Hospitality is our field of study — a discipline and a philosophy. It is the art and science of convening people and place into an act of shared meaning. Dinner Theory exists to advance this discipline — to examine it critically, to practice it rigorously, and to evolve it responsibly.
The central premise of our theory is radical empathy. Every successful enterprise begins with an understanding of those it serves: the guest, the team, the community, and the landscape. To build a restaurant, bar, or hotel is to enter into a dialogue with culture itself. Radical empathy is the infrastructure we build this upon.
We believe that hospitality is alive. It shifts with economies, technologies, ecologies, and cultures. We don’t claim to offer static solutions, but dynamic frameworks; scaffolding for organizations to adapt, endure, and flourish.
FOUNDED BY KYLE MCKINLEY
If hospitality had a university, Kyle would’ve been a tenured professor, except he skipped the degree and went straight to the research. With over ten years of turning theory into practice, he’s guided projects from napkin sketch to grand opening, from franchise strategy to farewell toast. He’s obsessed with making systems scale, menus sing, and guest experiences stick—whether in white-tablecloth dining rooms, bustling food halls, or fast-casual spots across the Southeast.
