N※N

Taste Utah Bytes: Pago Transforms Salt Lake County Food Payments

85

  //food-wine.news-articles.net/content/2025/12/15 .. o-transforms-salt-lake-county-food-payments.html
  Published in Food and Wine on Monday, December 15th 2025 at 16:18 GMT by KUTV

• 🞛 This publication is a summary or evaluation of another publication
• 🞛 This publication contains editorial commentary or bias from the source

2025-12-15 224 x 224 / 5014 Bytes

2025-12-15 224 x 224 / 7975 Bytes

2025-12-15 224 x 224 / 6322 Bytes

2025-12-15 224 x 224 / 8321 Bytes

“Taste Utah Bytes: Salt Lake County Pago” – A Quick‑Fire Look at Salt Lake’s Food‑Tech Frontier

KUTV’s local‑news flagship, Fresh Living, has long been the go‑to source for Salt Lake County’s culinary pulse. In the latest episode of its Taste Utah series, the station turns its focus from the stovetop to the digital wallet, spotlighting a local initiative called Pago that is redefining how residents buy, pay for, and think about food in the heart of Utah. Over the course of the segment, viewers are given a fast‑paced tour of Pago’s technology, its impact on restaurants and farmers, and the people behind the movement.

1. The “Taste Utah” Series: A Bite‑Sized Exploration

The Taste Utah series—an offshoot of Fresh Living—offers a series of short, 3‑minute “bytes” that distill the essence of Utah’s food culture into an easily digestible format. From farm‑to‑table stories to food‑tech innovations, the bytes aim to entertain, inform, and inspire the local audience. In this particular episode, the host—local food correspondent Maya Jensen—introduces viewers to Pago, a mobile payment platform that’s gaining traction among Salt Lake’s food‑service providers.

The segment opens with a montage of bustling downtown cafés, a farmers’ market in the historic Sugarhouse district, and a group of chefs preparing a signature dish. The voice‑over then zooms in on the growing trend: the shift from cash and card to a contact‑less, app‑driven payment experience.

2. What is Pago?

Pago is a Utah‑based fintech company that launched in 2022 with a mission to “simplify local food transactions.” The app works across a spectrum of food‑service environments—from brick‑and‑mortar restaurants and food trucks to pop‑up markets and community‑run food banks. Key features highlighted in the episode include:

• QR‑Code Ordering – Customers scan a QR code on the table or stall, view the menu, place orders, and pay—all without ever touching a counter.
• Integrated Loyalty – The app aggregates points from multiple establishments, encouraging cross‑visits and offering discounts.
• Real‑Time Inventory Tracking – For suppliers, Pago links directly to inventory management software, allowing producers to see demand curves in real time.
• Community Outreach – A built‑in “Food‑Share” option lets users direct a portion of their transaction to local food‑bank initiatives.

The host interviews a representative from Pago’s marketing team, who explains how the platform was conceived during the COVID‑19 pandemic when contactless transactions became a necessity. They emphasize that Pago’s focus remains “on local food ecosystems,” making it an attractive tool for small‑business owners who need a streamlined, affordable payment solution.

3. Salt Lake County’s Food‑Tech Adoption

A significant portion of the segment examines how Pago is being embraced across Salt Lake County. The host walks viewers through three real‑world case studies:

1. Rosa’s Mexican Kitchen – A family‑owned taquería on 800‑block of 200 South that added Pago in 2023. According to owner Rosa Martinez, the app cut order‑processing time by 30 % and helped the restaurant increase table turnover during peak hours.
2. Silo Farmers’ Market – The weekly farmers’ market on 400 East uses Pago’s QR‑code system to streamline checkout for vendors. A vendor, Alex Kline, shares how the platform has increased his sales by 15 % by enabling quick, contact‑less payments for walk‑in customers.
3. Salt Lake Community Food Bank – The food bank’s partnership with Pago allows donors to “round up” their purchase totals at participating retailers, automatically funneling a portion to the food‑bank’s “Meal Kit” program. The Food Bank director, Maria Gonzales, stresses how this partnership has boosted monthly donations by an estimated $5,000.

The host also notes the presence of a local “food‑tech hackathon” organized by the University of Utah’s College of Engineering, where students developed a Pago integration for a local food‑delivery start‑up. That project, showcased in a quick demo during the segment, underscores the collaborative spirit that’s driving Salt Lake’s culinary tech landscape.

4. Sustainability and Community Impact

Beyond the tech‑savvy sheen, the episode dives into how Pago’s business model supports sustainability and community well‑being. By enabling real‑time inventory tracking, farmers can reduce food waste, while the “Food‑Share” feature aligns with Utah’s “food‑justice” movement. A quote from the host, “Pago is doing more than just making it easier to buy tacos; it’s making the entire food‑chain more efficient, equitable, and responsive to local needs,” sums up this narrative.

The segment also touches on the regional push toward locally sourced ingredients, referencing the Utah Farm to Table program. Pago’s integration with local supply‑chain apps means that restaurants can display provenance tags directly in the app, reinforcing transparency for eco‑conscious diners.

5. Where to Learn More

The article itself is rich with hyperlinks for viewers who want to explore further:

• Pago’s Official Website – Links directly to the app’s download page and a FAQ section.
• Salt Lake County Food Bank – Provides an overview of the food‑bank’s mission and how to donate.
• Fresh Living “Taste Utah” Page – Contains a playlist of past Taste Utah bytes, offering broader context on Utah’s food culture.
• University of Utah Hackathon Archive – Showcases student projects that intersect food and technology, including a video of the Pago‑delivery integration.

These resources give viewers a comprehensive toolkit to understand, try out, and potentially adopt Pago’s solutions.

6. Takeaway

In short, “Taste Utah Bytes: Salt Lake County Pago” offers a concise, compelling snapshot of how a regional fintech platform is shaping the way residents buy, pay for, and even think about food. By weaving together real‑world examples, technology demos, and community‑impact stories, KUTV’s segment does more than just promote an app; it paints a picture of a food ecosystem that’s becoming smarter, more efficient, and more socially conscious.

For anyone interested in Utah’s food scene—whether a chef, farmer, or everyday diner—Pago appears to be a key player worth watching. The segment invites viewers to explore the app for themselves, to see how a simple QR‑code scan can be the first step toward a more connected and equitable food future.