Restaurant Rewind

Editor's note: This will be the final episode of the Restaurant Rewind podcast. Thank you for listening. KFC recently opened Saucy, a chicken fingers concept that aims to compete directly with the fast-growing Raising Cane's. But this isn't the first time the fast-food chicken concept has created a new brand to compete with a quick-growing rival, and in this week's episode of the Restaurant Rewind podcast, Peter Romeo looks at some of those brands.  For instance, did you know that it once tried Kentucky Roast Beef? Or The Colonel's Kitchen? Or The Colonel's Lady Dinner House?  None of the concepts amounted to much, but at least one restaurant from this era remains in operation. Yet they provide some interesting lessons as KFC embarks on its latest quest for a new concept. 

Restaurants are no strangers to violent crime, as any reader of local news would attest.Occasionally the offenses are so appalling that they snag national attention. And then there are the atrocities that can haunt the public for weeks because of the brutality.This week's edition of Restaurant Rewind looks at two of those nightmarish events, the seven-person murder in the Chicago area that took nine years to solve, and the abduction and killing of four young crewmembers in Indiana. That case remains open after 46 years.The situations are a reminder of why restaurants in places like San Francisco and Washington, D.C., truly need the crime protection they're seeking from local authorities. They're chapters that everyone connected to the business hope to never witness again. Press Play for a recount of what happened those many decades ago. But please be advised that some listeners could find the content disturbing.

Before burritos became as commonplace on menus as sandwiches, Chi-Chi's was selling the Mexican staple as something called a burro, a novelty to the consumer mainstream those many decades ago. The option shared space on the bill of fare with a chili pie, an item that's hardly a must-have today for Mexican chains. If a Chi-Chi's customer wanted something more familiar nearly 50 years ago, they could always go for the french fries, maybe washing them down with a margarita, available at the time in a lunchtime-sized serving.Those menu listings seem like an anachronism today, when many consumers can cite the differences between Sonoran and Oaxacan cuisine. The public's knowledge of Mexican fare, and its appreciation of quality executions, have come a long way since Chi-Chi's introduced many Americans to South of the Border fare in the 1980s and ‘90s. This week's episode of Restaurant Rewind looks at how far consumers' familiarity with Mexican food has come and why that education poses a challenge for Chi-Chi's in its attempt at a rebirth. Can it catch up with popular tastes and find favor with fans of Chipotle or Taco Bell? Give a listen to decide for yourself.  

Enough with all the adulation of Thomas Jefferson as a Founding Father. Don't people realize he was also the hero brought mac ‘n cheese to the American dinner table?The safe answer is an emphatic “no.” Yet as this week's episode of Restaurant Rewind reports, the author of the Declaration of Independence came to love the dish while serving as the fledgling United States' second ambassador to France, after Ben Franklin, and he was determined to share it with his countrymen.Jefferson brought the recipe and a machine to make the macaroni back to the States with him. The New World's first exposure to the comfort staple likely came during dinner parties at our third president's Monticello estate. And his effort to win a following for the dish didn't end there.But see for yourself. This week's podcast traces how mac ‘n cheese became a quintessential American dish. Press Play to learn how a selection intended for the fanciest of tables became the most democratic of meals on this side of the Atlantic. 

Even after a year of hints that a deal might be in the works, Monday's announcement of a change in control at Jersey Mike's was a stunner, particularly for anyone who's kept close watch on the sandwich chain. Few decisions of import have been made without the active involvement of owner Peter Cancro, the sixtysomething who's been running the operation since he was 17. What happens now, with a sharp-penciled co-owner having a loud say on the brand's direction?The answer is suggested in both Jersey Mike's history and accounts of past private-equity mega-deals. This week's edition of Restaurant Rewind, a podcast that plumbs the past for color on what's happening in the industry today, zeroes in on those indicators. The episode looks at Cancro's leadership style and speculates about how that might mesh with oversight from the world's largest private-equity firm. Give a listen for a deeper understanding of one of the biggest deals in the industry's history. 

These haven't been the easiest of times for the restaurant business, with chains closing hundreds of units and bankruptcy providing a last lifeline for former powers like TGI Fridays and Red Lobster. But those tribulations are nothing compared to what's befallen the marketing icons who've filled such big shoes for the trade in the past. And we mean literally big. Like Ronald McDonald's 29EEEs.  The career trajectory of restaurant mascots and spokes-beings has taken a decided turn for the worst. It's a wonder they've not pivoted to writing blues songs, given how little marketing work is coming their way these days. If it weren't for the big smiles painted on their faces, we'd likely see more than a few tears rolling down the cheeks of the former media stars. With tongue firmly embedded in cheek, we devote this week's episode of Restaurant Rewind to the career slide of onetime A-listers like Ronald, the Big Boy, Jack and Wendy. Grab a tissue and listen to why characters who once rivaled Santa Claus in recognition value are now calculating their chances of driving for Uber. 

Plenty of restaurant upstarts pin their hopes on building a better mousetrap. They're not so much bringing something new to the market as promising an improvement over what consumers already know and love. Look at the better-burger pack, or the now-wheezing fast-casual pizza market.  TGI Fridays took a sledgehammer to that approach. It owed its initial success to mating rituals and sheer irreverence. No entrepreneur had dared mine that potential before. Young consumers had never seen anything like it, and they embraced the rebellion with zeal. Then the concept spent the next six decades trying to scrub its image and temper its points of difference for the sake of mainstream success and scalability. This week's episode of Restaurant Rewind provides a condensed version of the journey, starting with the now-forgotten days when Fridays raised parents' eyebrows—along with young adults' hopes for a hookup.  It's also a reminder of the challenges that face heavily themed restaurant operations as they age.  So pull up a barstool, top off the Harvey Wallbanger and give a listen. 

More than three decades have passed since the Jack in the Box E. coli outbreak, yet it's still the yardstick used to gauge the impact of a food-safety crisis. Hours after McDonald's revealed its problems with Quarter Pounders, commentators were already recalling the contamination in the Northwest that left four children dead, another 200 persons permanently impaired and nearly 750 sickened in total. The numbers, though daunting, don't capture the full import of the catastrophe. Indeed, more consumers were stricken in the series of food-safety calamities that badly tarnished Chipotle starting nine years ago. The Jack in the Box crisis was an industrywide wake-up call, the catalyst that elevated food safety from a mild concern to a top priority for the business.  What exactly happened at the 73 Jack in the Box restaurants in the Pacific Northwest? This week's episode of Restaurant Rewind looks back at what's near-universally seen as a turning point for the industry. Give a listen for a deeper understanding about why the whole business gulped when a deadly bacteria made its return.

The widespread closings announced this week by family-dining chains underscore the transformation that's underway in that venerable segment of the restaurant business. Old-guard brands are hacking off the dead wood of their systems in hopes of clearing the way for fresh growth. They're striving to recapture the momentum that kept them kings of the sector for decades. The greybeards are painfully aware of the challenge for market dominance that's coming from a pack of bright, fresh upstarts that serve only breakfast, lunch and brunch. The rise of those daytime dining concepts seems recent. But as this week's episode of Restaurant Rewind reports, the notion of a restaurant ending its business day mid-afternoon has been with us at least since the 1970s and possibly from the '60s. The pioneer is still in operation today, with about four dozen restaurants open, yet few in the business are familiar with Le Peep or the historical role it played.   Nor do they likely remember the character who briefly made the brand one of the industry's hottest concepts.  Press play to learn about Le Peep's 14 minutes of fame and the man who turned the spotlight on it, Allen Bernstein. 

If the restaurant industry is such a horrible place to make a living, why do so many youngsters follow their parents into the business?  It's a question that blunts dismissal of the field as the career choice of last resort. The second generation knows exactly what the work entails, having witnessed it firsthand, drawbacks and all, in the people they love.  Yet they plunge ahead, also appreciating the enormous positives that are seldom factored into the public's perceptions of the trade. It's why family trees with roots in the business often sport children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews who followed their elders into the field. Why, for instance, has the Brennan clan become synonymous with New Orleans' celebrated restaurant business? Sure, sometimes it's a matter of the echo generations having a money machine handed to them. It's easy to see why three generations of Snyders have stuck with In-N-Out, or why a Marriott is chairman of the lodging empire his grandfather founded.  But Russ Bendel doesn't own The Habit, and his son is following in the industry veteran's footsteps. And there are enough similar examples to disprove the generalization that second-generation restaurateurs had their fates sealed by the success of their parents. As this week's edition of Restaurant Rewind reports, youngsters following in the path of their elders often prove they're the ones who turn a so-so operation into a success.  The episode examines the phenomenon of multi-generational restaurant families and why the industry has fostered so many outright dynasties. The sheer number of examples—from the Grotes to the Ingrams to the Karchers to the Berkowitzes—shows there's something about the business that often keeps it in the family. And it's kryptonite to the widespread perception that the restaurant business is a career path of last resort. 

The devastating force of Hurricane Milton has drawn comparisons to the fury Hurricane Katrina unleashed on New Orleans and its famed restaurants nearly two decades ago. Indeed, the 2005 storm has become the benchwork against which all major hurricanes have been gauged in the years since. And there's no doubt Milton was a major one. Initial assessments say at least six people in Florida were killed in the storm, which struck the state's west coast Wednesday night. About 3 million homes lost electricity. Media coverage shows first responders wading through chest-high standing water to rescue stranded residents, and many residential areas look as if they were bulldozed. Veteran weather reporters are already predicting some parts of the state, the nation's third largest restaurant market, will need weeks or months to recover a semblance of their pre-Milton conditions. Early on-the-ground reports from government and safety officials suggest Milton was not as devastating as Katrina, which left about 1,400 dead in its wake, but a full assessment of the damage may not be completed for some time. Ditto for the impact on the restaurant trade in particular.  The potential is addressed in this week's episode of Restaurant Rewind, the podcast that delves into the industry's past for more color on what's happening today. Here's a look at how restaurants fared in the Big Easy during what's become the yardstick of how damaging a single weather event can be.  It's not a pretty picture, but it's a testament to the industry's resolution. New Orleans' dining scene came back bigger and better than ever. Here's to the same happening in Florida. 

Many of the recent hires for restaurant CEO positions share a common listing on their resumes: Somewhere along the way, they logged time at Yum Brands, parent of Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, KFC and The Habit. For reasons that go beyond the sheer size of the franchisor, it's become a major prep school of sorts for a new generation of chain chiefs, from Brian Niccol at Starbucks to Rob Lynch at Shake Shack.  The situation calls to mind a time when it seemed almost like a requirement for casual-dining CEOs to have worked under Norman Brinker at the parent of Steak and Ale or Chili's (now led by a Yum alumnus, Kevin Hochman). The graduates of those real-world training centers eventually found themselves in demand to lead chains in every sector of the business, from family dining (Mike Jenkins at Bakers Square and Village Inn) to eatertainment (Dick Frank at Chuck E. Cheese).  This week's episode of Restaurant Rewind looks at the unique role those companies played in shaping the industry's leadership ranks, as well as why Yum is filling a similar role today.  Press Play to get the full story. 

The restaurant industry abounds in rags-to-riches stories, but few of the accounts illustrate the theme as vividly as the tale of Carl Karcher, the onetime feed store worker who founded Carl's Jr.  In the process, he pioneered practices and policies that are still being adopted 83 years later. Ever wonder who came up with the standard fast-casual model of running orders to a fast-food customer's table, as designated by some sort of flag or table marker? Carl's Jr. was doing it decades ago. Indeed, Karcher's brainchild was in many ways the precursor of fast casual, a chain that sought to differentiate itself as a notch above traditional fast-food joints.  But that's only a small part of the story. Karcher parlayed a $326 hot dog cart into a multi-billion-dollar empire, a history worth knowing, per se. But the twists to that account add plenty of drama and color. This week's edition of Restaurant Rewind traces Karcher's rise to riches, along with the bad moves that sucked them away. It's a cautionary tale for any business person, regardless of what trade they're in. Give a listen by pressing Play. 

The restaurant business has had its share of pitched political battles, but few were as intense as the industry's futile effort to fend off smoking bans. The issue divided the trade and put many operators on the wrong side of a movement that was not to be stopped. It may be difficult to imagine some 20 years later that the matter of lighting up—what the industry posed as a customer right—would be so controversial. Outrage triggered a wave of civil disobedience on the part of the business, which demonstrated remarkable creativity in getting around the laws. In this week's edition of Restaurant Rewind, we examine that fractious period and how health considerations ultimately prevailed, dragging the business into a smoke-free era that proved a surprising boon to business for some. Hit Play to relive that combative time.

Anyone who's ever taken a history class covering World War II (or watched more than hour of the History Channel) is likely aware of the crucial role Winston Churchill played in saving Great Britain. His leadership skills and mastery of the English language kept hope alive, even during what he termed the United Kingdom's darkest hour. Yet even many Brits don't know the eloquent statesman also midwifed a 2,500-branch restaurant chain that was feeding 600,000 people a day during the height of the war and the years immediately afterward. The outlets literally helped to keep down-and-out civilians alive. Churchill, whose enjoyment of food and drink were as celebrated as his oratorical skills, was such a champion of the venture that the public dubbed the outlets Churchill's British Restaurants. All new information to you? Then give the episode a listen to learn more.  

Ask any veteran of the casual-dining market to name the segment's best-in-class operation and they'll likely cycle through two or three dominant players before a dark horse comes to mind: How about Hillstone or its previous incarnation, Houston's? They know the restaurants as the standout delights in their rounds of visits to competitive concepts. They may even know the company was co-founded and run by a character named George Biel. But don't ask them anything about the man or what makes him tick; he's as reclusive of a leader as the industry sports. Little is known about his past other than he started in the business as a waiter at Steak and Ale. This week's edition of Restaurant Rewind adds some details to that tersest of bios, drawing on a rare personal interaction and conversations with Biel's subordinates. It's a rare glimpse of an industry giant who shuns the limelight despite his proven abilities as a brand leader. Give a listen to learn about one of the industry's little-known standouts.

Three years ago, the restaurant industry was stunned by the news that the employees of several Starbucks units in upstate New York had banded together to form a union. The drama deepened as store after store followed the lead of those Buffalo stores. Before long, the unionization effort had surged into a true organizing drive within the coffee giant, and a number of smaller competitors were dragged along in the wake of publicity. Today, nearly 450 Starbucks stores have been unionized. How did it happen so quickly? And how has it changed Starbucks, and possibly the restaurant business at large? This week's episode of Restaurant Rewind takes up those questions. We look back at how the chain restaurant market's most ambitious and successful organizing drive began and unfolded, triggering three CEO changes along the way. Now, with a fourth chief ready to assume leadership, what's the situation for Starbucks? Press Play to find out.

Starbucks' coup in stealing Brian Niccol from Chipotle to serve as CEO had the restaurant industry abuzz this week. Seldom has the restaurant industry been as enthralled by an executive change. Or maybe we should say never. Has there ever been a high-level appointment that matched the sizzle of this one? This week's episode of Restaurant Rewind aims to answer that question. We look at the two high-level stunners that struck us as the only other contenders for being remembered as the most intriguing leadership transfer the business has ever seen. Trying to guess which two they might have been? Here's a hint: One happened 40 years ago, and the other about 30. Better yet, just hit Play for a sample of the drama those two appointments sparked. You'll also learn a little about Niccol that didn't come out in the torrent of coverage his recruitment generated.

If half the people who read about Buca di Beppo's bankruptcy filing had frequented the concept, the operation might never have hit a financial skid. Despite the brand's initial market splash 30 years ago, it's hardly top-of-mind among today's dining-out public. Few consumers know more about the concept than its odd name. This week's episode of Restaurant Rewind aims to raise that level of awareness. It looks back at the concept's beginnings and early influences, particularly the introduction it provided to family-style Italian dining and the drawing power of kitsch. There's also the recollection of the legal problems that literally put its leadership in prison. Give a listen to earn why the bankruptcy filing held so much significance to those who remembered the brand's better days.

McDonald's has tried for decades to come up with an oversized premium burger that would slide easily into its operations and win a following among consumers accustomed to paying far less for a Golden Arches meal. News arose this week of yet another stab, a limited test of a new option called the Big Arch. As this week's Restaurant Rewind reports, most of those past efforts have sorely missed the mark.  Remember the Arch Deluxe, a misfire that still ranks as one of greatest consumer-product failures of modern times? What went wrong with that and many of McDonald's other attempts to go big? And how did the burger giant correct course? Press “Play” for a look back at those efforts and why the development of the Big Arch will be closely watched if its sales test expands beyond the current three markets.

Red Lobster has certainly been in the news lately. But not one of the stories recalls the remarkable person who built it into an institution deserving of so much ink. And, no, it's not Bill Darden, although he gave the brand its start. The individual who turned Darden's concept into the cultural icon it is today was an Air Force veteran who left his family's farm in rural Georgia to make his mark on the world. If you scour the bric-a-brac some older stores sport to provide a dockside feel, you may even spot a reference to him on some of the props (executives lent their names to the bogus lobster traps and seafood crates as sort of an inside joke.) Look for an ersatz antique emblazoned with “Lee's” or “Joe's,” as in Joe Lee, a true godfather of what we now know as casual dining. Don't recognize that name? Then you're in for a treat. By popular demand, Restaurant Rewind is undertaking a series of profiles on the giants who laid the foundation for the restaurant industry we know today. Much of the information will be drawn from firsthand experiences with those pioneers. The first installment focuses on Joe Lee. We'll focus on a variety of movers and shakers from the industry's past in future installments. But for now, do yourself a favor and click “Play.”

As we've learned firsthand, if some yahoo airs a myth or outright lie about your operation, fellow wingnuts are going to listen and believe it, no matter how outrageous the assertion might be. Remember the reports that Paul McCartney had died? Restaurants seem particularly vulnerable to those attempts to smear reputations, a likely result of employing and serving so many people. The chances of alienating someone who then seeks revenge via internet falsehoods is that much greater. On this week's episode of Restaurant Rewind, the podcast that looks into the industry's past for more color on what's happening in the business today, we pedal back to some of the outrageous myths that have been spun about major restaurant brands. How did the home of the Bloomin' Onion come to be accused of satanic worship? And what has McDonald's not supposedly been mixing into its burgers to save money? You'll also hear how someone on social media recently tried to use one of our stories to take a swipe at Panera Bread. Press Play for a rundown on some jaw-dropping myths from the industry's past.

With traffic ebbing through much of the business, restaurant chains are resorting to the sort of deep discounting the industry hasn't seen for a while. Sonic is hoping it can win back lapsed users with the enticement of a $1.29 chili cheese hot dog. Applebee's is touting 50-cent fried-mozzarella sticks (though bargain-hunters have to purchase at least four of the gooey treats). Even Starbucks is offering bundled deals. Yet those appeals to penny-pinchers are nothing compared to the price-slashing of three decades ago, when two industry giants rolled out menu lines that initially seemed as if the two, both master marketers, had been sampling too many of Applebee's $1 cocktails.  These were not limited-time offers. Taco Bell twice dropped the price of some tacos to 39 cents. In some markets, McDonald's used 29-cent burgers as a lure. How'd those tactics work? This week's episode of Restaurant Rewind, RB's retro-focused podcast,  looks back at those bar-setting acts of deflation. Give a listen for a recount of what happened when those bargains were fly-cast into the business.

Imagine if the inflationary pressures forcing restaurants to hike menu prices were halted with the swipe of a pen. As far-fetched as that might sound, a government-directed halt to all cost increases was tried once, roughly 50 years ago. And the results didn't exactly meet expectations. There's a reason the move was known as the Nixon Shock. That's Nixon as in Richard Nixon, the president whose name is now synonymous with abuse of power. Although his forte was foreign affairs, the Republican bet he could take domestic action that would ensure re-election in 1972. So he used an executive order to freeze all prices and wages. His ridiculous fear of losing was also why the White House sanctioned a break-in at Democratic headquarters housed in an upscale mixed-use complex called Watergate. Both moves were disasters. The fallout from Watergate continues to shape politics today. But the effect of the price and wage freezes is largely forgotten. Learn why that's the case in this week's edition of our retro-focused podcast, Restaurant Rewind.

The restaurant industry has lost two standout talents in less than two weeks: Solomon Choi, the founder of 16 Handles and an investor in other ventures, and James Kent, the gifted New York City fine-dining chef. Choi was 44, and Kent just 45. Both apparently died from heart issues. Misfortune comes at random. But there's no denying the industry is less than a leader in addressing the issue of health among its members. All of the concern has been focused on the well-being of restaurant customers, not the industry professionals who serve them. But that's not always been the case, as we discuss in this week's episode of Restaurant Rewind. From time to time, there have been flashes of interest in promoting healthier lifestyles for those on the business side. But we still have a long way to go. Meanwhile, the grind of the business has left us with losses that can still haunt, as the episode also attests. Give a listen to some departures that were particularly painful.

Restaurants' appreciation of air conditioning is likely to be at a high point this week as a major heat wave rolls across the country. For at least the next few days, and likely at a significant number of additional points during the summer, no other piece of technology is likely to be as highly valued by the trade. Just ask operators in Phoenix, where temperatures hit 111 degrees on Friday. How did that dependence come about? And who invented air conditioning in the first place? Those questions are answered in this week's episode of Restaurant Rewind, the podcast that looks back into the industry's past for more color on what's happening in the trade today. The current installment traces the development of A/Cs from their invention in 1902 by a name that's well known and still a dominant force in the field today. We look at when and why the foodservice business followed movie theaters' lead in adopting the machinery, and touch on how the equipment forced the industry to be more inclusive. So grab a cold drink, crank up the A/C, and give a listen.

Domino's is tweaking its ad strategy to tout the quality of its food—a complete 180 from the ground-breaking campaign it ran 16 years ago in what proved a seminal move by the pizza giant. Back then, it acknowledged that its pies were abominable; the ads spotlighted customers who asserted the pizza was the worst they had ever tasted, and they disparaged the product as little better than cardboard smeared with ketchup. After detailing how god-awful the pizza had been for 50 years, the ads went on to herald a revision for the ages. CNN said it might have been the weirdest TV ad in history. But it worked. The campaign was a turning point for Domino's, leading to its emergence as the nation's largest pizza chain. Now the brand is taking the reverse tack. Will it work? It's hard to say, because there have been so few parallels in the industry's past, but there were a few that provide a rough comparison. Like the time KFC changed its name to FKC in exasperation over an operational challenge. Get a sense of how bad attributes can become good marketing points by listening to this week's episode of Restaurant Rewind.

A&W fast-food restaurants in Canada will start serving Pret A Manger-branded products this fall, under a just-announced 10-year collaboration deal. A cross-selling situation like that might have been inconceivable 20 years ago, as this week's episode of Restaurant Rewind reports. But, as the podcast installment explains, the lines of competition have been blurring for some time as restaurant licensing expands beyond consumer packaged goods to ready-to-eat fare prominently featured on another concept's menu. Cinnabon-branded products, for instance, are available at chains ranging from Wendy's to Subway to The Cheesecake Factory. Tune into this week's episode for a look at why and how chains are increasingly relying on the drawing power of other chains' products to increase their own allure.

All-you-can-eat deals can be risky, as Red Lobster's current plight attests. But there was a stretch 50 years or so ago when the danger extended beyond business fallout, to actual physical peril for customers and neighbors using the same roads. This week's episode of Restaurant Rewind looks back at that era when a flurry of upstart concepts used the promise of unlimited beer and wine as their main draws. Today, adult beverages offer restaurants an extremely attractive profit margin. Back then, they were the cheapo giveaways, the bait for luring in patrons willing to pop for a steak or burger. That's where the money was. Join as we look back at a day when $10 could get you drunk and decently fed, and why those times mercifully ended quickly.

Federal regulators have brought a new battery of charges against Andy Wiederhorn, chairman of Twin Peaks and Smokey Bones parent Fat Brands. It's not the first time he's been accused of violating federal security regulations. Nor is he the lone high-level restaurant executive to have served jail time, as this week's episode of Restaurant Business' Restaurant Rewind podcast reports. The installment looks back at several of the most publicized instances of executives crossing the line into criminal territory, including the scandal 20 years ago that rocked Buca di Beppo. There's also a deeper dive into what landed Wiederhorn in prison around that time, where he earned a $2 million bonus on top of a CEO-scale salary. Press “Play” for a recount of the curious criminal records of past chain CEOs.

The Beatles were still newcomers to the music scene when Scoma's served up its first bowl of cioppino on San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf. The Fab Four would disband in less than a decade, but the restaurant remains a star of the local restaurant scene at age 59, the payoff from navigating the latest currents in dining while remaining true to the operating philosophy and standards set by founder Al Scoma in 1965. By design, the experience of today's customers is not radically different from what Al sought to deliver decades ago to their grandparents and great-grandparents. It's a common goal of landmark dining establishments, but not an easy one to attain, given how widely generations' preferences can diverge over time. On this week's episode of Restaurant Rewind, Scoma's President Mariann Costello shares how her charge has handled that challenge of balancing the new with the revered, and what has kept Scoma's successful for six decades. She also shares her thoughts on how the San Francisco market has changed in the 40 years she's been affiliated with the restaurant (and, no, she's not the longest-serving member of the team, as she's quick to point out). Press “Play” for a download of how a restaurant with sales exceeding $11 million a year has sustained its success through wars, recessions, a pandemic and the loss of a fishing boat.

With summer just a few heatwaves away, the restaurant business is within a Maraschino cherry toss of prime ice cream season. Is there any better time to retrace how a treat that began as honeyed snow has morphed into an all-American restaurant staple? This week's episode of Restaurant Rewind is betting “no.” The installment looks back at the origins of the frozen treat and its twisty evolution over the centuries that followed. In what other account might Nero, Thomas Jefferson and Howard Johnson all play memorable roles?   So scoop yourself a bowl of rum raisin, bury it in whipped cream and press Play.

Even the name suggests a climb out of a rut: TGI Friday's, as in it's time to cut loose and have some wicked fun. The casual-dining trailblazer didn't disappoint, aiming from Day One to offer a different sort of experience to children of the conformity-conscious '50s.

If you've been in the chain restaurant business for an appreciable stretch, chances are you've either attended or heard about the Restaurant Leadership Conference. It's the top-to-top event where you might see Magic Johnson jump off the stage to give someone a hug, two chain builders lay the groundwork for a merger (Cava and Zoes Kitchen, 2018) or a big-name CEO careening around a Go Kart track. Be mindful of who may be behind you in the coffee line, because it could be a best-selling author checking out the tech demonstrations in the tradeshow area. Yet even longtime attendees are likely unaware of how the conference, now hosted by Restaurant Business parent Informa, came to be. In those roots are the reasons why the RLC continues to reign as an event where you're likely to be surprised by what happens on the stage and the number of industry all-stars you'll meet. This week's edition of our Restaurant Rewind retro-focused podcast revisits how the conference got started, why it zigged when other conferences zagged, and some of the brush-with-greatness presenters who left attendees a-buzz. Check it out, whether you are there or want to be.

Popeyes is emerging as a tough bird to beat in the quick-service fried-chicken market, a distinction that would have delighted its late founder, the flamboyant and pugnacious nonconformist Al Copeland. Had Copeland done nothing more than create Popeyes, he'd deserve a prime spot in a restaurant industry hall of fame. But his leadership of that chain is only one of the reasons he should be remembered today. In an industry of cowboys and rebels, he was a standout in his brashness and insistence on marching to his own beat. Industry long-timers would have a tough time naming someone who came close to his uniqueness. Consider, for instance, that he once not only ran Popeyes but its next closest rival, the chain now known as Church's Texas Chicken. He fought openly with the author Anne Rice and other neighbors, never yielding an inch. And then there were his ghost stories. But that's just a sampling of what made Copeland so unusual. Press play on this week's episode of Restaurant Rewind to learn more about his exploits in and outside of the restaurant business.

It's probably a myth that tax-code writers refine their knack for inscrutability by taking a whack at state and local liquor regulations. The complexity and illogic of the rules governing alcohol sales are enough to make a restaurateur long for a seat on the other side of the bar, knocking back Jell-O shots with fellow scofflaws. In New York and other areas, theirs would be an outlaw's life, the result of gelatin made with vodka being prohibited for sale or giveaway by restaurants and bars. Yes, you read that correctly. You can buy a hefty blunt from a streetside establishment, but a wiggly 1-inch cube of spiked Island Pineapple Jell-O is pure contraband, even in a place as wild as New York City. Join us for this week's episode of Restaurant Rewind as we look at why so many regulations governing the sale of alcoholic beverages seem stuck in the age when revelers would hit their local dram shop for a flagon of mead. We won't say a word if you should happen to listen with a cube of cherry-red gelatin at your elbow.

America loves its pranks, as fast-food chains learned years ago in turning April Fool's Day into a major marketing opportunity. Consumers have brought considerable gullibility to the day, while big brands like Taco Bell, Burger King and McDonald's have gone to extreme lengths to hoodwink the public, with remarkable success. The combination has turned several of the put-ons into major news stories because the deceptions were so successful, as stupid as they might appear in hindsight. In a surprising number of those instances, perpetrators had to ‘fess up afterward that they were pulling off a joke and not actually adding burgers for lefthanders or edible fashion accessories. This week's edition of Restaurant Rewind looks back at some of the outstanding con jobs and what they wrought. Join us as pranksters rev up their tricks for this year's April Fool's Day, which falls on Monday. No foolin'.

After Wendy's charge and retreat on dynamic pricing, the restaurant business can't seem to talk about anything else. Perhaps that's because variable pricing is as much a part of the business as knives and forks. Indeed, you may not be aware of the various forms dynamic pricing has taken over the years. In this week's edition of Restaurant Rewind, we take a look at some of the forgotten manifestations, including ones from big-name operators like McDonald's. Join us as we look at early instances of dynamic pricing and how it's waxed and waned.

True crime stories have become a major entertainment genre, delivered in big numbers by podcasts, streaming TV shows and even several whole networks. It's about time Restaurant Rewind, Restaurant Business' retro-focused podcast, made its contribution to the field. In this week's episode, we look back at the small role a restaurant played in the assumed murder of Jimmy Hoffa, the labor leader and known organized-crime associate who disappeared without a trace in 1975. Even today, tips periodically surface about what happened to the Michigander, only to lead nowhere. One of the few things known for sure is where Hoffa intended to dine on the day he disappeared. There's no dispute that he was scheduled to lunch with two known gangsters at what was then one of the country's most famous fine-dining restaurants, Machus' Red Fox in Bloomfield, Mich. He never made it past the parking lot, where his car was later found abandoned. But that was enough to indelibly connect the restaurant and its proprietor, an upstanding industry luminary named Harris Machus, to one of the most infamous disappearances in American history. There was never any suggestion that Machus or his establishment had anything to do with what was later adjudged to be a murder. But a restaurant formerly noted for the caliber of its service and food became a popular destination for another reason overnight. Interest in true crime stories was popular even then, nearly 50 years ago. The irony is that Machus was as solid of a citizen as you could hope to find, having served with honor in World War II, and forever shaping the modern U.S. restaurant business as it emerged in the 1950s and '60s. He even served as president of the National Restaurant Association, where he was a director for a solid decade. Little is remembered about Machus today other than the connection to Hoffa. But there was so much more to the man, as this week's podcast episode attests.  But listen for yourself. Hit Play to learn about an often-overlooked pioneer of the business.

If Mad Men's Don Draper was trying to impress a prospective client, he may have taken the target to New York City's cathedral of French cooking, La Pavillon—the 1960s landmark, not the modern reincarnation opened by Daniel Boulud. There, he would have sampled the fare of a young French chef who'd leave more of an imprint on the American dining scene than mere memories of outstanding meals. By that time, Jacques Pepin was already a culinary star on both sides of the Atlantic, having served as personal chef to France's Charles De Gaulle before leading the kitchen team at La Pavillon. In modern parlance, we'd have called him a celebrity chef, if not a rock star. So how did he build on that fame? To the astonishment of many, Pepin took what was essentially the job of corporate chef for the Howard Johnson's restaurant chain, a mass-market phenom known for its orange roofs, fried clams and ice cream. It was one of the many curious twists to a culinary career that's now in its 74th year. At age 88, Pepin is still making appearances in the fine-dining world. Yet many of the young chefs who've been unknowingly influenced by the kitchen master may not recognize his name, even though it's graced some 30 cookbooks and 17 cooking shows.  This week's episode of Restaurant Rewind shows why Pepin should not be overlooked by any student of the restaurant business. On the occasion of a tribute to Pepin by one of the educational institutions he helped to found, the podcast delves into the chef's career and his lasting influence on the business. Give a listen to learn how a one-time R&D chef for Howard Johnson's brought fine dining to the masses.

The restaurant industry has seen a number of big-name chains reveal widespread closures within their ranks in recent weeks. Outback parent Bloomin' Brand alerted Wall Street that it intends to close 41 stores, while adding another 45. Denny's recently acknowledged that it had shut about 60 stores in 2023 because the units were no longer financially sustainable. As dramatic as those closures might be, they may not have spun as many heads as the complete shutdown nearly 30 years ago of a 51-unit chain in a single day. What grabbed attention was the company pulling the plug: Darden Restaurants, better known as the Midas-like operation that ran Olive Garden and Red Lobster at the time. The full-service operator had launched an Asian concept just five years earlier with hopes of duplicating what it had done with Olive Garden: offering consumers a safe, reasonable and dependable alternative to the thousands of mom-and-pop ethnic restaurants that dotted the landscape at the time. There was no leading Chinese brand, just as there hadn't been a national Italian option until Olive Garden came along. But China Coast proved it was no Olive Garden. After a mere five years, Darden decided it was losing too much money on the upstart, and snapped off the whole system's lights on a Tuesday morning. But Darden wasn't finished with the Asian market, as you'll learn from listening to this week's episode of Restaurant Rewind, the podcast that travels into the industry's past for more insights on what's happening in the business today. What did Darden hope would be a more viable Asian concept than China Coast? And what went wrong with China Coast in the first place? Press Play to find out.

As any fan of "The Sopranos" knows, mobsters love good food almost as much as they relish ill-gotten money. No wonder organized crime is constantly rumored to be intertwined with the restaurant business. For veterans of New York City, those insinuations are far from fanciful. Long-timers know the dining landmarks where Mafioso kingpins were whacked after a meal, and where you have to be careful not to kick fellow guests in the ankle lest you set off their back-up guns. A line of black limos outside means you don't tell Italian jokes while waiting for a table, and the men's dress code might include a pinky ring.  If there were any doubts of a connection between cooks and capos, they were dashed a few years ago when once-celebrated chef David Ruggerio came clean on his involvement with the mob. While earning stellar reviews for his fare at New York's La Caravelle, the second cousin to famed gangster Carlo Gambino pursued a second life as a goodfella, hijacking trucks, shaking down other crooks and dealing drugs. He eventually left the business to avoid jail time, and decided to air his criminal past after several partners in crime were killed and he was disrespected by a godfather of sorts. It's an incredible story, and you can learn it by hitting Play on this week's episode of Restaurant Rewind, the podcast that looks back at often-forgotten nuggets from the industry's past.  Listen this week for a snapshot of how a real wise guy made it in the business.

Restaurants will be hearing the name again and again as one of the industry's premier awards program draws closer to its early May conclusion for 2024. Yet few in the business may know who James Beard was, now that he's been gone for nearly 40 years. This week's episode of Restaurant Rewind answers the question of why Beard should be remembered, particularly within fine dining. Even those familiar with the media star's legacy may not be aware of his full contribution to the industry he loved, like proving that Americans would tune in their TVs to learn more about cooking and food. He was the first to try the airwaves, beginning in 1946. Nor might they know that he was a founder of Citymeals on Wheels, or that he was a fan of barbecuing when that form of prep was still considered low-brow. Learn more about a figure who deserves to be remembered as a god of the business. Hit Play to learn how Beard lived, and the contributions he's left behind.

Tipping has been villainized by organized labor as a vestige of slavery, an assertion that strains credibility. What makes the assertion even more difficult to accept is the background of the restaurant company that's likely more dependent on tipping than any other employer in the business. Bill Darden is well-known to any student of the business as the founder of Darden Restaurants and Red Lobster, the brand that made the company a full-service powerhouse. Yet few are likely aware of the role he played in combating racism, going back as far as 1935. Darden's refusal to segregate his dining rooms put him and his business at considerable risk. Yet he made color-blindness a plank of the company's culture. Join us as we look back in this week's episode of Restaurant Rewind at the stance Darden took and how sharply it contrasted with the industry's attitude of even just a few decades ago. Hit “Play” to learn how one strong adherent to tipping was all about treating people equally, regardless of their skin color.

Casual dining roared back as pandemic conditions lifted and dining rooms reopened, dispelling assertions the segment was cooked. But that doesn't mean the full-service chain market has been on cruise control, as this week's episode of Restaurant Rewind attests. The retro-focused podcast looks back during the installment to what the casual market looked like 10 and 20 years ago, and how that compares with the state of play today. Among the brands that have clearly aged are TGI Fridays and Red Lobster, the brands that virtually midwifed the whole sector. Join us as we look at how the market has changed, and what propelled those granddads of the segment to prominence in the first place.

It's not unusual for a newly hired restaurant-chain executive to spend time in a unit as a line-level employee. Seeing an operation from the perspective of a customer or worker often provides insight and a reality check c-suiters might not get otherwise. In general, being in stores is a great thing for the CEO.  Except, that is, when they don't have a clue as to what's really happening in their restaurants. This week's episode of Restaurant Rewind looks at how wrong things can go when an exec doesn't have a firm grasp on operations, personnel or the conditions of a store. They're nightmares that I've personally witnessed, from rodent sightings to having a renegade employee sounding off about what he or she doesn't like. Tune in for a sample of the train wrecks I've seen while in-unit with a leader who wants to be one of the team but doesn't have a credible claim on being so.

About 84% of the United States' adult population carry a credit card, or roughly 191 million American consumers, according to the research company Experion. That shouldn't be a surprise to today's restaurateurs, who've seen the use of cash be challenged pointedly in recent years by the surge in digital ordering. No wonder the expense of accepting plastic has soared into one of operators' biggest cost items, third only to labor and food. How did the industry get here? When did the modern credit card find its way into the business, and how did playing with plastic become so prevalent? This week's edition of Restaurant Rewind, a podcast that looks back at the roots of today's restaurant issues, aims to answer those questions. Let's just say you can thank or blame a pair of 1940s men for sparking the industry's dependence on credit and charge cards. Join us as we trace the evolution of the co-dependency between restaurants and charge-card networks.

Restaurants have been pressed since at least the 1970s to provide menu options for customers looking to lose weight and eat more healthfully. That pressure might reach its peak every January, when patrons are hellbent on following a set diet in hopes of shedding a few pounds. What diet might that be this year, given the weight-loss schemes currently in vogue? Chances are it won't have as much of an influence on menus as the craze that swept up diners and restaurants more than two decades ago, prompting chain after chain to overhaul their bills of fare. Join us on this week's edition of Restaurant Rewind for a look at the profound influence that fad, the Atkins diet, temporarily had on the industry. It's a cautionary tale of how short-lived any restrictive eating plan tends to be, regardless of how widely it might have been embraced. Press play for a look at the influence popular diets have today, compared to the force at least one packed 25 years ago.

The restaurant industry seems as if it's going backward in its efforts to promote diversity within its top executive ranks. If it goes all the way back to the mid-20th century, it'll find that the role of women in particular was far more pronounced in those formative years. Indeed, women played key roles in the development of the chain sector, in part because those early ventures were largely family affairs. Men might have grabbed the limelight, but women were often the key figures behind the scenes. This week's episode of Restaurant Rewind looks back at three of those female pioneers. Without them, we likely wouldn't have the McDonald's, In-N-Out and Marriott International we do today. Join us as we celebrate women who are still role models all these decades later.  

McDonald's created a stir last week with the opening of a second concept, a drive-thru drinks operation called CosMc's. But it's far from the first time the Golden Arches has tried to find gold from a second venture. It's been tinkering with possible additions to its single-brand fold almost from the time Ray Kroc got involved with the chain. The possibilities have included everything from a beer garden to an amusement park to a mixed-use complex that could have been a model for Mall of America. And those were all before its diversification binge of the late 1990s. Yet not one of those notions worked for Big Mac. Today, McDonald's Corp. is still synonymous with the McDonald's chain. Find out what happened from this week's episode of Restaurant Rewind, a podcast that look back into the industry's past for a better understanding of what's happening today. You'll find it wherever you get your podcasts.

Not every service standout earned that distinction by indulging customers' every whim and preference. Some of the hospitality industry's most admired brands garnered respect in part by drawing a firm line and refusing to cross it, no matter how much business was at stake. They simply tell customers, Nope, ain't going to do that.  This week's episode of Restaurant Rewind looks at several of those sticks-in-the-mud, what they've refused to do, and why. And, as listeners will hear, these are not the industry's marginal brands. We're talking about revered operations like Chick-fil-A, Texas Roadhouse and Marriott. Learn more about their stubbornness by pressing “Play.”