Podcasts about NRN

In this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talks with Wendy's president and CEO Kirk Tanner as part of a brand new series at NRN called Signature: A CEO Series with Sam Oches, powered by The Coca-Cola Company. We're hosting 6 Signature episodes throughout 2025, and they're designed to introduce you to the leaders of some of the nation's biggest restaurant companies — what has shaped their approach to leadership, how they've maintained balance and wellbeing, and how they're applying their life lessons to build culture at their brands. Kirk was a natural choice to kick off the Signature series, as he just celebrated one year on the job at Wendy's and he was able to reflect on what he's accomplished both in his Wendy's tenure and more broadly in his career. For exclusive video from Sam's time with Kirk, click here. In this conversation, you'll find out why:When you're young, you have an opportunity to build credibility If you want to go far in your career, don't look past your current jobA great mentor can supercharge your career To accomplish big growth, you must start small A diversity of perspectives and opinions will point your business in the right directionYoung leaders are destined to thrive if they're students of the game Have feedback or ideas for Take-Away? Email Sam at sam.oches@informa.com.

On this week's Extra Serving, NRN editor in chief Sam Oches and executive editor Alicia Kelso discuss sales results from several prominent restaurant companies, including Domino's, CAVA, Sweetgreen, Jack in the Box, and more. With some outliers, both for good (CAVA) and bad (Krispy Kreme), restaurants were relatively stagnant in both sales and traffic, and many companies are reporting that customers are becoming increasingly cautious with their restaurant spend as consumer confidence plummets. Sam and Alicia discuss the factors at play and how restaurants can turn things around in the months ahead. In this week's extra serving, managing editor Leigh Anne Zinsmeister joins to talk about the Women's Foodservice Forum Leadership Conference, which she and Alicia just attended in Dallas. Find out why this event is so helpful for restaurant leaders of all walks. Finally, we share an interview between Alicia and Einstein Bros Bagels CEO Jessica DePetro on how the brand plans to conquer the breakfast daypart. Relevant links:NRN's Women in Foodservice contentWomen's Foodservice Forum For more on these stories: CAVA's traffic grew by nearly 16% in the fourth quarterRed Robin plans to close dozens of underperforming restaurantsDomino's looks to expand 3rd-party deliveryEinstein Bros Bagels is ready to conquer the breakfast daypart

In this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talks with Barry McGowan, CEO of Fogo de Chão, a Brazilian steakhouse chain that has grown to more than 100 locations globally, including 80 in the U.S. The brand specializes in churrasco, or high-quality, fire-roasted meats, and it's using its quality positioning in the full-service space to build incredible momentum — including being named one of America's Favorite Chains from NRN and Technomic. Barry is a 40-year veteran of the restaurant industry and has spent the past 12 years at Fogo building systems that have helped it become a favorite among younger consumers in particular. He joined the podcast to talk about why Fogo resonates so much today among American consumers and why it's perfectly tailored for the restaurant industry of the future.In this conversation, you'll find out why:The full-service category is ripe for more customization Quality does not always require complexity Younger consumers want authenticity, discovery, and valueThe systems that support a long-lasting brand can take a while to build Culture is the first building block toward brand longevity The restaurant revolution is as much powered by brick and mortar as by technology Have feedback or ideas for Take-Away? Email Sam at sam.oches@informa.com.

On this week's Extra Serving, NRN editor in chief Sam Oches and executive editor Alicia Kelso discuss Taco Bell's new Live Mas Café, a beverage-focused prototype that follows McDonald's CosMc's concept as well as the boom in drive-thru coffee chains like Dutch Bros and 7 Brew. Will this prove to be a fruitful direction in a beverage-crazed world or a distraction from the core business model? Plus, Papa Johns and new CEO Todd Penegor have developed a blueprint for how that pizza chain hopes to turn its struggling sales around; Sam and Alicia talk about the challenge ahead for Papa Johns as it faces stiff competition from other pizza players. And in this week's extra serving, senior editor Joanna Fantozzi joins to talk about Starbucks' announcement that it would improve benefits for employees, including doubling parental leave. Finally, we share a conversation between NRN senior F&B editor Bret Thorn and Iron Hill's corporate executive chef Brendan Mullan.

In this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talks with Jerry Morgan, CEO of Texas Roadhouse, which was part of NRN's recent Brand Icon feature. The brand closed 2023 with nearly $5 billion in system-wide sales across 638 U.S. stores, good for a $7.6 million average unit volume and helping it leapfrog Applebee's to become the No. 2 full-service chain in America. So how is this company pulling off such impressive performance in a season when so many other brands are struggling? Sam sat down with Jerry in his Louisville office to share more about Texas Roadhouse's core values, its commitment to consistency and quality, and why having a little bit of fun along the way have fueled this casual brand's rocket-ship trajectory. In this conversation, you'll find out why:Owner-operators are the keys to unlocking success in your stores and communitiesCelebrating strong performances gets more out of your employeesFounders are the beating hearts and north stars of restaurant companiesGreat food and great service are the bedrock to great brandsInnovation doesn't have to be all about bells and whistlesYou should try to have some fun, because customers can pick up on it Want to check out the rest of the Brand Icon package? Click here. Have feedback or ideas for Take-Away? Email Sam at sam.oches@informa.com.

On this week's Extra Serving, NRN editor in chief Sam Oches and executive editor Alicia Kelso discuss CAVA's massive third-quarter success, which included a same-store sales increase of 18.1% and 12.9% traffic growth. What is the limit for this fast-casual Mediterranean leader? Plus, learn more about Wonder's acquisition of Grubhub and the one-stop-shop it appears to be building for food delivery. And in this week's extra serving, managing editor Leigh Anne Zinsmeister joins Sam and Alicia to talk about why there may be some optimism for full-service brands like Red Lobster, Cracker Barrel, and Applebee's. Finally, get to know Crisp & Green chief culinary officer Bill Fairbanks, who talked with NRN's senior F&B editor, Bret Thorn.

On this week's podcast, Pat Cobe, senior menu editor of Restaurant Business, and Bret Thorn, senior food & beverage editor of Nation's Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality, discuss a week's worth of eating adventures, starting with the CREATE conference in Nashville.  The conference, geared toward emerging chains, is organized by NRN, so Bret and his colleagues were on the ground hosting sessions and networking with operators. He was super-impressed with the quality of the speakers—not a dud among them. Bret was very busy at CREATE but he still had time to hit a couple of Nashville's restaurants, including Rodney Scott's whole-hog barbecue spot. Scott is famous for his North Carolina-style barbecue, where his now six-location restaurant started, and Bret feasted on pulled pork with cole slaw and collard greens. Spanish restaurant Barcelona was another stop on his Nashville dining tour, and Bret got to try a unique rendition of boquerones—marinated anchovies served on house-made potato chips—and huge platters of paella.  Once back home, Bret attended EatOkra, a new festival celebrating Black-owned businesses. One of the standouts he sampled were nachos made with plantain chips topped with Haitian-style braised pork. He also took a trip to Princeton N.J. and visited restaurant Agricole, where he had a tasty mushroom flatbread. And Bret stopped at McDonald's on the way back to try the new Chicken Big Mac. Tune in to hear his review. Meanwhile, back in New York, Pat attended Eeeeeatscon, a food and entertainment festival organized by restaurant review platform, The Infatuation. All the vendors were local restaurants, including Shake Shack—now a national chain that got its start in Manhattan. Its booth served up the Thai Burger Shack, a cheeseburger topped with “evil jungle prince Shack Sauce,” pickled bamboo, green chili relish and Thai basil. Pat's favorite taste was Hong Kong Style Wonton Noodles from Great NY Noodletown. Also on offer were empanadas from actress Sophia Vergara's Toma, a retail brand that she and her son, Manolo (the chef in the family) are planning to spin off into a fast casual. Manolo was especially proud of the everything bagel empanada he created exclusively for Eeeeeatscon. Chef Tse Richmond We wrapped up with clips from an interview Pat did with Tse Richmond, a culinary specialist with Sysco in Portland, Oregon. The chef was excited to talk about the fall product line from Sysco's Cutting Edge Solutions, an innovation-focused division that supports smaller producers. Just rolling out this week are several seafood products, a new condiment, recipe-ready beans and global pork preparations. All are designed to help operators save time and labor while turning out signature menu items. Chef Richmond is also playing around with AI, and she enthusiastically shares tips and smart strategies to maximize its benefits in the kitchen. Give a listen.

On this week's Extra Serving, NRN editor in chief Sam Oches and executive editor Alicia Kelso discuss Chipotle's investment in automated kitchen equipment, including the Autocado and Augmented Makeline. How does this equipment improve the Chipotle operation and help it achieve its goal of 7,000 restaurants? Plus, they discuss Olive Garden's decision to finally use third-party delivery and the results of Intouch Insight's Third-Party Delivery Study. Then senior editor Joanna Fantozzi joins for this week's extra serving to discuss her insights from the FSTEC conference in Dallas. Finally, senior editor Bret Thorn interviews Carissa Newton, vice president of marketing at Cunningham Restaurant Group, one of the 125 groups recently featured on NRN's Top Restaurant Groups report.

In this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talks with Candace Nelson, an entrepreneur, investor, author, and media personality best known for founding Sprinkles Cupcakes. Candace is keynoting NRN's CREATE Event for Emerging Restaurateurs this October 9, where Sam will interview her on the CREATE stage about her life as an entrepreneur and restaurateur. In this podcast, you'll get just a small taste of that interview as they explore her journey from the finance world to cupcakes to pizza. In this conversation, you'll find out why:You capture guests' attention by flying in the face of expectation The life of an entrepreneur shows leaders what they're made ofYou don't have to fly a rocket to the moon to be a successful entrepreneurYou should secure proof of concept before you raise capital to growThere's plenty more to learn from Candace at CREATE this October! Register for CREATE — for free! — at https://informaconnect.com/create/ Have feedback or ideas for Take-Away? Email Sam at sam.oches@informa.com.

This week on Extra Serving, editors Alicia Kelso, Joanna Fantozzi, and Sam Oches discuss the shocking news from last week that Starbucks would hire Chipotle CEO Brian Niccol for its chief executive role. What does this mean for the future at Starbucks? Find out in this conversation. Then, NRN's senior food and beverage editor Bret Thorn sits down with brothers Zane and Brandon Hunt of fast-casual pizza chain Via 313.

How discipline, focus, and commitment as D1 athlete set the stage to become the executive editor covering a trillion dollar industry…In this week's episode of "Bring More Joy to the Table," I sit down with my good friend, Alicia Kelso, Executive Editor of Nation's Restaurant News. We dive into Alicia's journey from lifeguard to leading journalist and the invaluable lessons she's learned along the way, including discipline, coach-ability, and the power of teamwork.She shares her insights on the current landscape of women in food service, the challenges of balancing tough breaking news with positive stories, and the importance of lifting up emerging brands. Plus, we discuss the need for more female representation in the industry, and how initiatives like NRN's Women in Food Service are making a huge difference.

This week on Extra Serving, a podcast from Nation's Restaurant News, we're sharing a recent conversation between NRN senior editor Joanna Fantozzi, and Smokey Mo's president Craig Haley.Smokey Mo's is an emerging fast-casual barbecue chain with 19 locations and counting in the state of Texas, and according to Craig, the brand is on a quest to be “the best neighborhood barbecue in Texas.”According to Technomic, Smokey Mo's grew sales by more than 10% in 2023 as the chain clocked nearly 6% unit growth, with more already coming in 2024.

In this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam re-shares a conversation he had with Maria Rivera, CEO of Smalls Sliders, on a visit to her office in Atlanta last summer. Smalls has enjoyed incredible success since this interview first aired, and NRN is excited to announce that Maria will join Smalls and Walk-On's founder Brandon Landry, as well as Morven Groves of 10 Point Capital, for the keynote conversation at NRN's Investment Summit this Oct. 8-9 in Nashville. If you're the founder or leader of an emerging restaurant chain looking for capital resources to grow, join us at the Investment Summit and CREATE in Nashville by registering for free at create.nrn.com.Have feedback or ideas for Take-Away? Email Sam at sam.oches@informa.com.

This week on Extra Serving, a podcast from Nation's Restaurant News, we're sharing the first of many conversations we had with restaurant experts in Chicago at the National Restaurant Association Show this spring.As always, the Show was widely attended by vendors, operators, and — luckily for all who now get to enjoy this conversation — social-media stars. Today, we're sharing a chat between our editor-in-chief Sam Oches and Sam “the Cooking Guy” Zien. Sam the Cooking Guy attended his first-ever restaurant show to receive NRN's MenuMasters Award for Digital Innovation, so he sat down to talk about why his intended travel channel never came to be, why he keeps his content simple and straightforward, and how he translated social media work to operating restaurants in San Diego's Little Italy.Enjoy the conversation, and keep coming back for more tidbits and insights from Chicago.

On this bonus episode of Extra Serving, a podcast from Nation's Restaurant News, we're sharing a conversation between senior editor Bret Thorn and CKE Restaurants chief marketing officer Jennifer Tate.You may recall that back in April, we here at NRN published our annual Power List, highlighting 25 restaurant marketers who are creatively reaching guests leveraging the creator economy, and 25 social-media influencers creating innovative food content.Tate was one of the marketers on that list. She and Thorn talked back in the spring, touching on the company's free-burger Super Bowl campaign, brand separation between longtime twins Carl's Jr. and Hardee's, and, of course, influencer marketing.Enjoy their conversation, and don't forget to check out last week's conversation between senior editor Ron Ruggless and Wendy's global director of social media and digital engagement Kristin Tormey. We'll be back on Friday with a regular episode of Extra Serving.

You may recall that back in April, we here at NRN published our annual Power List, highlighting 25 restaurant marketers who are creatively reaching guests leveraging the creator economy, and 25 social-media influencers creating innovative food content. This week and next, we're bringing you conversations with those marketers as they share their stories and tips.Today, we're highlighting Kristin Tormey, global director of social media and digital engagement at Wendy's, who chatted with our senior editor Ron Ruggles. They talk about Wendy's classic “Where's the Beef” campaign, friendships versus sponsorships, the brand's Roast Day, and how to truly understand your consumer.Enjoy the conversation, and come back next week to hear from another member of the 2024 Nation's Restaurant News Power List.

This week on Extra Serving, a podcast from Nation's Restaurant News, NRN editors Leigh Anne Zinsmeister and Sam Oches talk all things menu innovation. The week saw a new sauce at KFC, doughnut holes at Krispy Kreme, and Limonada Freeze at Taco Bell. The editors talk through why all of these updates make sense, and how restaurant operators can make menu changes with big operational shifts.Then, the editors pivot to something more depressing: restaurant closures. The Technomic Top 500 revealed some depressing data, with 33% of ranked chains closing net units in 2023, and the onslaught doesn't seem to have slowed. Everyone in the industry has heard some loud opinions about restaurants' “death knell” and “apocalypse.” Are these declarations overblown?Stick around to hear a recent conversation between senior food and beverage editor Bret Thorn and Ascent Hospitality's VP of menu innovation Mindy Armstrong. They talk about menus at the company's two family-dining chains — Perkins and Huddle House — including some “crazy” updates to cinnamon rolls.

This week on the Extra Serving podcast, a product of Nation's Restaurant News, NRN editors Holly Petre, Leigh Anne Zinsmeister, and Alicia Kelso discussed the Top 500 chains in the country.This week, NRN released its Top 500 report and the editors got into some of the nitty gritty from the past year's financials and some trends they have noticed.The editors also talked about Rubio's, which declared bankruptcy for the second time in four years this week. The fast-casual Mexican chain has been struggling for years but closed almost 50 stores late last week in California, blaming the new minimum wage in the state. Rubio's, alongside fellow bankrupt restaurant Red Lobster, has been struggling for years. This bankruptcy was not surprising, but what does this mean for the future of restaurant finance? Should the industry expect more bankruptcies this year?Also, the editors talked about another struggling brand: Cracker Barrel. The casual-dining chain has been struggling and its financial struggles haven't been helped by the impact of the pandemic and now inflation. Cracker Barrel brought on a new CEO in Julie Felss Masino in 2023, and many are hoping the Taco Bell veteran will have a part in turning around the traditional American restaurant. But is it too hard to operate a traditional American restaurant in the modern era?This week's interview is Ingrid Martinez, VP of marketing at Norms Restaurants.

While pricing continues to be a hot topic and challenging conundrum for restaurant operators in 2024, Domino's Pizza is confident in its firm stance on the pizza delivery value equation. The Ann Arbor-based company purposefully did not raise prices last year and has not done so thus far this year, which has been beneficial for the bottom line, Domino's CEO Russell Weiner said in a fireside chat during the annual Bernstein's Strategic Decisions conference.As most quick-service restaurant chains struggle to balance profitability with perception of value and affordability, particularly for lower income consumers, raising prices has been a common strategy. However, as NRN recently reported, 78% of Americans now believe that fast food is a luxury purchase, according to a new LendingTree study.According to Russell Weiner, Domino's saw the writing on the wall about consumer spending in this inflationary environment and pumped the brakes on pricing a bit earlier than most.

This week on the Extra Serving podcast, a product of Nation's Restaurant News, NRN editors Holly Petre, Alicia Kelso, and Joanna Fantozzi discussed the state of the consumer.There have been many conversations over the past few months about what consumers wants, what they consider “value” in an industry that's seen prices rise substantially over the past five years.Quick-service brands like McDonald's and Burger King have announced plans for $5 meals. Jack in the Box is planning a $4 menu.Meanwhile, casual-dining brands like Chili's and Applebee's are emphasizing their value propositions in advertisements.Amid these changes, there have been multiple studies that show consumers are not only noticing the changes but are turning away from QSRs all together. Some consider fast food a luxury, while others are trading up to fast casual as the price difference closes.So, how can restaurants address this consumer's needs?

This week on the Extra Serving podcast, a product of Nation's Restaurant News, NRN editors Holly Petre, Sam Oches, and Leigh Anne Zinsmeister spoke about Red Lobster's bankruptcy.It may be the biggest news of the week, but it's also the least surprising: Red Lobster has declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy. In court documents, Red Lobster CEO Jonathan Tibus said that Red Lobster's seafood supplier, Thai Union, which is also its largest shareholder, may have had corporate mismanagement and possible shady dealings. A filled with rumor and speculation has, as we found out through court documents, become quite complicated and dramatic.Read more about Red Lobster's demise from Bret Thorn:· It wasn't just ‘Ultimate Endless Shrimp' that drove Red Lobster to bankruptcyAlso, the NRN editors once again spoke about marketing. Reminiscent of IHOP's IHOb move a few years ago, BurgerFi changed its name to ChickenFi this week to promote its new chicken sandwiches. While it may seem silly, the name change worked for IHOP and led them to sell four times as many burgers. Will it work for BurgerFi and chicken sandwiches?For some of our editors' thoughts on the National Restaurant Association Show, check out these episodes of First Bite:· Joanna Fantozzi on the tech scene· Alicia Kelso on the labor pictureThis week's guest is Sherif Mityas, CEO of Brix Holdings.

This week on the Extra Serving podcast, a product of Nation's Restaurant News, NRN editors Holly Petre, Leigh Anne Zinsmeister, and Ron Ruggless spoke about brand activations.This week, the writers took a break from earnings because frankly they're all exhausted. NRN senior editor Ron Ruggless is on the pod this week and he talked about his recent experience with North Italia in Miami. He was there for a brand activation at the Formula One Grand Prix and spoke with the brand's marketing director about where it's going next.That led the writers to the only earnings content this week, Cheesecake Factory. It's perfect since Cheesecake Factory purchased North Italia's owner Fox Restaurant Concepts in 2019 and has since been trying to fold the brands into its larger strategy. During this quarterly earnings call, executives announced another Fox Restaurant concepts brand, Flower Child, would join the company's supply chain.Finally, the writers talked about where quick service stands. They have seen the impact of pricing at McDonald's on consumers, something that has pushed many to fast-casual brands instead. Many brands are struggling to gain traffic from low-income consumers who say they want to dine out more. For QSRs, that's a large part of their business. What can they do to win customers back? Is it as simple as fixing the value equation?This week's guest is Garrett Kern, VP of strategy and culinary at Portillo's.

This week on a bonus episode of Extra Serving, a podcast by Nation's Restaurant News, there are three interviews with restaurant executives to fill your feed.First is an interview with Erick McReynolds, VP of diversity, equity, and inclusion at Chick-fil-A. McReynolds has been in his post since 2021 and has been with the Atlanta-based chicken chain since 2007. Chick-fil-A has long been known for its Christian founding and had an image of being exclusionary. That has been debunked by Chick-fil-A's support of both LGBTQ+ causes as well as Black-owned businesses and charities over the years. McReynolds, who has faced conservative backlash for his position, spoke with NRN executive editor Alicia Kelso about the role of DEI in Chick-fil-A's future.Then, Candace Watkins, director of operations at Chili's, spoke with NRN's senior editor Joanna Fantozzi about mentorship. Chili's has seen success where some of its other casual-dining peers haven't. In 2023, the chain saw an increase in sales and unit count, according to Technomic Ignite data while competitors lost both units and revenue. For over a year, Chili's has been focused on value-based messaging which has become especially important in this economic environment. The chain is seeing the results. Fantozzi and Watkins also spoke about how Watkins was able to move up in her career.Finally, the president of international and North America at Taco Bell, Scott Mezvinsky, joined Kelso to discuss the future of the brand. Mezvinsky has been with Taco Bell's parent company Yum Brands for over 20 years, working in the finance departments at KFC both domestically and internationally. Mezvinsky, known in the franchise community as a leader, newly oversees Taco Bell's international division, which is picking up the development pace. Prior to his current role, he was chief strategy and financial officer at Taco Bell, making him the right fit for the new expansion, something he and Kelso spoke about during their conversation.

This week on the Extra Serving podcast, a product of Nation's Restaurant News, NRN editors Holly Petre, Sam Oches, and Leigh Anne Zinsmeister continued to speak about this quarter's earnings.Since the editors last gathered for the pod, several companies have reported, including Bloomin' Brands, El Pollo Loco, and Texas Roadhouse.The editors mentioned Texas Roadhouse last week, anticipating the brand's positive returns, and that's exactly what was reported. The chain saw 4% traffic growth, slightly less than at Chipotle, and same-store sales growth of almost 8% across the system.Much like KFC, Wendy's is looking to its international market for help during this rough financial time.Meanwhile, Shake Shack and El Pollo Loco are investing heavily in kiosks and seeing returns.And much like the editors talked about last week, speed of service is key for many brands, and that includes family-dining chains. First Watch is now investing in technology to speed up service time for customers.This week, there are three interviews from the Restaurant Leadership Conference, with executives from Dave's Hot Chicken, Newk's Eatery, and Union Square Hospitality Group.

In this special episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, NRN's editor-in-chief talks with Tom Cindric, president of the National Restaurant Association Show. This year's Show is held at Chicago's McCormick Place this May 18-21, and Tom shares more about why restaurant leaders should attend this annual event, what's new at the Show this year, how attendees can optimize their time in Chicago, and much more.

It's earnings season, and the editors will be talking about it a lot over the next few weeks. So far, the outlook is mixed.Brands like KFC and Pizza Hut have taken a big fall, while Wingstop and Chipotle are seeing big gains.McDonald's also had a tough quarter. While still up, the chain saw its value player status fall even further.Starbucks also had a hard quarter. It experienced a decrease in same-store sales for the first time since the pandemic, as did Yum Brands as a whole.Catch up on NRN's earnings stories:· Chipotle· McDonald's· Texas Roadhouse· FAT Brands· Wendy's· Shake Shack· Wingstop· Starbucks· Yum Brands· Denny's· RBI· Brinker International· Domino's PizzaThere's also been a bit of interesting news to come out of earnings season. We finally have an idea of how California's AB 1228 is impacting restaurants. Denny's reported this week that the minimum wage increase helped retention at the family-dining chain because of strategies the brand has implemented previously while also not raising the minimum wage for its workers.This week's interview is Anne Mejia, senior VP of brand development for Mellow Mushroom.For more on Mellow Mushroom's rebrand, read the articles below.· Mellow Mushroom kicks off its largest-ever rebrand·

In this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talks with Ryan Ostrom, CMO for Jack in the Box. Recently named to NRN's Power List of marketers and influencers, Ryan has been the driving force behind Jack in the Box's CRAVED strategy, in which the brand focuses on being cultural, relevant, authentic, visible, easy, and distinctive to the guest. He joined the podcast to talk about that strategy and explains how the brand has leaned into its quirky personality, particularly with social media influencers. In this conversation, you'll find out why:You can't afford to waste your marketingMarketing shouldn't interrupt the conversation with the guest but be a part of itInfluencer marketing must be authentic, not scriptedNiche influencers provide a more natural opportunity to connect with communitiesSocial media is a great place to be edgy, but it must be authentic to your brandHave feedback or ideas for Take-Away? Email Sam at sam.oches@informa.com.

This week on the Extra Serving podcast, a product of Nation's Restaurant News, NRN editors Holly Petre, Sam Oches, and Alicia Kelso talked about the state of the financial market in the industry.While some brands are thriving, there are plenty of others that have been struggling. Many have either declared bankruptcy or are rumored to be. Tijuana Flats and Oberweis Dairy both declared Chapter 11 this week and the rumors behind Red Lobster are strong amid its new CEO. There's also the Boston Market saga.Next, the editors talked about the sale of Tropical Smoothie Cafe. Rumors began in December 2023 that the brand could be sold for $2 billion, and that's just what happened. Blackstone, the private equity company that was rumored to be buying Jersey Mike's, bought the smoothie chain for that exact amount on Wednesday. This is the first big sale of 2024; are we heading for a big year?The editors were initially going to talk about the Starbucks Supreme Court case but ran out of time. Here's a link to an episode of First Bite featuring Joanna Fantozzi, who detailed exactly what the case means for Starbucks and unions at large.This week's guest is Skye Anderson, president of global business services at McDonald's.

This week on the Extra Serving podcast, a product of Nation's Restaurant News, NRN editors Holly Petre, Sam Oches, and Bret Thorn spoke about food trends.Senior food and beverage editor Thorn spoke about the latest food trends at chains and independents. Throughout the week on First Bite, Thorn covered some of the latest trends, including the “swicy” combination and the rise in sauces. The team gets into some other trends on the episode.Check out the episodes of First Bite here:· Adding this to your restaurant menu can boost sales with Gen Z· Analyzing the ‘swicy' trend on restaurant menusNext, the team talked about how celebrities — and now influencers — are changing the landscape of restaurant marketing. While those partnerships are far from new, it seems like the industry has been hitting the gas. With the influencer economy, such partnerships have become more accessible for smaller brands.Finally, the team talked about music and restaurants. Applebee's campaign with Walker Hayes in 2021 was a success and now it seems like Red Lobster is trying to emulate the success, for much less money. Is this low-hanging fruit for the struggling brand, and is it culturally relevant?This week's guest is Chris Eichfeld, director of supply chain for District Taco.Be sure to stay tuned here for the upcoming Power List.Register for our Atlanta Roadshow here!Learn more about MenuMasters and the winners here.

This week on Extra Serving, we have a special episode featuring two women in C-suite restaurant roles that aren't typically held by women: finance and technology.There are two interviews with female executives, recorded last month during the Women's Foodservice Forum Leadership Conference, that cover everything from how they've achieved success in their career to mentoring to what it means to be a woman in the industry.First is a conversation between NRN senior editor Joanna Fantozzi and Kate Jaspon, chief financial officer at Inspire Brands. Jaspon began her career at KPMG LLP, the international financial services corporation, culminating in a role as senior manager, in which she supported both public and private companies as an auditor. There, she worked with Dunkin' before it was acquired by Inspire Brands. That led her to her position at Dunkin', where she served as CFO before transitioning to CFO at Inspire Brands after the acquisition in 2020.Then, NRN executive editor Alicia Kelso spoke with Shannon Garcia, global chief operating and digital & technology officer at Pizza Hut Global. Garcia had experience at Starbucks as the senior vice president of US Business before joining Yum Brands-owned Pizza Hut in 2022. Garcia has a long resume, beginning in 1999 when she began 16 years at casual-dining company Darden. She left that company in 2015 as senior vice president of US Business.Listen to the episode wherever you get your podcasts.

In this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam turns the reins over to NRN executive editor Alicia Kelso, who spoke in-person with Yum Brands' Chief Equity, Inclusion & Belonging Officer, James Fripp. Alicia was in Dallas for the annual Women's Foodservice Forum Leadership Conference and had a chance to connect in person with James to discuss Yum's diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, its work to accomplish gender parity, and how the company is developing people at what is the largest restaurant company in the world.Have feedback or ideas for Take-Away? Email Sam at sam.oches@informa.com.

On this week's episode of Extra Serving, a Nation's Restaurant News podcast, NRN editors Holly Petre, Bret Thorn, and Joanna Fantozzi spoke about how restaurants are reacting to the introduction of AB 1228 in California.The bill, which went into effect on April 1, raised the minimum wage for fast-food workers to $20 an hour. Several restaurant and franchise groups prepared for the raise by laying off workers — mostly delivery drivers — while others are responding now quietly. People have noticed that chains like Chipotle raised prices in California by over 5% without saying anything. How will customers and the industry react?Also, restaurant tech seems to be having a tough time. On Wednesday, delivery company Waitr filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy after several years of bad decisions and a changing landscape. On the other side of tech, restaurants have been experiencing more and more outages, sometimes because of the myriad programs they use to get by. One of Fantozzi's predictions for 2024 was a consolidation of restaurant tech, and this week showed that that is happening, or needs to happen.Plus, NRN's senior food and beverage editor Thorn gave his thoughts on the new James Beard Awards nomination process.This week's guest is Ken Priest, CFO of Rise Southern Biscuits & Righteous Chicken.

This year, for the annual Women's Foodservice Forum Conference, our editors Alicia Kelso, Joanna Fantozzi, and Leigh Anne Zinsmeister traveled out to the Hilton Anatole in Dallas, Texas to meet with the 3,000 attendees at the conference honoring women in the restaurant industry. On the 35th anniversary of the conference, change held a new meaning for conference leaders. There were keynotes from Luvvie Ajayi Jones, Katty Kay, Cassandra Worthy, and Kendra Scott, as well as networking activities.At the conference, there were sessions on inclusion, overcoming imposter syndrome, personal branding, boundary setting, communication, and sessions for communities of interest like women of color, LGBTQ, single/working parents.Ahead, you'll hear from one of the editors from NRN who attended the conference, Joanna Fantozzi, about her impression of attending for the first time as well as hear what her thoughts are on moving the needle forward for DEI and gender parity at a time when companies are rolling them back or changing language.

This week on the Extra Serving podcast, a product of Nation's Restaurant News, NRN editors Leigh Anne Zinsmeister and Bret Thorn discussed food trends.NRN's resident food trend expert, senior food and beverage editor Thorn, talked about what's going on in drinks, pizza, snacks, and more. He covered what's hot in the industry now and what you should be looking out for in the R&D pipeline.Then, the editors talked about McDonald's and Krispy Kreme's deal. The fast-food giant officially inked a deal to sell Krispy Kreme donuts in all of its stores starting in 2026. As Krispy Kreme has been shuttering its own units, what does this mean for the donut brand? Will we see other top 10 chains begin to build out their snack offerings with partnerships as well?

In this encore episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam reshares a conversation with Lauren Fernandez, founder and CEO of the investment firm Full Course. Lauren joined Sam in person last summer to share her tips for emerging brands looking to secure capital and her thoughts on how to get more women and minorities involved in foodservice leadership. If you enjoy this conversation, you'll have a chance to connect directly with Lauren and other investors at NRN's Investment Summit, part of the CREATE event this October in Nashville; visit create.nrn.com for more details.In this conversation, you'll find out why:Training in your restaurants gives you a foundation to know what the brand needsServant leaders don't talk about doing the work — they just do the work Leaders should seize the moment to invest in themselvesMost American restaurants are independents who just need resources to get to the next levelGlobal fast casuals are the category to bet on You never know where the next best idea for your brand is going to come fromIf you're looking for capital, prepare by having clean books and a clear purposeHave feedback or ideas for Take-Away? Email Sam at sam.oches@informa.com.

This week, on the Extra Serving podcast, a product of Nation's Restaurant News, NRN editors Holly Petre, Leigh Anne Zinsmeister, and Alicia Kelso spoke about the slew of female CEOs that were appointed this week. In an industry that's flooded with white male CEOs, seeing several female leaders in one month is unusual, let alone one week. That's contrasted with companies like Yum Brands and Starbucks pulling back on DEI goals after threats from conservative groups armed with lawyers. Is this the end of the pipeline for women and people of color in the restaurant industry C-suite?Next, the editors talked about a blast from the past with the metaverse. Two years ago, you couldn't read a single story that didn't mention the metaverse and that's all but gone away in the past several months. This week, Starbucks announced it would be ending its beta test of Odyssey, signaling the conclusion of the most in-depth metaverse test in the restaurant industry. What's the new marketing and technology trend now that we've moved on from the metaverse?Finally, the editors talked about wings. Chains like Applebee's and Popeyes are focusing on their wing offerings, which is no surprise because Americans love wings. But are these larger companies trying to ride on Wingstop's coattails, or are they trying to compete?This week's interview is Marshall Scarborough, Bojangles' vice president of menu and culinary innovation.

Washington, D.C.-based company &pizza is known for being an unconventional brand, from its oblong pies with quirky toppings, to its texting-only “Pizza Plug” hotline and political messaging. Although the emerging brand was once a significant part of the foodservice cultural zeitgeist (cofounder Michael Lastoria was named to NRN's 2021 Power List), the company has been fairly quiet for a couple of years.As it turns out, &pizza has been brewing up some changes behind closed doors, including the company's first CEO transition, from Lastoria to newcomer former Rave Restaurant Group COO and executive vice president, Mike Burns. Now, “we're back,” Burns said, as &pizza is ready to take on a new era of growth and opportunity (including franchising), while rekindling that rebellious streak that made &pizza stand out from the rest of the growing fast-casual pizza sector.Burns joined the latest episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, guest hosted this week by NRN senior editor Joanna Fantozzi, to talk about why he was drawn to the brand, the significant digital technology changes coming to &pizza, and why customers will want to consider getting an ampersand (&) tattoo soon.In this conversation, you'll learn more about:Why it's important to find a fitting successor when you step back from a founder roleWhy &pizza made the shift from in-house-built technology to an outsourced tech stackHow to make sure you don't outgrow your technology capabilitiesHow to make a digital rewards program stand out (Hint: it starts with naming your loyalty program, “The Dead Presidents Club”)How to maintain a unique, plucky, startup-like spirit, even when you have sizable development plans in the works

This week on the Extra Serving podcast, a product of Nation's Restaurant News, NRN editors Holly Petre, Sam Oches, and Leigh Anne Zinsmeister talked about a new law in Florida that could impact third-party delivery services across the country.The Florida State Senate last week passed a bill that would protect restaurants and consumers from third-party delivery companies by requiring the possibility of communication between customers and the restaurants directly, rather than just via the delivery app. The bill also requires delivery apps to get permission from restaurants before arranging food pickups, and gives restaurants the right to request that they be removed from the app's database. The bill is heading to the governor for final approval.We've seen the rise in the snack and mid-afternoon daypart over the past few years, but restaurants have ramped up their offerings to compete with a group of new and specialty restaurants that are capitalizing on this consumer shift. Brands like Dutch Bros and Crumbl have done a great job meeting consumers' growing needs, but big chains are noticing and making a play at that same business. McDonald's recently introduced CosMc's, Taco Bell unveiled its Churro Chillers, and brands like Subway and Potbelly have added six packs of their well-known cookies.On the company's last earnings call, McDonald's CEO Chris Kempczinski remarked that the chain has been losing market share with low-income consumers. This may be because the biggest brand in the world had to increase prices as inflation has gone up over the past few years. But consumers have noticed, and no longer view the chain as the value player it once was. One of the ways the brand is trying to retain that customer is by introducing bundling and a $4 and under price point.

In this special episode of Take-Away, NRN editor-in-chief Sam Oches talks with Chris Keating, EVP of Conferences for NRN parent Informa Foodservice. Sam and Chris talk about the upcoming Restaurant Leadership Conference (RLC), held April 14-17 in Phoenix, and why restaurant leaders should plan to attend this influential annual event. Chris shares more details on RLC's program and speakers, how attendees can get the most out of the event, and why he's particularly excited for keynoter Martha Stewart.Want to attend Restaurant Leadership Conference? Visit restaurantleadership.com and click “Request an Invitation.” Contact Sam Oches at sam.oches@informa.com.

Last week, Panera Bread unveiled its “biggest menu transformation in history,” including nine new items and reimagined recipes and portion sizes, for a total of 20 menu updates. The new menu items include sandwiches like the Toasted Italiano sandwich with Black Forest ham, soppressata and provolone; and salads like the Southwest Chicken Ranch with romaine lettuce, grilled chicken, Ranch dressing, and chipotle aioli. Panera COO Debbie Roberts dubbed the menu overhaul the start of “Panera's new era” as the company “gets back to [its] roots” in the salad and sandwich categories.But this brand transformation doesn't just add new items—it also removes items. Although not included in the original press release, a Panera spokesperson confirmed with NRN that flatbreads would be removed from the menu moving forward. Flatbreads were introduced in 2019 as part of a previous menu overhaul as the JAB Holding-owned company introduced new menu categories specifically designed to target the dinner daypart.

In this special episode of Extra Serving, NRN editor-in-chief Sam Oches talks with Chris Keating, EVP of Conferences for NRN parent Informa Foodservice. Sam and Chris talk about the upcoming Restaurant Leadership Conference (RLC), held April 14-17 in Phoenix, and why restaurant leaders should plan to attend this influential annual event. Chris shares more details on RLC's program and speakers, how attendees can get the most out of the event, and why he's particularly excited for keynoter Martha Stewart.

This week, the earnings conversation will focus on Chipotle, which saw massive gains during the fourth quarter. The fast-casual chain bucked all trends with a same-store sales increase of 8.4% with a 7.4% increase in transactions compared to a 1.6% decline industrywide. The editors talked about how Chipotle has managed to exceed both analyst and industry expectations and what this means for the future of Chipotle as it looks to have 7,000 restaurants shortly.Then, the editors talked about the future of burgers. Several chains have revamped their burger offerings within the past few months, maybe as a reaction to chicken overtaking much of the beef business these past few years. The biggest name on the list we compiled was McDonald's. When the chain introduced its “best burgers ever” and rolled it out systemwide in January, it was a big statement considering the chain was built on its burger. Will this help some of these brands that have been struggling? And will it bring consumers back to beef?Finally, NRN's editor-in-chief Oches talked about two of our big projects: Burger Showdown and Breakout Brands.This week, you'll hear an exclusive conversation between Oches and Robert Byrne of Technomic. They dove deep into America's Favorite Chains.

What will this earnings season tell us about the industry? After what appeared to be a successful holiday season for restaurants, should we be seeing huge gains? In this episode, NRN editors give their predictions and what they're looking out for over the next month as chains start to report in earnest.

How is Chipotle marketing to Gen Z ahead of its busiest time of the year? Why are some customers labeling Applebee's latest marketing promotion a “scam”? Find out more about these stories plus hear from the NRN team about America's Favorite Chains.Check out America's Favorite Chains here >>Get caught up on the LinkedIn Live explaining the data behind the report >>

Do you want to know the latest trend in restaurants or how McDonald's is expanding its reach? Listen to this week's episode of Extra Serving to hear what the NRN editors think about hot button issues in the industry.

This week on the Extra Serving podcast, a product of Nation's Restaurant News, NRN editors Holly Petre, Sam Oches, and Leigh Anne Zinsmeister spoke about Gen Z's preferences.According to a new survey by dcdx titled Gen Z's Top 25 Most Magnetic Brands, Gen Z is a fan of limited-service restaurants, with three brands on the list. Topping that list was McDonald's, which jumped six spots from last year due to its Grimace promotions, the most popular of which was the Grimace shake, which spurred a TikTok trend. We've talked about it before, but what does Gen Z really want from its restaurant brands?Also, Panera is in the news for a few reasons. First, the chain may be finally ready to file its IPO. After some C-suite leadership changes earlier this year, along with layoffs to slim down, the fast-casual brand may be ready to file its IPO in the first quarter of 2024. However, that's not all. Panera has come under fire for its charged lemonade, which has allegedly led to two deaths so far. Will this impact the company's future IPO?And finally, Starbucks may be gearing up for the holidays, but if Red Cup Day was any example, the company should be expecting softer than normal sales. The quick service chain saw a 32% increase in sales on Red Cup Day this year, down from an 81% increase the year before. Analysts are predicting the chain, which has seen record traffic and sales over the past few years, should be expecting a softer holiday season.

This week, on the Extra Serving podcast, NRN editors Holly Petre, Sam Oches, Leigh Anne Zinsmeister, and Alicia Kelso continued their discussion of earnings season.After the barrage of earnings last week, this week seems calm in comparison, but the NRN editors saw several interesting chains report and are starting to get more color on the season as a whole.Traffic remains a big throughline of earnings season, and this week we saw CAVA buck all trends and post 7.8% increases in traffic while maintaining profitability.On the other hand, Sweetgreen is yet to become a profitable company several years after it debuted on the stock market.At some brands, name recognition is the number one priority. Dutch Bros is aiming to become a household name by quintupling its unit count over the next few years, and El Pollo Loco is trying to be a national brand again.The NRN editors also talked about Shake Shack, The Cheesecake Factory, Noodles & Company, Bloomin' Brands, and RBI. As Alicia Kelso says, stay tuned.This week's interview is Blaze Pizza CEO Beto Guajardo.

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In this week's episode of The Digital Restaurant podcast, Carl and Meredith cover three main topics. First, DoorDash is testing a feature that reminds users to tip their drivers, addressing the challenge of high delivery costs. Wingstop is making a big investment in technology, creating a platform called "My Wingstop" to personalize customer experiences in-store and online, aiming to boost digital sales. Starbucks plans to add 20,000 locations and implement a $3 billion cost-cutting strategy using tech efficiencies, emphasizing an omni-channel approach.John Legend has entered the restaurant tech world with a platform focused on positive recommendations and influencer-driven suggestions. This unique approach to reviews and recommendations could prove successful. Additionally, Toast conducted a survey of restaurant operators, revealing trends and challenges in the industry. They've also introduced a new app, ToastNow, allowing owners to access real-time data and communicate with on-site staff.Overall, this episode provides insights into the latest trends in the digital restaurant industry, offering thoughtful analysis and predictions for the future.Support the show

The gang rendezvous in Chicago last week for Doodles x Camp grand opening. The event it self was a huge success, but it was fun seeing all of our NRN and Doodles family. We go over our personal experiences from the activation. Ending the epidsode on the latest social media, Friend.Tech. Come hang out for a few. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/non-refungible/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/non-refungible/support