Health and wellness were cruising as foodservice trends before the coronavirus pandemic. From organic foods to plant-based meat alternatives, and from gluten-free to clean-label, nutritious buzzwords drove sales to quick serves and fast casuals alike and commanded the lion's share of attention when it came to conversations surrounding menu innovation. But is that still the case? With the nation plunged into both a global pandemic and a recession, is there still a role for healthy trends? Jeff Le...
Jul 10, 2020•40 min
Solid financials have always been a priority for franchisees looking for the next brand to add to their portfolios. And a wide range of incentives has become a nice way for foodservice brands to appeal to new franchise partners. But now more than ever, in the midst of a global pandemic, a great partnership between franchisee and franchisor has become a critical selling point for any limited-service company hoping to expand through franchising. Tropical Smoothie Cafe is one such brand focused on ...
Jul 08, 2020•29 min
Grindhouse Killer Burgers may not have much acclaim outside its home markets of Atlanta and Athens, Georgia, but locals have fallen in love with its funky vibe and premium burgers. The concept—which has three brick-and-mortars in Atlanta and one in Athens, along with a spot in Atlanta's airport—boasts welcoming patios, full bars, and decor that spotlights low-budget grindhouse flicks of yesteryear. In the first part of this episode, founder Alex Brounstein details the story behind Grindhouse and...
Jun 26, 2020•1 hr 10 min
We're continuing with our series of mini episodes helping restaurants through the coronavirus pandemic. With input from operators, vendors, consultants, data analysts, and more, these mini episodes will facilitate incredibly important conversation on how we can collectively survive the coronavirus crisis. Next up: Toby Espinosa is vice president of business development at DoorDash, the third-party delivery platform that's rocketed to popularity since launching seven years ago, but has especially...
Jun 24, 2020•38 min
We're continuing with our series of mini episodes helping restaurants through the coronavirus pandemic. With input from operators, vendors, consultants, data analysts, and more, these mini episodes will facilitate incredibly important conversation on how we can collectively survive the coronavirus crisis. Next up: James Walker is SVP of restaurants for Nathan's Famous, an iconic American company founded in 1916—two years before the Spanish Influenza pandemic. Walker joins the podcast to discuss ...
Jun 17, 2020•27 min
We're continuing with our series of mini episodes helping restaurants through the coronavirus pandemic. With input from operators, vendors, consultants, data analysts, and more, these mini episodes will facilitate incredibly important conversation on how we can collectively survive the coronavirus crisis. Next up: Pinky Cole is founder of Slutty Vegan, a plant-based concept based in Atlanta. Pinky joins the podcast to share the story of Slutty Vegan, her goals for the brand, and what she's learn...
Jun 12, 2020•51 min
We're continuing with our series of mini episodes helping restaurants through the coronavirus pandemic. With input from operators, vendors, consultants, data analysts, and more, these mini episodes will facilitate incredibly important conversation on how we can collectively survive the coronavirus crisis. Next up: Scott Davis is president of CoreLife Eatery, a lifestyle fast-casual franchise with a focus on real, wholesome food served in more than 60 locations. Davis joins the podcast to discuss...
Jun 05, 2020•24 min
We're continuing with our series of mini episodes helping restaurants through the coronavirus pandemic. With input from operators, vendors, consultants, data analysts, and more, these mini episodes will facilitate incredibly important conversation on how we can collectively survive the coronavirus crisis. Next up: Mike McFall is co-CEO of Biggby Coffee, a Michigan-based coffee brand with nearly 250 locations in 11 states. He joins the podcast to talk about how the company has continued to sell f...
Jun 02, 2020•24 min
We're continuing with our series of mini episodes helping restaurants through the coronavirus pandemic. With input from operators, vendors, consultants, data analysts, and more, these mini episodes will facilitate incredibly important conversation on how we can collectively survive the coronavirus crisis. Next up: Michelle Bythewood is president of Salata, a Houston-based salad fast casual with 90 locations in seven states. She joins the podcast to discuss Salata's Safety Promise, how it's keepi...
May 29, 2020•22 min
We're continuing with our series of mini episodes helping restaurants through the coronavirus pandemic. With input from operators, vendors, consultants, data analysts, and more, these mini episodes will facilitate incredibly important conversation on how we can collectively survive the coronavirus crisis. Next up: Aaron Noveshen is founder and CEO of innovation agency The Culinary Edge, as well as CEO of the Bay Area premium fast food brand Starbird. He joins the podcast to talk about how Starbi...
May 26, 2020•43 min
We're continuing with our series of mini episodes helping restaurants through the coronavirus pandemic. With input from operators, vendors, consultants, data analysts, and more, these mini episodes will facilitate incredibly important conversation on how we can collectively survive the coronavirus crisis. Next up: Otto Othman is cofounder and CEO of Miami-based fast casual PINCHO, an emerging brand that has so far made it through the coronavirus pandemic relatively unscathed. Othman joins the po...
May 22, 2020•26 min
We're continuing with our series of mini episodes helping restaurants through the coronavirus pandemic. With input from operators, vendors, consultants, data analysts, and more, these mini episodes will facilitate incredibly important conversation on how we can collectively survive the coronavirus crisis. Next up: Michael Osanloo is president and CEO of Portillo's, a beloved Chicago institution that has served Italian beef sandwiches, hot dogs, and other regional specialties for more than 50 yea...
May 21, 2020•28 min
We're continuing with our series of mini episodes helping restaurants through the coronavirus pandemic. With input from operators, vendors, consultants, data analysts, and more, these mini episodes will facilitate incredibly important conversation on how we can collectively survive the coronavirus crisis. Next up: Tony Libardi is president and COO of Marco's Pizza, a national pizza chain that has seen year-over-year sales grow by 20 percent system-wide during the pandemic. He joins the podcast t...
May 19, 2020•31 min
Peter Cancro's success story is unlike any other in the restaurant industry. When he was just 17 years old, Cancro purchased the sub shop where he worked on the Jersey Shore, and he transformed it into a thriving sandwich franchise that now has more than 1,700 U.S. locations that do over $1 billion annually in sales. But the numbers don't paint the whole story; Jersey Mike's has also been renowned for the ways in which it takes care of people, both in its communities and in its franchise system....
May 15, 2020•41 min
We're continuing with our series of mini episodes helping restaurants through the coronavirus pandemic. With input from operators, vendors, consultants, data analysts, and more, these mini episodes will facilitate incredibly important conversation on how we can collectively survive the coronavirus crisis. Next up: Adrienne Ingoldt is chief brand and experience officer at Jack in the Box, a national chain known for its irreverent personality and humorous marketing campaigns. She joins the podcast...
May 12, 2020•25 min
We're continuing with our series of mini episodes helping restaurants through the coronavirus pandemic. With input from operators, vendors, consultants, data analysts, and more, these mini episodes will facilitate incredibly important conversation on how we can collectively survive the coronavirus crisis. Next up: Kyle Welch is the president of Epic Burger, a Chicago-based fast casual his group acquired only about a year ago. Welch joins the podcast to talk about how he's doubled down on innovat...
May 07, 2020•28 min
We're continuing with our series of mini episodes helping restaurants through the coronavirus pandemic. With input from operators, vendors, consultants, data analysts, and more, these mini episodes will facilitate incredibly important conversation on how we can collectively survive the coronavirus crisis. Next up: Scott Deviney is president and CEO of Chicken Salad Chick, a fast-growing franchise with more than 150 locations in the U.S. Deviney joins the podcast to discuss the brand's momentum i...
May 05, 2020•28 min
We're continuing with our series of mini episodes helping restaurants through the coronavirus pandemic. With input from operators, vendors, consultants, data analysts, and more, these mini episodes will facilitate incredibly important conversation on how we can collectively survive the coronavirus crisis. Next up: Kyle Noonan is CEO and cofounder of FreeRange Concepts, a Dallas-based company with four brands comprising 11 primarily full-service restaurants. With Texas on the cusp of reopening it...
May 01, 2020•29 min
We're continuing with our series of mini episodes helping restaurants through the coronavirus pandemic. With input from operators, vendors, consultants, data analysts, and more, these mini episodes will facilitate incredibly important conversation on how we can collectively survive the coronavirus crisis. Next up: The restaurant industry has stepped up during unprecedented times to provide for those in need, including medical professionals, essential business workers, the unemployed, and hungry ...
Apr 28, 2020•19 min
The Chicago-based fast casual Wow Bao isn't just an exciting Asian fast casual with a lot of opportunity for growth at a time when Americans are more interested in global flavors than ever. It's also a tech-forward concept that has leaned into platforms like kiosks and digital ordering way before other foodservice brands. Spearheading that innovation is president Geoff Alexander. In this two-part conversation with QSR editor Sam Oches, Alexander first shares the story of how Wow Bao came to be a...
Apr 23, 2020•1 hr 19 min
We're continuing with our series of mini episodes helping restaurants through the coronavirus pandemic. With input from operators, vendors, consultants, data analysts, and more, these mini episodes will facilitate incredibly important conversation on how we can collectively survive the coronavirus crisis. Next up: Michael Lastoria is cofounder and CEO of &pizza, a fast-casual pizza concept based in Washington, D.C., that has made culture and community impact as critical to its success as the...
Apr 21, 2020•44 min
We're continuing with our series of mini episodes helping restaurants through the coronavirus pandemic. With input from operators, vendors, consultants, data analysts, and more, these mini episodes will facilitate incredibly important conversation on how we can collectively survive the coronavirus crisis. Next up: Brandon Landry is the founder and CEO of Walk-On's Bistreaux & Bar, a Baton Rouge, Louisiana–based sports-pub concept. In this interview with FSR magazine editor Nicole Duncan, Lan...
Apr 17, 2020•24 min
We're continuing with our series of mini episodes helping restaurants through the coronavirus pandemic. With input from operators, vendors, consultants, data analysts, and more, these mini episodes will facilitate incredibly important conversation on how we can collectively survive the coronavirus scare. Next up: Todd Graves is the founder and CEO of Raising Cane's, a billion-dollar chicken-finger chain known for its brand culture and impressive performance metrics. He discusses the brand's evol...
Apr 16, 2020•25 min
We're continuing with our series of mini episodes helping restaurants through the coronavirus pandemic. With input from operators, vendors, consultants, data analysts, and more, these mini episodes will facilitate incredibly important conversation on how we can collectively survive the coronavirus scare. Next up: We want to hear from you! What do you think the restaurant industry looks like in a post-coronavirus world? Which trends survive this season, and which don't? Listen for instructions on...
Apr 09, 2020•18 min
We're continuing with our series of mini episodes helping restaurants through the coronavirus pandemic. With input from operators, vendors, consultants, data analysts, and more, these mini episodes will facilitate incredibly important conversation on how we can collectively survive the coronavirus scare. Next up: Kirby Bumpus is head of social impact at sweetgreen. She joins the podcast to discuss the fast casual's latest commitment to feed medical professionals through its Impact Outpost Fund, ...
Apr 06, 2020•18 min
We're continuing with our series of mini episodes helping restaurants through the coronavirus pandemic. With input from operators, vendors, consultants, data analysts, and more, these mini episodes will facilitate incredibly important conversation on how we can collectively survive the coronavirus scare. Next up: Darren Bosik is senior director at APCO Worldwide, a strategic communications consultancy. He discusses data released by his firm that shows restaurants coming up short in their messagi...
Apr 03, 2020•21 min
We're continuing with our series of mini episodes helping restaurants through the coronavirus pandemic. With input from operators, vendors, consultants, data analysts, and more, these mini episodes will facilitate incredibly important conversation on how we can collectively survive the coronavirus scare. Next up: Eric Cacciatore is the host of "Restaurant Unstoppable," a popular podcast featuring hundreds of conversations with restaurant professionals. Cacciatore has been hosting a series of "Co...
Apr 02, 2020•33 min
We're continuing with our series of mini episodes helping restaurants through the coronavirus pandemic. With input from operators, vendors, consultants, data analysts, and more, these mini episodes will facilitate incredibly important conversation on how we can collectively survive the coronavirus scare. Next up: Akash Kapoor is CEO of Curry Up Now, an Indian fast casual that emerged from the Bay Area in the last few years and has been franchising around the U.S. Kapoor discusses how coronavirus...
Apr 01, 2020•23 min
We're continuing with our series of mini episodes helping restaurants through the coronavirus pandemic. With input from operators, vendors, consultants, data analysts, and more, these mini episodes will facilitate incredibly important conversation on how we can collectively survive the coronavirus scare. Next up: Laura Rea Dickey is CEO of Dickey's Barbecue Pit, which has more than 500 locations across the U.S. She talks about how the brand has evolved its service structure and menu offerings in...
Mar 31, 2020•24 min
We're continuing with our series of mini episodes helping restaurants through the coronavirus pandemic. With input from operators, vendors, consultants, data analysts, and more, these mini episodes will facilitate incredibly important conversation on how we can collectively survive the coronavirus scare. Next up: Michael McHenry is the founder of The McHenry Group, a Salt Lake City–based restaurant company with both full-service and fast-casual concepts in its portfolio. In this conversation wit...
Mar 31, 2020•23 min
