Hannah Kelly, Resy CMO
To Hannah Kelly, a dinner reservation means more than just holding a table. What lies beneath it is shared moments, new experiences, maybe even shifts in taste. She leads marketing at Resy, the Amex-owned app that powers restaurant bookings. Her job feels less about ads, more about shaping habits – where folks eat, when they go, what draws them out. In her view, the work nudges culture forward, one meal at a time.
Back in 2019, Kelly came aboard Resy right after spending close to ten years at American Express. Leadership opened its doors when the firm bought the young company she helped build. Growth didn’t stop there – what began as booking seats now digs deep into how people eat out. Patterns emerge through collected insights, quietly guiding what shows up on menus and in restaurants today.
Data insights shaping culture
Year after year, Resy puts together a snapshot of what is happening by looking at booking data, changes on menus, plus talks with restaurant teams. Yet according to Kelly, its role isn’t just about noticing trends. With written features and handpicked local guides, the platform brings attention to areas often ignored. It lifts up voices that rarely get space in food media. Often, it quietly leads people to try dishes they might skip without a hint.
Even as lockdowns hit hard, Chinatown eateries struggled – not just with money but also unfair blame – yet Resy stepped up by telling their stories loud and clear. This push for attention hasn’t faded; now it lives inside the app’s Explore section, where local spotlights and clever roundups nudge eaters toward new tastes and corners they might skip.
Numbers show where things can change, for Kelly. That is when stories take over, building movement. What adds strength? Hard data meets human talk. Opportunity comes from charts – energy comes from how it’s told.
Working With American Express
Growing the list of restaurants is one thing Resy focuses on, while also working to get more guests involved. Even so, it fits into something bigger – how American Express connects services together. Dining gets pushed through the app, which naturally leads people to use their cards more often. Stronger ties with businesses come from that steady push too.
Younger customers now care more about moments than things, Kelly points out. Eating at restaurants ranks high among how they spend on trips and fun. Because of this shift, Resy’s rise helps Amex stay relevant in dining and daily life perks.
Handling Seasonal Changes and Keeping People Involved
After the holidays, fewer people eat out, so many eateries earn less around December into January – sometimes up to thirty percent less. Watching this pattern unfold every year, Kelly’s group crafts messages aimed at keeping customers coming back even when traffic dips.
Empty chairs around silent tables – that’s what caught people’s eye one morning. Because of those quiet scenes, more diners walked into restaurants when business usually dips. Interest grew fast, not just among customers but owners too. New places started joining once they saw others benefiting. Marketing here did two things at once – helped profits rise and kept local spots alive.
Technology and brand connection
Behind the scenes, Resy runs tools that help restaurants manage their seating. Though less flashy than glossy food picks, these systems keep things moving smoothly day to day. What powers the experience isn’t always what you see first.
Besides everything else, liking the brand still matters most. Tools like Notify – sending alerts when spots become available – work alongside Global Dining Access, a perk for certain American Express customers, shaping how Resy stands out as a door to unique moments. Instead of focusing only on booking, it leans into occasions: birthdays, evenings out, trying places you’ve never seen.
What keeps the system working matters a lot. Resy stands strong when it comes to blocking fake reservations made by bots, joining legal moves in places like New York and also Florida to stop automatic bookings done unfairly. Keeping things even for eateries along with guests fits how Kelly pushes honesty and clear rules. A stable setup depends on choices like these.
Empathetic Leadership
Out past noon, Kelly says grit shapes how she moves through work. Curiosity tags along, not far behind, while kindness quietly guides who she listens to. Fair play at the table? That mirrors how things should run in big meetings too. Talking straight matters, sure – so does giving space to others’ voices. Stories get told here, but only if they feel true. Trust builds slow when actions match words.
Fueled by personal ties, Kelly names Philadelphia when questioned on emerging U.S. food cities. Its buzz isn’t just local – national attention has taken notice. A surge of inventive energy backs her pick. Tradition once ruled coastlines; now, inland beats with different rhythm. Movement shifts where palates wander.
Facing tomorrow, Kelly sees dining go beyond booking a table. What matters grows from connection – amplifying different stories, shaping spaces where people truly meet. The heartbeat stays in moments lived across a meal, real and unfiltered.
