Episodes
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What happens when you combine high-tech miniature golf and food?
This week’s episode of the Restaurant Business podcast A Deeper Dive features Joe Vrankin, the CEO of the fast-growing eatertainment concept Puttshack.
Puttshack is an 18-unit chain that combines a full-service restaurant with an indoor game of minigolf—neither of which is all that standard. The minigolf features innovative games featuring a high-tech ball and the food is much better than traditional eatertainment fare.
We talk with Vrankin about the concept, the games and the food. We chat about consumers’ higher expectations for food and why a company like Puttshack cannot overlook the menu. We talk about real estate, and an awful lot about minigolf, and where the chain is going from here.
It’s a fascinating conversation about food and minigolf, so please check it out.
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What is happening at the Restaurant Leadership Conference this year?
We decided to demand that Chris Keating, the EVP of Conferences for Informa Connect, RB’s parent company, talk about the conference, which runs April 14-17. And he was happy to oblige.
We ask about what’s happening at the event and the strategy behind it. We also chat about Martha Stewart, and Chris tells us some of his sports interview stories. And we also talk about whether the conference itself reflects the state of the restaurant business.
We’re talking RLC on a special edition of A Deeper Dive.
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Missing episodes?
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How did Wingstop fix its cost problem?
This week’s episode of the Restaurant Business podcast A Deeper Dive features Michael Skipworth, the chicken chain's CEO.
Wingstop is hitting on all cylinders right now, thanks to the popularity of chicken wings and takeout but also because of its new line of chicken sandwiches, which have helped lure new customers in during different times of day.
But it has also helped the chain with food costs. Chicken wings are the most volatile commodity, certainly among proteins. One year they could hit record prices and the next year they come down considerably. It has given plenty of executives massive headaches trying to deal with them.
But Wingstop’s move into boneless options, like the chicken sandwich, has helped change things. Skipworth talks all about it.
He also discusses technology, delivery and Wingstop’s plan to build its own tech stack and reach its goal of 100% digital transactions.
We’re talking chicken on A Deeper Dive, so please check it out.
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How is Happy Joe’s modernizing its brand?
This week’s episode of the Restaurant Business podcast A Deeper Dive features Tom Sacco, the CEO of Happy Joe’s.
The 52-unit, Iowa-based chain has been around for 50 years. It was sold just before the pandemic. Sacco was brought in as CEO after a career with BJ’s, Ponderosa, Red Robin and Ghiradelli.
The pandemic forced the brand to rethink how it does business, and so Sacco talks about how Happy Joe’s modernized its operations coming out of that period. For instance, it didn’t count transactions.
We discuss the 2022 bankruptcy involving the chain’s corporate units and what led to that. And we talk about the brand’s surprising recent growth. We also discuss the chain’s penchant for small towns as well as taco pizzas and pickle pizzas and how Happy Joe’s was an early developer of both.
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How are restaurants making their C-suites more diverse?
This week’s episode of the Restaurant Business podcast A Deeper Dive features Therese Gearhart, the president and CEO of the Women’s Foodservice Forum.
WFF’s leadership conference is coming up next week, and we figured it’d be a great time to check in on the industry’s track record of hiring women into leadership roles.
The answer is that it’s doing better. Several restaurant chains, including Denny’s and Dutch Bros, have recently hired women to be their CEOs. Three restaurant chains in just the last day hired women to be CEOs: Taco John’s (Heather Neary), Smashburger (Denise Nelsen) and Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream (Jennifer Schuler).
Therese discusses these issues and talks about how restaurants are doing getting people into management roles.
We talk about why it’s financially beneficial for restaurants to do these things. We talk about the upcoming conference, and Therese gives tips for up-and-coming employees to move up in the business and how companies can create more inclusive working environments.
We’re talking women in restaurants on A Deeper Dive, so please check it out.
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What is Corner Bakery doing to right its ship?
This week’s episode of the Restaurant Business podcast A Deeper Dive features Chris Dharod, the CEO of Corner Bakery.
Dharod is with SSCP Management, a franchisee of Applebee’s and Sonic and owner of Cici’s Pizza and Roy’s. The company bought Corner Bakery out of bankruptcy last year.
We had him on the podcast to talk about Corner Bakery and chat about the way in which the acquisition was made.
SSCP acquired the brand by buying the debt on the secondary market and then using that to take over the company out of bankruptcy, a process some folks call loan to own. Dharod talks about that process, its risks and what SSCP looks for in its investments, as well as how it turns them around, which it has done with Cici’s.
Corner Bakery is a particularly difficult process. The brand was owned by the same owner as Boston Market and was having many of the same problems. It didn’t pay many of its bills and was burdened by lawsuits and serious issues.
We talk about what the brand is doing to fix all that, what kind of people it brought in and what kind of sales the brand is generating now.
We’re talking Corner Bakery on A Deeper Dive so please check it out.
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Never compromise on your unit economics.
This week’s episode of the Restaurant Business podcast A Deeper Dive features Justin Rosenberg, the founder of the fast-casual chain Honeygrow.
Rosenberg founded the bowl chain in 2012 and it was going quite well until 2018. He talks about why the company stopped growing that year and what the it did to get back on the growth track.
Hint: Honeygrow stopped making compromises on its unit economics.
We also talk about where the chain is growing and why smaller towns are apparently a recipe for success. Indeed, sometimes they’re too successful. And we also discuss how he started the chain.
This is an interesting conversation on A Deeper Dive so please check it out.
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How important is value right now?
This week’s episode of the Restaurant Business podcast A Deeper Dive features Robert Byrne, the director of consumer and industry insights at RB sister company Technomic.
We talk extensively about value. There’s a lot of concern about traffic in the fast-food world, with McDonald’s and Wendy’s saying that lower-income consumers are cutting back. McDonald’s specifically said that people are more likely to stay at home.
Byrne discusses whether this is a broad problem or more likely to hurt McDonald’s. We also talk about what consumers mean when they think value and why they keep spending on restaurants despite soaring prices.
We also talk about loyalty programs. Many restaurant chains are focused on loyalty, but last quarter Starbucks did really well with its loyalty customers but lost business from anyone else.
We’re talking about the state of the consumer on A Deeper Dive, so please check it out.
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What will the restaurant industry do in 2024?
This week’s episode of the Restaurant Business podcast A Deeper Dive features Hudson Riehle, the senior vice president of the research and knowledge group with the National Restaurant Association.
Riehle joined the podcast to talk about the association’s annual State of the Industry Report and what it says about restaurants in the coming year.
Restaurants and bars are expected to generate $1.1 trillion in sales this year, crossing the trillion mark for the first time. We chat about how big the industry really is and how many people it employs.
And we talk extensively about labor, labor costs, labor availability and efficiency. We talk about demands for technology among operators and why it’s important to target younger generations these days.
It’s a packed podcast on A Deeper Dive, so please check it out.
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How does an emerging brand break into a new market?
This week’s episode of the Restaurant Business podcast A Deeper Dive features Otto Othman, the cofounder of Pincho, who discusses a wide range of topics.
Pincho is based in Miami and specializes in two things: kebabs, or pinchos, and burgers. The company received an investment from the Salt Lake City-based private-equity group Savory Fund.
Savory has injected some operations expertise, not to mention investment, into the fast-casual brand, and we talk about a lot of that.
Some of that expertise came in play when the chain opened restaurants in Houston recently. We chat extensively about all that the company did to expand in the city and what kind of technology it used.
We also talk about the chain's recent kitchen upgrades and how that cut the company’s service times in half.
It’s a fascinating conversation on A Deeper Dive, so please check it out.
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How do you get an 87-year-old brand ready for expansion?
This week’s episode of the Restaurant Business podcast A Deeper Dive features Flynn Dekker, the CEO of the 352-unit donut and kolache chain Shipley Do-Nuts.
Shipley is an institution in its hometown of Houston, something Dekker discovered after he took over as CEO last year.
But it is also an old brand. It’s been around for nearly 90 years. The longtime family-owned chain was sold to Peak Rock Capital in 2021 and since then has taken numerous steps to change operations and processes to bring it into a more modern age.
We talk about all of that on the podcast, including the company’s efforts on marketing and what that's doing to the brand, along with processes, franchising and technology. We also talk about kolaches and what that does for the brand’s business.
It’s a fascinating conversation with an interesting brand, so check it out.
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How is Cici’s becoming more like Chuck E. Cheese?
This week’s episode of the Restaurant Business podcast “A Deeper Dive” features Jeff Hetsel, the president and COO of Cici’s Pizza.
Hetsel discusses the chain’s rapid shift into something of an eatertainment concept. Many of the brand’s locations have been adding larger and larger game rooms, complete with tickets and prizes, much like the aforementioned classic pizza-and-games concept.
We talk about what games is doing for its business and why franchisees are the ones who led the charge.
We also talk about a variety of other topics, including the labor situation in the restaurant industry and what Cici’s and its operators are doing about it. We also talk about the brand’s new loyalty program.
You can also find out what the most expensive pizza to make is—it’s not what you think.
It’s a fascinating discussion of pizza so please check it out.
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How is private equity impacting food costs?
This week’s episode of the Restaurant Business podcast “A Deeper Dive” features John Davie, the CEO of Buyer’s Edge Platform.
Buyer’s Edge is a digital procurement platform that helps restaurants use data and other tools to source food and other supplies. It operates numerous technology brands, including Consolidated Concepts.
As much as the restaurant industry focuses on front-of-house technology like mobile ordering and kiosks, back-of-house tech is also important—particularly with food cost inflation.
We talk about that inflation and why Davie believes that pre-pandemic food cost levels are not returning anytime soon. Hint: It has something to do with ownership of the vendors that produce that food.
We talk about how long that rate of inflation could last, and what operators can do to offset it after three years of looking for profits where there weren’t any before.
We’re talking food costs on A Deeper Dive so check it out.
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Subway could avoid some problems if it consulted more with its franchisees. Or so says the head of its biggest association.
This week’s episode of the Restaurant Business podcast “A Deeper Dive” features Bill Mathis, a Subway operator out of Minnesota and chairman of the North American Association of Subway Franchisees, or NAASF.
Subway remains the largest restaurant chain in the U.S. by unit count, with some 20,000 stores domestically. But thousands of those locations have closed over the past decade.
NAASF represents much of that franchisee base. The association rarely speaks publicly, but Mathis is breaking that silence on this podcast, specifically to talk about some of the group’s concerns with current strategies.
We talk about communication between management and the association and what impact that could have on some of the chain’s strategies.
But we also talk about several other issues, including slicers and the impact they have had on food and labor costs. We also talk about Subway’s recent requirement that franchisees accept digital coupons—and what that is doing to franchisees. Mathis also discusses the purchase of Subway by Roark Capital and the association’s view on that. And we talk about the general financial condition of franchisees and the state of food and labor costs right now.
It's an in-depth discussion with one of the most-prominent franchisees in the country’s biggest sandwich chain, so please check it out.
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Starbucks is the most complicated simple business on the planet.
This week’s episode of the Restaurant Business podcast is all about Starbucks. I’m joined this week by RB Editor-at-Large Peter Romeo.
Peter and I toured headquarters and have a series coming up on restaurantbusinessonline.com.
We talk about how Starbucks has evolved over the years, from a simple coffee shop chain into a global behemoth selling customizable beverages through numerous ordering channels.
And we talk about the impact that has had on the workforce and how it has fed into an unprecedented union drive.
We also talk about new CEO Laxman Narasimhan, and how his six-month immersion into Starbucks culture is playing a role in all of this.
And we talk about our apparently higher-than-expected caffeine tolerance.
We’re talking Starbucks on A Deeper Dive so please check it out.
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Can a slider concept use modular buildings to get big?
This week’s episode of the Restaurant Business podcast “A Deeper Dive” features Maria Rivera, the CEO of the rapidly growing slider chain, to talk about its unique method of growth.
Smalls is a rapidly growing quick-service slider chain. The company has been quickly adding locations throughout the South over the past year, using its “cans,” or 750-square-foot facilities that are manufactured off site and placed onto the restaurant site.
Maria calls them “cans.” And she talks extensively about the potential benefits these units can have on franchisees’ ability to open locations more quickly and more strategically, along with potential financial benefits.
We talk about the chain’s history and the simplicity of its menu—customers order sliders, fries, drinks and shakes. We talk about the company’s franchising strategy and its plans for growth.
It’s an interesting conversation with the CEO of a fast-growing slider chain so please have a listen.
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The last episode of the Restaurant Business podcast “A Deeper Dive” is, perhaps unsurprisingly, a look back at some of the year’s best episodes.
The episode features clips from some key guests, including marketing expert and author Chip Klose, speaking about, well, marketing.
We speak with executives from Dave’s Hot Chicken on its fascinating start. CapitalSpring’s Jim Balis gives us some news on delivery demand.
Technomic’s Lori Rakoczy talks about inflation. And our own Peter Romeo and I rant about the U.S. tipping culture.
So, take a look back at the year that was with us on this very special episode of A Deeper Dive.
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How did Potbelly turn its business around?
This week’s episode of the Restaurant Business podcast “A Deeper Dive” features Bob Wright, the CEO of the Chicago-based sandwich chain.
Potbelly struggled going into the pandemic, which hammered its core business in urban markets. Wright took over as CEO three years ago. On the podcast, he talks about what it’s like to take on a struggling concept during that time.
Wright discusses the changes Potbelly has made during those three years. The company closed around 30 locations its first year, but the brand has seen strong same-store sales the past couple of years. It expects to grow unit count about 10% this year.
Wright talks about getting the chain’s price-value equation right—without resorting to discounts or hammering profit margins. He also talks about the company’s efforts to improve operations, its development strategy and why Potbelly plans to franchise going forward.
We’re talking Potbelly on a Deeper Dive so please check it out.
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Are restaurants becoming like Taylor Swift?
Well, sort of. This week’s episode of the Restaurant Business podcast A Deeper Dive features Matt Tucker. He is the senior vice president with Squarespace and is head of the reservation platform Tock.
Tock was cofounded by restaurateur Nick Kokonas and was sold in 2021 to Squarespace. The company sells prepaid restaurant reservations to customers.
Those reservations act like tickets, which customers can resell. And that could create a market that operates like online ticket sales, where brokers gobble up the best tickets—like Taylor Swift concerts—to resell them at substantial markups.
We talk with Tucker about this, and why restaurants do not want their reservations resold. Tucker talks about what his company does to prevent this. But he also talks about the benefits to restaurants of a model in which diners prepay for their reservations, such as the ability to do more dynamic pricing.
We talk about general trends in restaurant reservations. For instance, is 6 p.m. really the new 8 p.m. and why is that? What are consumers looking for in reservations these days and what is demand for those restaurants right now.
It’s a fascinating conversation about reservations, so check it out.
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Why is the FTC looking into Subway?
This episode of the Restaurant Business podcast “A Deeper Dive” features John Gordon, a restaurant consultant out of San Diego, who discusses the apparent investigation of the sale of Subway to Roark Capital.
The investigation is apparently examining whether the acquisition of the sandwich giant would give the private equity firm Roark too much power.
We discuss that issue, and how much of the restaurant market Roark really would have if the sale were to go through and whether that is all that unusual. (Hint: It’s not.)
We also talk about some of the chain’s efforts to push discounting through its app, including its upcoming requirement that franchisees accept digital coupons. As we reported in September, Subway wants franchisees to accept the offers by the end of this month.
But we also discuss what this review could mean for the restaurant business as a whole.
We’re talking Subway and the FTC so please check it out.
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