2023 Agenda

As you all may have heard, we are in an ice storm this week in Texas. We personally have been without power and internet since 7:00am Wednesday, February 2, 2023 and are forecasted to have it back on Friday, February 3,2023 at 9:00pm. (update: we did not get power back until Saturday…..). This is definitely NOT ideal circumstances the week before the Summit so we appreciate any grace you have inside to share with us. Therefore, any emails / texts are being returned as soon as we can. We are doing our best to charge phones and computers when we have the opportunity. As I am typing this I was able to locate a restaurant that has WIFI and power. Our correspondences to you will be “very vanilla” right now. The Summit is over sold as we did our best to accommodate everyones “just one small favor”. This year there were an abundance of requests and we did our best. With all that being said!!!

Kindly review the agenda and note the following below:

  1. THE APP: Download the Summit App that Scott Beck from Theater Toolkit has so amazingly put together. Go to the App Store and search Dine In Cinema Summit.
  2. TRANSPORTATION: If you having the ability to drive, it would b greatly appreciated. I know that is not typically how we roll, but then we are not in typical circumstances. Clearly grace is needed for us as well as the transportation company. There will be three coach buses arriving at the Magnolia Hotel.  If you are on the smaller side, we will be asking for 3 to be to a seat. Time to get to know your neighbors. I just had three strangers all sit at this table with me. I am sure we will all be besties by the time I leave. I know this is not ideal. If you would prefer to take UBER and not share seats, the locations are all listed on the app… Your patience is appreciated. Do know we will be starting any event when the buses arrive.
  3. EXHIBITOR SEATING: As always, exhibitors take priority with seating. With honoring  all the “special favors” seating is going to be tight and quite possibly not enough for everyone on the list. If you are an exhibitor (green badge), please take a seat first. Vendors (blue badge), please wait until all the exhibitors have been seated. THEN, Vendors, a max of two from your company are able to be seated at this time. If after this there is still room, you may seat the remainder of your group.  If there is not a seat available, you may hang in the lobby. You may choose to swap out your team for different sessions. Again, this is not ideal, and yes, next year new policies will be in place- just a heads up. Therefore, it is important to not get comfortable with how things went this year. Every year is a learning year for us. The evening events are not an issue for attendance.
  4. SWAG BAGS: We have enough for 200 attendees. If you get one great. If not, there is always next year.
  5. SPONSORS: Anytime you see a sponsor, please thank them. They have done an amazing job contributing to this event to make what it is. They will appreciate your love. They are going to talk about themselves, be ready and be respectful. If we don’t have sponsors, we don’t have an event. We, Matt and I, don’t take a salary from this activity. We do it because we passionately believe in this industry or we are insane. We are still assessing. Regardless, your “fun for 2.5 days” is because of sponsors and our free labor. SPONSORS: if your items did not arrive to our office because of the ice storm in Texas, they unfortunately did not make it in the swag bags. 
  6. EVENING EVENTS: Do attend all the evening events. The spirit of the Summit is that we are all together all day and we party at night. It is not high school where you break off because you think you are cooler than others. The events are all paid for. You will have drinks (alcoholic and non) and dinner. If you have extra money to go out on your own, shoot it over this way:) Client meetings can happen on Thursday as we all know you told your work you were at this through Thursday.
  7. NAME TAGS: You will pick up your name tags at the Monday night event or Tuesday morning at EVO. If you do not pick up your name tag at either of these events, you will need to find Amy. Don’t ask Matt. This is not his thing.
  8. PANELISTS/PRESENTORS/MODERATORS/PEOPLE STANDING IN FRONT: If you have not turned in your presentations by now, you are incredibly late. If you do not send them by tomorrow at 3:00pm CST, you will have a slide with your company logo behind you. As you all have been informed, we run off one computer. You may not run a jump drive to us the day of or bring your computer. We do to have time in the overpacked schedule to change computers, hope it works with the projector and what not. We learned this in previous years and we will not be doing that again.

So, with all this being said… We are looking forward to next week to gather, collaborate and inspire with you! The good thing is that the ice was this week. Next week will be easy -we hope.

If you have any questions/comments/concerns email us at contact@dineincinemasummit.com or text Amy at 512-799-8601 or Matt at 512-799-8600.

All our best-

Amy and Matt

UPDATE: made two friends of the three. No, I did not invite them to the Summit, but I did buy them a drink in exchange for a charger.

The agenda for the 2023 Summit is posted below. This agenda is not yet 100% finalized and could change prior to the event as long as you are seeing this sentence!

Monday, February 6, 2023

Time Description Details
6:30pm – 9:30pm The Party Is Just Beginning Evening Networking Event at

3Eleven Kitchen & Cocktails
311 North Market Street, Dallas, TX 75202 MAP

Sponsored by:



Tuesday, February 7, 2023

Time Description Details
7:30am Bus Departs from Magnolia Hotel
(1401 Commerce St, Dallas, TX 75201 MAP) for Breakfast & Morning Sessions at

EVO Entertainment
1450 Plaza Pl, Southlake, TX 76092 MAP

8:00am Breakfast, Welcome, Introductions & Tour at EVO Entertainment Sponsored by:

9:15am Bernadette McCabe, Spotlight Cinema Network
9:30am Presentation: Why Should You Add FEC to Your Theater

Presented by David Wallace, CEO of Turfway Entertainment Management

Sponsored by:
10:30am Panel: Why Should You Add FEC to Your Theater

Discussion will be lead by Jason Wistreich, Principal at JKRP

Panel members will include:

  • Jay Saladino, Brunswick
  • Brian Duke, Semnox
  • Britannie Betti, Betson Enterprises
  • Gary Arvedon, Amusement Products
  • Justin Michaels, Redemption Plus
  • Geordyn Zile, Delta Strike
Sponsored by:

11:30am
11:45am Panel: Assembling Your Team of Consultants for Success

Discussion will be lead by J. Sperling Reich, Executive Editor, Celluloid Junkie

Panel members will include:

  • JR Huyck, QuibicaAMF
  • Adam Kleinhenz, Shaffer Distributing
  • Sonya Terry, Trainertainment
  • Dave Wallace, Turfway Entertainment Management
  • Phil Schissler, Twin Shores
  • Robert McCall, JKRP
Sponsored by:
1:00pm Bus Departs for Lunch & Afternoon Sessions at

Galaxy Theatres Granscape
5740 Grandscape Blvd The Colony, Texas 75056 MAP

2:00pm Lunch and Tour at Galaxy Theatres Sponsored by:

3:00pm Panel: Dine In – Profit Up

Discussion will be lead by Michael Giacinto, Proctor Co.

Panel members will include:

  • Kim Cook-Sorano, Galaxy Theatres
  • Rich O’Brien, Elevation Food Service
  • Jay Brunkow, Johnson Pike
  • Russell Vannorsdel, Fridley Theaters
Sponsored by:


4:00pm Happy Hour Sponsored by:
4:15pm Panel: Thinking About Adding a Kitchen and a Bar – Processes to Consider

Discussion will be lead by Dave Ballew, VP Construction at Hamilton Commercial.

Panel members will include:

  • Amber Richards, Director of National Accounts – Amundsen Commercial Kitchens
  • Vince Simms, Owner – Simco Design Company
  • Theresa English, TK Architects
  • Jeffrey Broderick – EDC Construction
  • Jeff Mann, VP Food and Beverage, EVO Entertainment
  • Nick Vega, VP of Operations, EVO Entertainment
Sponsored by:
5:00pm
5:15pm Panel: Website, Mobile Apps and Other Customer-Facing Solutions That Impact Your Business

Discussion will be lead by Matt Mader, Founder/President at Venue Valet

Panel members will include:

  • Kevin Greer/Jason Green, Theater Toolkit
  • Carrie Dietrich, Influx Worldwide
  • Jarrett Rawn, Mobile Moviegoing
  • John Burrows, Vista
  • Jon Love, RTS
  • Scott Hanlon/Michelle Coull, Boxoffice Co.
Sponsored by:
6:45pm Bus Departs for Evening Event
7:30pm – 10:30pm The Party Continues Evening Networking Event at

The HUB
1289 Johnson Rd, Allen, TX 75013 MAP

A fantastic dueling piano act will be playing live!

Sponsored by:


Wednesday, February 8, 2023

Time Description Details
7:30am Bus Departs from Magnolia Hotel
(1401 Commerce St, Dallas, TX 75201 MAP) for Breakfast & Morning Sessions at

Look Cinemas
10110 Technology Blvd E, Dallas, TX 75220 MAP

8:00am Breakfast & Tour at Look Cinemas Sponsored by:

8:45am Presentation: Motivational Speaker

Presented by Gary Arvedon, Amusement Products

Sponsored by:
9:15am
9:30am Presentation/Panel: Robots – Lending a Helping Hand to Your Overwhelmed Staff

Discussion will be lead by Matt Mader, Venue Valet

Panel members will include:

  • Phil Zheng, Enterprise Sales Director, Richtech Robotics
  • Curtis Stavich, BowlMarc
  • Chance Robertson, President/CEO, Flix Brewhouse
  • Luis Olloqui Aguirre, Cinepolis
Sponsored by:

10:25am
10:30am Presentation/Panel: Get The Most From Your Team

Discussion will be lead by Beth Standlee, CEO Trainertainment

Panel members will include:

  • David Meillier, VP of Operations, Flix Brewhouse
  • Albert Waitt, Director of Operations, Smitty’s Cinemas
  • Alison Meyer, Director of FEC Operations, Fridley Theatres
  • Jason Petro, Sr. Director of Operations, Star Cinema Grill
  • Donald Terry, VP Operations Administrator, Malco Theatres
  • Jordan Michael, President, Alamo DFW
Sponsored by:
11:30am Q&A: Operations… How’s it Going?

Discussion will be lead by Matt Mader, Venue Valet

Sponsored by:
12:00pm
12:15pm Presentation: Financing Alternatives

Discussion will be lead by Ralph Willis, EFA Partners

Sponsored by:
1:30pm Bus Departs for Lunch & Afternoon Sessions at

Movie Tavern
2204 Airport Fwy, Bedford, TX 76022 MAP

2:00pm Lunch and Tour at Movie Tavern Sponsored by:
3:00pm Panel: How To Make Your Advertising Profitable

Discussion will be lead by Daniel Loria, Boxoffice Live

Panel members will include:

  • Brandon Jones, Filmfrog
  • Kevin Loughery, Prospr Communications
Sponsored by:
4:00pm Happy Hour Sponsored by:


4:15pm Presentation: ICA – State of the Union

Speakers will include:

  • Gina DiSanto, Sky Vu Drive-In
  • Mark O’Meara, University Mall Theatres
  • Joel Davis, Premiere Cinemas
  • Steve Joudi, Crescendo
Sponsored by:
5:00pm Panel: “Order Confirmed” – Winning your Customers’ Appetites and Associates’ Hearts through Digital Ordering

Discussion will be lead by Hat, Founder and CEO of Influx Worldwide

Panel members will include:

  • Rob Novak- Marcus Theatres
  • Chance Robertson- Flix Brewhouse
  • Haley Keegan- Toast
Sponsored by:
6:00pm Wrap Up, Q&A

Discussion will be lead by Matt and Amy Mader, Venue Valet

Sponsored by:
6:45pm Bus Departs for Evening Event
7:30pm – 10:30pm The Party Never Ends Evening Networking Event at

House of Blues
2200 North Lamar, Dallas, TX 75202 MAP

Austin Music Legend, Bob Schneider, will be playing live!

Sponsored by: