global Dining Access, a premium experience for AmEx cardholders, while maintaining the emotional appeal that makes the app synonymous with date nights, celebrations, and discovery.
Resy's firm position against reservation fraud and bots stems from this very reason. Kelly states that safeguarding the dining room is fundamental to their objective. The company has supported legislation in New York and Florida aimed at reducing bot activity, collaborating closely with AmEx's policy division.
Kelly believes that fostering equity in a restaurant setting mirrors establishing it within a business. She attributes this to empathy, transparency, and confidence, noting that her progression from An American Express executive to the CMO of a prominent national dining service is rooted in three qualities: drive, inquisitiveness, and compassion.
While AmEx's main office is in New York City, Kelly identifies Philadelphia, her birthplace, as the next significant area for American dining, citing its growing national acclaim and forward movement. “It’s an exciting time for the city.”