For more than 65 years, Midland has built its reputation by developing innovative communication solutions that help people stay connected when reliability matters most. From pioneering two-way radio technology to advancing modern wearable communications, the company has continually adapted to changing customer needs. Today, Midland is carrying that tradition forward with the launch of CLIPTALK, a lightweight, wearable communication solution designed to help restaurant and foodservice teams communicate faster, smarter, and more efficiently.
“Customer expectations have increased in terms of a restaurant’s ability to consistently perform efficiently,” said Lisa Pruetting, Brand-First Marketing Director for Midland. “That means making sure that you’re delivering what the customer expectation is on time and accomplishing that by being able to communicate clearly with your team to do that.”
The challenge extends well beyond simply talking between the front and back of the house. Modern restaurants are operating multiple businesses under one roof. Servers, kitchen staff, managers, catering teams, curbside pickup personnel, and delivery coordinators must all stay synchronized while serving guests who expect speed and accuracy. Pruetting added that many of the communication challenges Midland heard from operators involved employee turnover and equipment that simply wasn’t designed for today’s workplace. “As you hire staff and experience turnover, you end up with people from various professional backgrounds with expertise in different tech,” she added. “A lot what we were hearing about is that business owners would have to reinvest in radios year after year. Employees are either dropping them or not taking care of them as well as they should be. We wanted to have a device that eliminates the challenges that come with bulky handhelds and wired radios.”
For restaurant operators developing a communication strategy, the first step is identifying every point where information must move quickly throughout the operation. Orders must flow from the dining room to the kitchen. Managers must coordinate staffing adjustments. Catering teams need immediate updates. Beverage stations, pickup counters, and kitchen production all depend on rapid communication to maintain service standards.
According to Pruetting, these aren’t separate functions—they’re interconnected systems. “What we see is you have your full operation, but then you have operations within that,” she noted. “Being able to clearly communicate to the staff in the back who are preparing the food to the front service for people who need to be more customer facing—the entire operation is built on communication. What we wanted to do is make a very streamlined, lightweight, easy-to-use communication device to be able to make that all work more efficiently as a machine. Because I think we all know when you work efficiently, you’re able to produce faster and meet those customer expectations.”
That input led Midland to develop CLIPTALK, a wearable two-way radio designed specifically for fast-paced environments. Unlike traditional radios that require bulky belt packs or wires, the device clips directly onto clothing and is small enough that employees can wear it comfortably throughout an entire shift. “CLIPTALK is a two-way radio. You don’t need a business license or a GMRS license to operate it, so it works right out of the box. You have a push-to-talk button that you push to transmit, or you can use VOX through our mobile app that allows you to utilize your voice to transmit that communication as well, so truly hands free at that point. It clips directly on your clothing, so it’s very lightweight. We wanted to aim towards something that employees felt comfortable wearing and eliminate any complaining. It really does feel like you’re not wearing anything, and that’s how lightweight it is and comfortable it is.”
Restaurant environments also present another obstacle: noise. Kitchens, dish rooms, dining rooms, and bars create constant background sound that can interfere with communication. Midland addressed that challenge by incorporating Automatic Noise Canceling technology. “That noise cancellation removes the background noise from the person who is speaking,” Pruetting detailed. “If they are transmitting, it will pick up their voice and remove the background noise. So, on the receiving side, you hear crystal clear communication. You are no longer missing a message and having to ask people to repeat themselves.”
The industry’s labor shortage makes efficient communication even more valuable. When fewer employees are responsible for serving more guests, reducing mistakes becomes critical.
Following its introduction at the recent National Restaurant Association Show, Midland received strong feedback from operators across multiple foodservice segments. “It was a really good show for us—overall, very positive,” Pruetting concluded. “Operators, consultants, everybody really understood the value of the lightweight wearable communication piece of it. They saw clear applications for restaurants, hospitality, events, and service teams. Even coffee shops are starting to understand, ‘Wait, I don’t have to yell in the back to get more straws or cups.’ You can have a better experience for your customers when you can just easily communicate that. When you have a good experience with your consumers, you’re going to have repeat customers.”
Restaurant operators and foodservice distributors interested in developing a communication strategy can work through their existing distribution partners or contact Midland directly for additional information about CLIPTALK and its communication solutions. Visit midlandusa.com or call 816-241-8500 to learn more.
