Food Service Keynote Speaker Ryan Jenkins
Wall Street Journal Bestselling Leadership Author
and Award-Winning Keynote Speaker
Build More Connected Food Service Teams
Food service is a people business. From frontline employees and managers to operations, distribution, manufacturing, and corporate teams, the customer experience depends on people working well together.
Today’s food service and food industry organizations are navigating talent shortages, high employee turnover, changing customer expectations, rapid advances in AI and technology, and a multigenerational workforce with up to five generations working side by side.
Today's food service organizations are working to:
Strengthen teamwork and communication across frontline, operations, leadership, and corporate teams
Connect a multigenerational workforce with different expectations, experiences, and communication styles
Attract, engage, develop, and retain the next generation of employees and leaders
Create stronger connections between employees, managers, and the organization
Prepare teams to embrace AI and technology while strengthening the human skills technology can’t replace
Build cultures where employees feel supported, connected, and motivated to deliver exceptional customer experiences
Ryan equips food service professionals with practical, research-backed strategies to build stronger relationships, communicate more effectively across generations, and create teamwork that drives better performance.
Whether speaking to executives, franchisees, operators, frontline leaders, emerging leaders, corporate teams, or industry associations, Ryan delivers an engaging keynote experience with actionable insights that strengthen workplace culture, improve collaboration, and prepare people for what’s next.
Great customer experiences start with connected employee experiences.
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Ryan’s Keynote Topics for
Food Service Organizations
Connectable
Strengthening Relationships to Improve Teamwork, Engagement & Customer Experience
Food service runs on relationships. The connections employees have with managers, teammates, and customers directly influence engagement, teamwork, retention, and the experience customers receive.
Ryan reveals practical strategies to strengthen workplace relationships and create cultures where people feel seen, supported, and connected.
Improve teamwork across frontline, operations, leadership, and corporate teams.
Strengthen relationships between employees and managers.
Create greater connection and belonging across shifts, locations, and teams.
Build stronger employee experiences that positively impact the customer experience.
Generational Connection
Leading & Working Across Generations in Food Service
Few industries experience generational change as directly as food service. Today’s organizations employ people across generations while often relying heavily on Gen Z and emerging talent to power the frontline workforce.
Ryan helps leaders and employees move beyond generational stereotypes to understand what’s shaping each generation—and how to turn those differences into an advantage.
Understand what motivates different generations at work.
Improve communication and teamwork across generations.
Equip managers to lead younger and emerging employees more effectively.
Attract, engage, develop, and retain the next generation of talent.
Create stronger connections between experienced leaders and younger employees.
Team Binding
The Relationship Advantage in the Age of AI
As AI, automation, and technology transform how food service organizations operate, strong human relationships become even more valuable.
Ryan introduces the practical habits and systems that help teams continuously strengthen trust, alignment, and support…even across different locations, roles, and shifts.
Build stronger, more connected teams.
Strengthen trust and collaboration across roles and locations.
Prepare employees to embrace AI and technological change.
Move beyond occasional team building and create continuous team binding.
Every leader needs
to hear Ryan.
-Patrick Lencioni
Who Should Book Ryan Jenkins for Food Service Events?
01
Food Service Executives & Senior Leaders
Equip leaders with practical strategies to strengthen culture, improve teamwork, navigate generational differences, retain talent, and lead people confidently through industry change.
02
Operators, Managers & Frontline Leaders
Give the leaders closest to employees practical tools to strengthen relationships, communicate across generations, improve teamwork, and create more connected employee experiences.
03
HR, Talent & Emerging Leader Programs
Help current and future leaders engage a multigenerational workforce, strengthen retention, develop younger employees, and build the next generation of food service leaders.
04
Food Industry Associations & Conferences
Bring an engaging, research-backed keynote speaker to your event who understands the people side of food service…from generations and teamwork to employee engagement, human connection, leadership, AI, and the future of work.
Food Service Organizations Ryan Has Worked With
Chick-fil-A
Pepsi
CVS
Bruster’s Ice Cream
Kimberly-Clark
Smithfield Foods
SNAC International
Illuminators
NextUp
Women Lead Change
Coca-Cola
Walmart
Conagra Brands
Kellanova
Sargento
Shoppers Drug Mart
Women Empowerment Summit (WES)
National Association of College & University Food Services (NACUFS)
The Impact of Ryan Jenkins'
Keynotes on Food Service Organizations
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Stronger Teamwork & Team Connection
Create more connected teams that communicate better, collaborate more effectively, and build greater trust across shifts, locations, functions, and levels.
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Greater Employee Engagement & Retention
Strengthen the relationships employees have with managers, teammates, and the organization—creating cultures where people are more likely to feel supported, engaged, and committed.
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Better Generational Collaboration
Bridge communication gaps across generations and equip leaders to better understand, engage, and work alongside employees of different ages and experiences.
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Stronger Frontline Leaders
Give managers practical tools to build trust, communicate effectively, create connection, and lead increasingly multigenerational teams.
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Better Customer Experiences
Strengthen the employee relationships behind the customer experience. When teams communicate better, trust one another, and feel more connected, they’re better equipped to deliver the consistent service customers expect.
THE BUZZ
Excitement from Engaged Audiences:
“Ryan sparked insights and ideas that I can apply in my team and across our company."
- Donna Kimmel, Chief People Officer at Citrix
“The best speaker we’ve ever had!”
- Ashley Breedlove, Director at CVS
“Ryan was phenomenal!”
- Kaylin Orr, Kimberly-Clark
“Great feedback from ALL attendees!”
- Mariana Fagnilli, VP at Liberty Mutual
"Utterly groundbreaking! Ryan equipped us to build a more connected organization with improved engagement.”
- Melissa Bernstein, Co-founder of Melissa & Doug
Why Book Ryan Jenkins for Food Service Events?
Food Service-Relevant, Research-Backed Insights
Ryan understands the people challenges facing today’s food service organizations…from generations and frontline engagement to teamwork, talent retention, leadership, and technological change. Every keynote is grounded in research and translated into practical strategies your people can use immediately.
Engaging, Practical & Actionable
Ryan combines compelling stories, humor, audience interaction, and practical takeaways to create a keynote that’s both engaging and immediately useful. Attendees leave energized, and equipped with ideas they can put into practice the very next day.
Customized for Your Organization
No two food service organizations or audiences are the same. Every keynote is tailored to your people, incorporating your goals, challenges, culture, workforce dynamics, and industry realities so the message feels relevant and specific.
Ready to Build a More Connected Food Service Workforce?
Strengthen teamwork, bridge generational gaps, engage your frontline workforce, develop stronger leaders, and create the employee connections that drive better customer experiences.