QSR Uncut

One of the biggest CEO moves in recent restaurant memory (maybe ever) brought Chipotle executive Brian Niccol over to Starbucks in mid-August. It was an announcement that soared the java chain’s stock and re-injected optimism into the brand, which has struggled with negative traffic in back-to-back quarters. But the truth is, this is a tale for Starbucks that goes back much further. Where did its...

Mike Esposito, co-managing partner and cofounder of Franchise Equity Partners, joins QSR Uncut to chat about the challenges and opportunities of the restaurant market today. Why is access to capital so challenging? Will that change? How can operators find investors and position themselves for growth? We get into that and a whole lot more.

The CEO of 7shifts joins QSR Uncut to talk through hiring trends and what the company uncovered from a new study: “What Restaurant Employees Want: 2024 Report.” We’ll get into everything from motivating factors, how you retain and recruit, and how the landscape of restaurant labor continues to shift out of the pandemic era. You can read more on the report here: https://www.qsrmagazine.com/story/as...

One of the industry’s true cult-classic chains has begun to expand beyond its Chicagoland roots, filing a successful IPO and heading to new markets like Texas. Wherever it’s landing, Portillo’s is opening to massive volumes—potentially the highest in the industry above $9 million—and finding hordes of new fans supporting the company’s next generation of development. How does Portillo’s maintain it...

Paul Tran, director of franchise sales at Hot Palette America, has had quite the journey, from opening his own concept to becoming a franchisee to now leading the growth of a global brand ready to crash into the U.S. He's a visionary who has successfully sold over 1,000 franchises and contributed to the scalability of restaurant chains across 15 countries. Now, he shares those lessons learned...

Derrick Hayes, CEO and founder of Big Dave’s Cheesesteaks, has taken his brand from a 700-square-foot gas station location to one of Atlanta’s most-popular fast casuals. And more recently, the brand has begun to franchise outside the state as it looks to ramp up growth. Hayes shares his journey from Philadelphia to Atlanta to the big stadium lights, from entrepreneur to rising executive, and how h...

(Very) few restaurant brands in America are growing as fast as Tropical Smoothie Cafe, while also generating these type of sales. CEO Charles Watson joins QSR editorial director Danny Klein to discuss what’s driving the brand’s success, where it’s headed, as well as, for the first time, get into its recent sale to private equity giant Blackstone. We also dive into broader industry trends and how t...

Devon Zielinski, the president of USA Restaurant Suppliers, joins the podcast this week to talk about the state of equipment in the sector, how he started the company, challenges and opportunities, and a bunch of other things, from dog DNA tests to, yes, living on Mars. This conversation went a lot of places.

Kate Finley, who worked as a Marketing Director for Chick-fil-A, is now the founder and CEO of Belle Communications, an award-winning and top-ranked digital PR and social media firm. She joins the podcast this week to talk about how restaurants can best reach today’s guest, from influencer marketing strategies to meeting customers on their own terms.

Kiosks are flooding the quick-service industry right now, from the biggest brands to fast casuals looking to scale. But what are the pitfalls and real benefits? Do they actually replace labor? Optimize sales? We’ll break down the landscape, present and future, and the ins-and-outs of implementation and performance, with PDQ chief operating officer Eric Knott and GRUBBRR chief marketing officer Jar...

How does a cult-favorite restaurant chain embrace the masses? It’s a multi-tiered strategy from store design to digital campaigns to rethinking every customer touchpoint along the way. Potbelly CMO David Daniels joins QSR Uncut this week to talk about the sandwich legend’s approach to guest engagement and what’s still to come. 

Lunchbox cofounder and CEO Nabeel Alamgir returns to QSR Uncut to talk about what’s fast become one of the biggest opportunities in the restaurant marketplace. Catering has made a massive comeback out of COVID and is now rife with whitespace. Can tech unlock the potential?

The Açaí pioneer recently launched into franchising for the first time in 24 years. CEO and cofounder Ryan Black joins QSR editors Danny Klein and Ben Coley to discuss the brand’s journey—it owns 50 percent of the imported Açaí market and has more than 30,000 retail partners stocking the product—and how it’s going to translate that equity and experience into brick-and-mortar development that’s alr...

No stranger to the restaurant industry, Max Sheets got his start as a teenager scraping cheese off pans in a Pizza Hut kitchen. He later spent more than 20 years in real estate and development for such brands as Lone Star Steakhouse and Saloon, Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers, Smashburger, and Ted’s Montana Grill. In fact, he was with Smashburger when the footprint transformed from a ha...

One of the industry’s biggest events is approaching, and we’re offering listeners an exclusive deal to attend. UNCUT25 is what's mentioned in the podcast. And the event site is here: https://www.qsrevolutionconference.com/

Kristen Hartman, the president of Specialty Brands at GoTo Foods (formerly Focus Brands)—the parent company of Auntie Anne's, Carvel, Cinnabon, Jamba, McAlister's Deli, Moe's Southwest Grill, and Schlotzsky’s—takes us inside the mashup everybody’s talking about. Is co-branding making a comeback? Should we call it something else? We’ll get into that and a lot more.

The food-cart-to-global-franchise brand has expansion on the mind once again as it prepares to take its iconic concept to new markets. Meanwhile, CEO Ahmed Abouelenein continues to position the fast casual for the future while paying homage to its past—a balance that’s constantly preparing The Halal Guys for whatever comes next.

Jason Brooks has spent more than 30 years in the restaurant industry with six of the top 100 brands. He joins QSR editorial director Danny Klein to share some of that wisdom and how he coaches leaders to drive culture and manage teams from all levels of the organization. If you want to want to dive in deeper, Jason’s new book is now available here: https://www.jasonebrooks.com/book

Viral Nation cofounder and CEO Joe Gagliese joins QSR editorial director Danny Klein to discuss what’s fast become one of the most successful marketing realms of quick service. McDonald’s Famous Orders. MrBeast Burger. What do these stories have in common? They found a way to tap into the audiences that matter most to today’s consumers.

Farmer Boys COO and president Joseph Ortiz joins QSR editorial director Danny Klein to take us inside a 40-plus-year-old brand that continues to chart its own path, and share what it’s like to run and grow a California-based brand these days. We get into everything from sourcing to menu innovation to how to handle the labor challenge, and much more.

Diana Geseking, General Counsel at Restaurant Technologies , joins QSR Editorial Director Danny Klein to dive into the ever-evolving topic of sustainability and how operators and partners can work together to make a lasting impact, and improve kitchen operations while they’re at it. This episode was sponsored by Restaurant Technologies

Taco John’s chief marketing officer Barry Westrum joins QSR editorial director Danny Klein to discuss the brand's expansion throughout the Midwest as it continues to surprise with menu innovation (Taco Pizza), a new Drive Thru Olé prototype, and the same commitment to challenging the status quo that’s always been a part of the concept’s DNA.

Eric Lam, CEO of Berry AI, joins QSR editorial director Danny Klein to discuss one of the most-buzzed about industry topics in recent memory: can you improve the drive-thru with artificial intelligence? But it might just surprise you how that’s possible, and what it means for the evolution of performance and customer experience in fast food's most important channel.

The inspiration for Sip Fresh began, as the company likes to say, on a balmy evening at a local bar. Could a juice chain mirror the mixology trend that had taken over the beverage scene? Sharon Arthofer, CEO and founder, and 27-year franchise industry veteran, joins QSR editorial director Danny Klein to talk about how the brand’s fresh and interactive experience has set it apart in what’s become a...

Last year, restaurant operators shared their key priorities and initiatives in Qu’s fourth-annual State of Digital report. Now, CMO Jen Kern joins QSR editorial director Danny Klein to discuss the findings of the fifth edition, which went even bigger, highlighting the rise of kiosks, “Loyalty 3.0,” and way more as we break down findings from 179 Brands across 62,000 locations. This is a look into...