Kristen Hawley @kristenhawley.bsky.social · 29/10/2025There's a big difference between entrepreneur and opportunist! Most journalists I know understand this, and that doesn't make us risk-averse, it makes us ethical and trustworthy. (I'm a solo journo with over a decade of newsletter entrepreneurial experience including one successful exit.) 230
Kristen Hawley @kristenhawley.bsky.social · 06/10/2025There's a huge difference between doing world-changing work and gaming the system with outrage content. 130
Kristen Hawley @kristenhawley.bsky.social · 13/08/2025Explain to me like I didn't live through the early 2000s in NYC why this is not a medicated eating disorder: www.nytimes.com/2025/08/07/d...nytimes.comOzempic Is Shrinking Appetites. Restaurants Are Shrinking the Food. 031
Kristen Hawley @kristenhawley.bsky.social · 07/08/2025I am over 7 years out from my third (and last) media layoff and it is still so raw. Thinking about the talented people who are too good at — and care too much about — their important work to be part of this media trash fire. 120
Kristen Hawley @kristenhawley.bsky.social · 19/05/2025This story is absolutely wild. www.sfchronicle.com/food/restaur...sfchronicle.comThis is what happened when Thomas Keller asked me to leave the French LaundryThomas Keller is a legendary chef. Chronicle critic MacKenzie Chung Fegan hadn’t met him, until she went to the French Laundry and he asked her to leave. 010
Kristen Hawley @kristenhawley.bsky.social · 13/05/2025whoa whoa whoa you mean the signal from a professionally reported story is stronger than those from the unregulated social influencer economy? You don't say! (I still hate this.) www.semafor.com/article/05/1...semafor.comPR pros have discovered how to influence the chatbots: Talk to a journalistThe public relations business is poised for a resurgence in the AI age. It just needs someone to write the stories. 010
Kristen Hawley @kristenhawley.bsky.social · 07/05/2025DoorDash plans to buy reservations and CRM company SevenRooms for $1.2 billion. The deal is expected to close later this year. www.expedite.news/p/doordash-b...expedite.newsDoorDash buys SevenRooms for $1.2 billionWhat does a delivery want with a reservations service? Cue a future battle of the restaurant superapps. 000
Kristen Hawley @kristenhawley.bsky.social · 07/04/2025I will defend good QR codes usage in restaurants to the death. If you're going in, go ALL IN like Flour + Water: www.fastcompany.com/91311865/san...fastcompany.comWhy this iconic San Francisco pizza shop is going all in on QR codes—despite the skepticismChef Thomas McNaughton's latest restaurant location needs to pump out pies fast, and it's using the polarizing tech to help. 000
Kristen Hawley @kristenhawley.bsky.social · 21/03/2025There's always a restaurant angle www.nytimes.com/2025/03/21/d...nytimes.comAs Tesla Protests Spread, Elon Musk Gets Ready to Enter the Restaurant BusinessTwo years ago, the Tesla founder and DOGE chief began to build a diner and drive-in theater in Los Angeles. Then he became a political lightning rod. 010
Kristen Hawley @kristenhawley.bsky.social · 04/03/2025Sweetgreen is adding 'ripple fries' to the menu at all its restaurants today. I flew to LA a couple weeks ago to try them and hang out with the c-suite: www.fastcompany.com/91289313/swe...fastcompany.comSweetgreen is betting that you want fries with that saladThe fast-casual chain is inching closer to McDonald's by offering the fast-food staple at all of its restaurants—with a healthy twist. 200
Kristen Hawley @kristenhawley.bsky.social · 12/02/2025You'd think government officials could at least get the grammar right in an email firing workers whose skills and ability are deemed subpar. And yet... www.wired.com/story/dozens... 010
Kristen Hawley @kristenhawley.bsky.social · 11/02/2025Clicked on a @fastcompany.com link of best New Yorker covers not expecting to find the actual best New Yorker cover, but look! “Missed Connection” by Adrian Tomine (Nov 8, 2004) made the list — and my office wall. 220
Kristen Hawley @kristenhawley.bsky.social · 29/01/2025My pal @rickwebb.net shared my favorite DeepSeek explainer yet: buttondown.com/rickwebb/arc...buttondown.comGood Morning. Hello. How are you? #1422DeepSeek analysis, cuz that's what you want from an aging ad guy who hides in the woods. 120
Kristen Hawley @kristenhawley.bsky.social · 22/01/2025Just another day in paradise. (Yes, Expedite accepts limited sponsorships.) www.wsj.com/articles/sub...wsj.comSubstack Advertising Is Turning Writers Into Part-Time Sales RepsAuthors are using DIY methods to moonlight as media sellers as ads begin to infiltrate their newsletters. 110
Kristen Hawley @kristenhawley.bsky.social · 21/01/2025Do I know anyone who's been to the Newsletter Conference in New York? Worth it? thenewsletterconference.comthenewsletterconference.comThe Newsletter Conference 2025 | May 2, 2025The Newsletter Conference brings together newsletter professionals from around the world. Get your tickets now to learn and network with email newsletter pros. 010
Kristen Hawley @kristenhawley.bsky.social · 10/12/202420 years of Employees Only, whew! vinepair.com/articles/emp...vinepair.comEmployees Only Turns 20: An Oral History of the Iconic NYC SpeakeasyTwenty years ago, a handful of roommates and Dale DeGroff disciples bound together to turn their hospitality-forward house parties into their life’s work. Employees Only (EO) came into the world on No... 110
Reposted by Kristen HawleyDave Infante @dinfontay.com · 02/12/2024🗣️🗣️🗣️ I need more people to buy subscriptions to keep publishing Fingers. I'm offering 25% off to first-time subscribers, today only. If you like independent journalism about drinking in America, now is a great time to upgrade: www.fingers.email/subscribe?co... 2139
Kristen Hawley @kristenhawley.bsky.social · 02/12/2024Wow real healthy swing at the elder millennial set in this coverage of a restaurant closing in Brooklyn. (yes I feel personally attacked, thanks.) www.grubstreet.com/article/butt...grubstreet.comButtermilk Channel, a Twee Brooklyn Landmark, Is ClosingThe last day for cheddar waffles and warm lamb salad is December 31. 110
Kristen Hawley @kristenhawley.bsky.social · 18/11/2024Hello! I'm Kristen, a freelance journalist covering the future of the hospitality business. I also write a newsletter about restaurant technology (and I'm super proud of it.) Read and subscribe at expedite.news.expedite.news 040
Kristen Hawley @kristenhawley.bsky.social · 13/11/2024The onetime restaurant delivery leader in the US was just acquired by an upstart bourgeoning "meal delivery superapp" run by a billionaire. Wonder paid $650M for Grubhub. That's less than 10 percent of the $7.3B that Just Eat Takeaway paid for Grubhub in 2020. www.expedite.news/p/wonder-mig...expedite.newsWonder might buy GrubhubWow, okay! The wannabe mealtime super-app is sizing up a delivery OG 120
Kristen Hawley @kristenhawley.bsky.social · 12/11/2024Today's edition of Expedite has over 2,000 words and dozens of links to help us all think through what could come next for restaurants based on everything we've seen before. www.expedite.news/p/now-whatexpedite.newsNow what?Considering the future of hospitality under another Trump presidency 030
Kristen Hawley @kristenhawley.bsky.social · 31/10/2024Today on Expedite: DoorDash turns a profit and partners with Lyft: www.expedite.news/p/doordash-t...expedite.newsDoorDash turns a profitWhat a long, strange (Lyft!) ride it’s been. 120
Kristen Hawley @kristenhawley.bsky.social · 30/10/2024DoorDash posted a profit in the third quarter, its first quarterly operating profit since the company's December 2020 IPO. (More context in tomorrow's edition of Expedite; sign up to get it in your inbox at expedite.news)expedite.news 010
Kristen Hawley @kristenhawley.bsky.social · 14/10/2024That feeling when you finally file the draft, my goodness. 120
Kristen Hawley @kristenhawley.bsky.social · 30/04/2024I'm on a podcast! It was an honor to appear on On the Pass. It's intimidating to be on the other side of the interview, but I figured I'd lay it all on the line and share my goals for the future of my restaurants newsletter, Expedite. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/o...podcasts.apple.comOn The Pass: High Tea: Kristen Hawley on Apple PodcastsShow On The Pass, Ep High Tea: Kristen Hawley - Apr 22, 2024 010
Kristen Hawley @kristenhawley.bsky.social · 12/03/2024Ah yes so glad the entire journalism industry is preparing for the inevitable rise of generative AI as the companies building it whisper "It can't really do everything" to their salespeople. Via The Information: 100
Kristen Hawley @kristenhawley.bsky.social · 11/03/2024LOL, "sniveling." Haven't heard that one in a while! ny.eater.com/2024/3/11/24...ny.eater.comWhere to Go When You Can’t Get Into the City’s Hottest RestaurantsYou know the ones 000
Kristen Hawley @kristenhawley.bsky.social · 27/02/2024Just spitballing here, but I would read thousands of reported words about the sort of LinkedIn "experts" who repackage others' work for personal gain. 000
Kristen Hawley @kristenhawley.bsky.social · 27/02/2024LOL people.com/trader-joes-...people.comHotel Guest Discovers Fancy 'Room Service' Is Frozen Trader Joe's Meal After Finding Stocked Fridge (Exclusive)After sharing her experience on TikTok, the woman told PEOPLE that the hotel claimed they had a private chef making all their meals 010
Kristen Hawley @kristenhawley.bsky.social · 21/02/2024A thing to remember (and that's not in this linked article) about the rapid scale of new restaurant concepts like Kernel is that they will rely on a hub-and-spoke model in densely populated areas to operate. The small storefronts are part of the economic allure: www.bonappetit.com/story/kernel... 000
Kristen Hawley @kristenhawley.bsky.social · 15/02/2024Significant layoffs at Instacart earlier this week; now restaurant point of sale provider Toast is cutting hundreds of roles: www.bloomberg.com/news/article... 000
Kristen Hawley @kristenhawley.bsky.social · 14/02/2024In an investor update today, Uber shared some numbers to back up its earnings story. Just over a third (34%) of its monthly consumers use rideshare and delivery services. Those consumers spend over three times as much with the company. And 31% of delivery "first trips" come via the rideshare app.expedite.newsProfitable Uber leans into... the usualI love a good earnings call, even when it’s unsurprising. 000
Kristen Hawley @kristenhawley.bsky.social · 07/02/2024I love earnings season, and it's been a minute since I've covered a call on Expedite. UNTIL TOMORROW! (Thanks, Uber.) subscribe: expedite.news/subscribe 000
Kristen Hawley @kristenhawley.bsky.social · 07/02/2024This post is just :head-exploding emoji: I wonder... did the person who created this search app bother to ask the flight attendant about the blueberry juice (this is what we call a primary source)? Or did he go straight to the web, circumventing the information that was literally under his nose? 010
Kristen Hawley @kristenhawley.bsky.social · 13/12/2023What's the over/under on Substack striking a financial deal to let AI providers like ChatGPT crawl our trusted and valuable newsletters?on.substack.comThe AI revolution is an opportunity for writers (the human kind)Content will be commoditized—but content isn’t culture 000
Kristen Hawley @kristenhawley.bsky.social · 04/12/2023Proud to share my latest #longread. It's about Zume, a failed robot pizza company that wasn't really a robot pizza company. This story has a lot of cliches & a few WTFs, but really it's a testament to the risk of throwing nine figures of funding behind an idea. www.fastcompany.com/90979001/zum...fastcompany.comfastcompany.com 000
Kristen Hawley @kristenhawley.bsky.social · 07/11/2023I don't know who needs to hear this (JK I do), but a clear and explanatory headline or email subject line is not "clickbait." 010
Kristen Hawley @kristenhawley.bsky.social · 06/11/2023It's a restaurant! It's a tech company! It's a hopeful robot salad company! Also, cheers to fun weekend headlines. My latest for Fast Company: www.fastcompany.com/90977050/swe...fastcompany.comfastcompany.com 000
Kristen Hawley @kristenhawley.bsky.social · 01/11/2023My newsletter's color palette has been knocked off twice in one week. Thanks I'm... flattered? 000
Kristen Hawley @kristenhawley.bsky.social · 01/11/2023I just wrapped a magazine feature about a different Softbank-funded... adventure that I've been immersed in for months and I still can't believe this company's story.wsj.comWSJ News Exclusive | WeWork Plans to File for Bankruptcy as Early as Next WeekOnce a venture capital-backed star with an astronomical valuation, the flexible-office-space provider is now preparing for chapter 11 protection 000
Kristen Hawley @kristenhawley.bsky.social · 26/10/2023Surprised it wasn't higher, tbh www.sfgate.com/tech/article...sfgate.com 000
Kristen Hawley @kristenhawley.bsky.social · 24/10/2023I was considering changing the color of Expedite's background, but it's now apparently recognized by the paper of record as the official color of restaurant technology coverage on the internet. 010
Kristen Hawley @kristenhawley.bsky.social · 23/10/2023Real "old man yells at cloud" vibes from this one that seems like it's trying to insult the restaurant's owners but just makes the critic seem hopelessly grumpy and out of touch, extremely obscure book reference from the '70s included.ny.eater.comThis East Village Hype Machine Charges $28 for Two ShrimpA meal at Foxface Natural channels artist Salvador Dalí 000
Kristen Hawley @kristenhawley.bsky.social · 11/10/2023I don't know why we are begging the "pivot to video" people to support journalism when they're literally telling us they don't understand the news business. I also don't know the right way forward, but I'm pretty sure they aren't it. (I'm down to help build whatever it is.) 110
Kristen Hawley @kristenhawley.bsky.social · 04/10/2023Forget Yelp, the WhatsApp first grade parents' group chat is going off about the brand new donut shop that opened next to school this week. 100
Kristen Hawley @kristenhawley.bsky.social · 20/06/2023Conquering the YouTube algo is one thing; conquering the restaurant world is another entirely. Thoughts on those deleted tweets and MrBeast’s intention to bail on his virtual burger joint:expedite.newsVirtual superstar MrBeast meets restaurant realityYou have to master the food *and* the algorithm 010
Kristen Hawley @kristenhawley.bsky.social · 31/05/2023Strange that the Washington Post chose to report this story from San Francisco, no? www.washingtonpost.com/technology/i… 000