On this episode of Digital Hospitality from Restaurant Leadership Conference in Phoenix, Shawn Walchef sits down with Eric Knott, CEO of Tiki Taco, to talk about scaling a growing restaurant brand, building the right tech stack, and why operators need better systems before they grow too fast. Eric’s story with Tiki Taco actually started at RLC, where he met the founders and eventually moved from Tampa to Kansas City to help scale the brand. The conversation also explores how Tiki Taco uses KNOW to centralize training, communication, operational checklists, and team accountability while building the foundation for long-term growth.

Build The Foundation Before Scaling – Eric Knott believes growth only works when the operational systems underneath the business are strong first. Before aggressively expanding Tiki Taco’s, the company focused on training, communication, SOPs, and operational consistency across every location.
Technology Should Simplify Execution – For Knott, the best restaurant technology removes friction for operators instead of creating more complexity. KNOW helped Tiki Taco’s centralize training, communication, checklists, and operational visibility inside one platform built for a lean team.
Community Is Part Of The Brand – Tiki Taco’s approaches storytelling and community involvement as an extension of hospitality itself. Through initiatives like “Be Our Neighbor,” the company highlights surrounding local businesses and documents the real work happening behind the scenes instead of waiting for polished perfection.

Episode Links

Eric Knott LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-knott-96504973/
Tiki Taco: https://www.tikitaco.com/
Tiki Taco Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tikitaco/
Krish Sridhar on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/akrishsridhar/
KNOW Online: https://www.getknowapp.com/
KNOW on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/getknowapp/about/

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