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The restaurant industry is evolving rapidly — from third-party delivery and ghost kitchens to minimum wage hikes and fake meat. Join Zach Goldstein — by day the CEO of Thanx, and by night a fanatical student of the business of restaurants — as he interviews the leading industry trailblazers about their most exciting ideas, challenging moments, and hard-fought learnings. Enjoy food for thought in the fight for food.
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In this episode, we chat with Kathie Niven, CEO of Biscuitville. Tune in to hear why Kathie and her team bucked industry trends and decided to forego third-party delivery. Kathie shares how she led Biscuitville through a complete refresh of their brand and optimized her locations for a growing drive-thru channel.…
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In this episode, we chat with Jill Taylor, CEO of Burgerville. Tune in to hear how Jill and her team have been facing the restaurant labor shortage head-on by investing in the development and safety of their team members. Jill shares how her restaurants have fine-tuned operations to support a 5000% increase in digital orders as well as her vision o…
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In this episode, we chat with Jeni Britton Bauer, Founder and Chief Creative Officer of Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams. Tune in to hear how Jeni and her team navigated COVID-19, managing everything from production changes to scoop shop safety for team members and customers alike. Zach and Jeni discuss what it takes to run a successful omnichannel brand…
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In this episode, we chat with Alan Philips, Chief Creative Officer of REEF Technology. Tune in to hear Alan share how REEF is transforming urban areas into neighborhood hubs that connect people to locally curated goods, services, and experiences. Zach and Alan discuss the impact of emerging technology such as ghost kitchens and virtual brands on th…
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In this episode, we chat with Chef Eric Greenspan, a celebrated chef whose resume boasts tenure at some of the most prominent fine dining establishments in Los Angeles. Chef Greenspan shares the foresight into virtual brands that prompted him to invest in the concept as early as 2018. Zach and Chef Greenspan chat about the proliferation of ghost ki…
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In this episode, we chat with Greg Creed, former CEO of Taco Bell and Yum! Brands. Greg shares his marketing philosophies and how he has applied them while leading some of the most iconic marketing campaigns in QSR to date. Zach and Greg discuss changing customer behaviors post-COVID, fostering diversity throughout an organization, and minimum wage…
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Season 4 of Food Fighters kicks off with Martha Hoover, the Founder and President of Patachou, a collective of 12 eateries in the Indianapolis area. In this episode, Martha shares how her restaurants have navigated the pandemic and why her brand has embraced company culture and unique employee benefits. Martha and Zach also discuss how technology c…
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In this episode, we chat with Adam Halberg, long-time chef, culinary director, and now CEO of Barcelona Wine Bar. Tune in to hear Adam talk about prioritizing long-term customer relationships and lifetime value over short-term upsells, and how Barcelona commits to creating personalized guest experiences despite a challenging COVID-19 environment. A…
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In this episode, we chat with Akash Kapoor and Zaid Ayoub, restaurant industry innovators and respective founders of Curry Up Now and SAJJ Mediterranean. Tune in to hear Akash and Zaid talk about how they launched digitally-integrated loyalty just in time to engage with customers during COVID, and how they’ve explored new ways of attracting and del…
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In this episode, we talk to Don Fox, hospitality industry veteran and CEO of Firehouse Subs. Tune in to hear Don talk about how Firehouse Subs anticipated trends in off-premise dining pre-COVID and planned accordingly, positioning the brand to serve customers across channels and need states. Don also shares his team’s focus on day-by-day improvemen…
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In this episode, we talk to Jared Cohen, the data-driven and forward-thinking COO of Protein Bar and Kitchen. Jared shares how early investments in a digital strategy prepared Protein Bar to respond nimbly to the pandemic, reaching customers in the rapidly shifting locations and times of the “new normal.” We also discuss the untapped opportunity in…
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In this episode, we talk to Tressie Lieberman, Chipotle’s VP of Digital and Off-Premise, and one of the restaurant industry’s leading voices on digital marketing. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to threaten restaurants as we know them, Tressie shares how Chipotle has transformed the way it engages with its 15 million loyalty members and constant…
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COVID-19 continues to wreak havoc on the restaurant industry. In this episode, we talk to Jason Morgan, CEO of bellagreen and Original ChopShop, about why they are training customers to order directly and creating incentives for them to do so, and why they are taking delivery in-house.By Thanx
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With most restaurant sales down more than 70% as a result of the COVID-19 crisis, it’s nice to finally hear some positive news. In this episode, we talk to Otto Othman, CEO & Founder of PINCHO about how a close relationship with customers, first-party digital ordering, and creative marketing campaigns have helped drive positive YoY sales growth des…
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COVID-19 continues to put massive strain on the restaurant industry. In this episode, we talk to Seth Cohen, Partner & Co-founder of Sweetfin, about the decision to stay open, why his team is working on the creation of a “ghost” brand operating out of their existing kitchens and their plans for reopening dining rooms.…
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COVID-19 has dramatically impacted the U.S. restaurant industry. In this episode, we talk to Stacie Colburn Hayes, Chief Marketing Officer of Oath Pizza, about how her team’s quick response to the crisis and strong digital infrastructure helped them minimize the crisis’ impact. You will hear about their overnight pivot to an 100% off-premises model…
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COVID-19 has dramatically impacted the U.S. restaurant industry in just a few weeks. We sat down with Greg Golkin of Kitchen Fund and Jim Balis of CapitalSpring to understand how restaurant investors & their portfolio brands are weathering the storm, narrowing their focus, and how some restaurants are defining new visions of what it means to be a r…
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“Experiences happen inside of the four walls of Punch Bowl Social.” Robert Thompson, Founder & CEO of Punch Bowl Social, credits the brand’s success to experiential food & beverage. Listen in as he discusses where they’ve seen success, and where they’re continuing to define the world of eatertainment.…
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