FULL COMP: The Voice of the Restaurant Industry Revolution

The most direct path to success is to follow in the footsteps of the already successful. After 30 years in various leadership positions at the famed Union Square Hospitality Group, Mark Maynard decided to go independent. Rather than starting his own restaurant, he’s chosen to help other restaurateurs implement the best practices of his former employer. Today we discuss the strategies that made Union Square so successful and tools we can use to achieve the same. For more information on Mark, visit https://www.maynardconsulting.net/. ____________________________________________________________ Full Comp is brought to you by Yelp for Restaurants: In July 2020, a few hundred employees formed Yelp for Restaurants. Our goal is to build tools that help restaurateurs do more with limited time. We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other content: Yelp for Restaurants Podcasts Restaurant expert videos & webinars

Sometimes the only difference between those who succeed and those who fail is the decision to not give up. Today’s guest, Chef Brad Wise, is a testament to the grit required to build something prolific in our industry. In our conversation we discuss how to overcome a slow start and how he turned a failed bar into the hottest steakhouse concept on the West Coast. For more on his restaurant concepts, visit https://www.trustrestaurantsd.com/. ____________________________________________________________ Full Comp is brought to you by Yelp for Restaurants: In July 2020, a few hundred employees formed Yelp for Restaurants. Our goal is to build tools that help restaurateurs do more with limited time. We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other content: Yelp for Restaurants Podcasts Restaurant expert videos & webinars

Niko Viramo is the CEO of the Wild Thyme restaurant group but he’s also a student of business. He’s also a teacher at a prestigious university. Niko is probably one of the most savvy and well educated entrepreneurs I’ve ever spoken with and, today, he shares his universal truths around building and growing a strong restaurant brand. For more information on Wild Thyme, visit https://wildthymegroup.com/. ____________________________________________________________ Full Comp is brought to you by Yelp for Restaurants: In July 2020, a few hundred employees formed Yelp for Restaurants. Our goal is to build tools that help restaurateurs do more with limited time. We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other content: Yelp for Restaurants Podcasts Restaurant expert videos & webinars

Today we chat with Casey Cooley, a franchising expert who helps Jeremiah’s Italian Ice franchisees effectively launch blockbuster locations all over the country. In our conversation, we discuss the marketing strategy they’ve developed that takes franchisees from 2 months out to a month after opening. For more information on Jeremiah’s Italian Ice, visit https://jeremiahsice.com/. ____________________________________________________________ Full Comp is brought to you by Yelp for Restaurants: In July 2020, a few hundred employees formed Yelp for Restaurants. Our goal is to build tools that help restaurateurs do more with limited time. We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other content: Yelp for Restaurants Podcasts Restaurant expert videos & webinars

We learn by doing but we also learn by teaching. Chef Brian Duffy is a successful restaurateur in his own right. After opening his own places, he became a household name as a featured expert on Bar Rescue, parlaying his fame into a successful consulting practice. We sat down today to discuss best practices and lessons learned from opening over 100 different restaurant concepts over the last decade. In our conversation, we explore the key elements of a successful restaurant and the necessary ingredients to scale profitability. For more information on Chef Duffy, visit https://chefbrianduffy.com/. ____________________________________________________________ Full Comp is brought to you by Yelp for Restaurants: In July 2020, a few hundred employees formed Yelp for Restaurants. Our goal is to build tools that help restaurateurs do more with limited time. We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other content: Yelp for Restaurants Podcasts Restaurant expert videos & webinars

If we’re paying rent 24 hours a day, we must generate revenue 24 hours a day. But, with food costs and the cost of labor skyrocketing, our revenue models are evolving. Enter Mike Sebazco of Famous Toastery. With over two dozen locations and counting, this one shift business is shifting the way we look at operations and profitability. We sat down today to discuss how thinking small can have a massive impact on your restaurant. For more information on Famous Toastery, visit https://famoustoastery.com/. ____________________________________________________________ Full Comp is brought to you by Yelp for Restaurants: In July 2020, a few hundred employees formed Yelp for Restaurants. Our goal is to build tools that help restaurateurs do more with limited time. We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other content: Yelp for Restaurants Podcasts Restaurant expert videos & webinars

“Don’t back down. Don’t apologize. Don’t compromise,” are the words of Tai Ricci, a founding partner of San Francisco’s Hi Neighbor Hospitality Group. She’s grown her restaurant group to 6 locations over the last 10 years and today we sit down to discuss how she did it and who she needed to become to accomplish such lofty goals. As it turns out, personal development is professional development. For more information on Tai's restaurant group, visit https://www.hineighborsf.com/. ____________________________________________________________ Full Comp is brought to you by Yelp for Restaurants: In July 2020, a few hundred employees formed Yelp for Restaurants. Our goal is to build tools that help restaurateurs do more with limited time. We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other content: Yelp for Restaurants Podcasts Restaurant expert videos & webinars

They say if it’s not broken don’t fix it. But that’s setting a pretty low bar for improvement. Andrew Lee of bb.q Chicken took a brand that was far from broken and made it better. Today we’re discussing the secrets to scaling, successful branding strategies, and how to optimize your operations for the future. That’s Andrew Lee. For more information on bb.q Chicken, visit https://bbqchicken.com/. ____________________________________________________________ Full Comp is brought to you by Yelp for Restaurants: In July 2020, a few hundred employees formed Yelp for Restaurants. Our goal is to build tools that help restaurateurs do more with limited time. We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other content: Yelp for Restaurants Podcasts Restaurant expert videos & webinars

From my first day in this industry I was told that the profit lies in the bottom of the glass. Successful beverage programs lead to successful restaurant concepts. Today we sit down with L.P. O’Brien, founder of LP Drinks, a consulting agency specializing in helping great concepts create next level bar programs. In our conversation we discuss the essential elements of a successful bar program, mistakes to avoid, and what’s trending in the world of beverages. That’s L.P. O’Brien. For more information on L.P., visit https://www.lpdrinks.org/. ____________________________________________________________ Full Comp is brought to you by Yelp for Restaurants: In July 2020, a few hundred employees formed Yelp for Restaurants. Our goal is to build tools that help restaurateurs do more with limited time. We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other content: Yelp for Restaurants Podcasts Restaurant expert videos & webinars

Chris Tripoli has built major restaurant chains, worked as an independent owner and operator, and eventually found his way into a successful restaurant consulting practice. After working with countless brands over the years, he began to see common problems and common solutions. In today’s conversation, we unpack the most common problems owners face and the practical solutions to solve them. For more information on Chris, visit https://www.christripoli.com/. ____________________________________________________________ Full Comp is brought to you by Yelp for Restaurants: In July 2020, a few hundred employees formed Yelp for Restaurants. Our goal is to build tools that help restaurateurs do more with limited time. We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other content: Yelp for Restaurants Podcasts Restaurant expert videos & webinars

During our time in this industry we’ve watched countless healthy restaurant concepts go under. But today’s guest, Jeff Fenster, seems to have finally figured it out. His concept, Everbowl, has scaled massively over the last few years despite an economic downturn and a global pandemic. We sit down to discuss the strategy he used to become massively successful in a vertical that seemed destined for failure. For more information on Everbowl, visit https://www.everbowl.com/. ____________________________________________________________ Full Comp is brought to you by Yelp for Restaurants: In July 2020, a few hundred employees formed Yelp for Restaurants. Our goal is to build tools that help restaurateurs do more with limited time. We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other content: Yelp for Restaurants Podcasts Restaurant expert videos & webinars

Today we’re chatting with Michael Shain who, after long stints as a member of the leadership team at Union Square Hospitality Group and Death and Co., has decided to strike out on his own. In our conversation today we discuss, in a granular way, what makes a restaurant successful and the tools at our disposal to accomplish exactly that. For more information on Michael, visit https://greathandshospitality.com/. ____________________________________________________________ Full Comp is brought to you by Yelp for Restaurants: In July 2020, a few hundred employees formed Yelp for Restaurants. Our goal is to build tools that help restaurateurs do more with limited time. We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other content: Yelp for Restaurants Podcasts Restaurant expert videos & webinars

Matt Smith has been the marketing mastermind behind some of the most innovative brands over the last decade. His work with the Simmer Group, Madera, and One Table Restaurant brands has taken him from executive to thought leader within our industry. In our conversation today, we discuss his latest move to the experiential dining group Milkshake Concepts and his plan to help the company scale up by creating massive awareness. For more information on Milkshake Concepts, visit https://www.milkshakeconcepts.com/. ____________________________________________________________ Full Comp is brought to you by Yelp for Restaurants: In July 2020, a few hundred employees formed Yelp for Restaurants. Our goal is to build tools that help restaurateurs do more with limited time. We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other content: Yelp for Restaurants Podcasts Restaurant expert videos & webinars

Swagyu is a national brand with retail locations, multiple restaurants, and a direct to consumer model that ships all over the world. But, just prior to the pandemic, its founder hit rock bottom. The story of Steve Brown is one of the most inspirational restaurant stories to come out of the pandemic and today we sit down to discuss how he went from rock bottom to top of the world. For more information on Swagyu, visit https://www.swagyuchopshop.com/. ____________________________________________________________ Full Comp is brought to you by Yelp for Restaurants: In July 2020, a few hundred employees formed Yelp for Restaurants. Our goal is to build tools that help restaurateurs do more with limited time. We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other content: Yelp for Restaurants Podcasts Restaurant expert videos & webinars

Today we sit down with Joth Ricci, the president of Dutch Bros Coffee, who used the pandemic as an opportunity to innovate and scale a family business into a true contender in the coffee space. In our conversation, we discuss how innovative thinking paired with powerful technology can change the trajectory of our businesses. For more information on Dutch Bros Coffee, visit https://www.dutchbros.com/. ____________________________________________________________ Full Comp is brought to you by Yelp for Restaurants: In July 2020, a few hundred employees formed Yelp for Restaurants. Our goal is to build tools that help restaurateurs do more with limited time. We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other content: Yelp for Restaurants Podcasts Restaurant expert videos & webinars

There are restaurateurs out there that just seem to have the golden touch. Everything they open gets patronized by celebrities and there are lines out the door from day one. Today we sit down with Mark Birnbaum of Catch Restaurant Groupto discover the tools and strategies he’s used to create success after success. For more information on Catch, visit https://www.catchrestaurants.com/. ____________________________________________________________ Full Comp is brought to you by Yelp for Restaurants: In July 2020, a few hundred employees formed Yelp for Restaurants. Our goal is to build tools that help restaurateurs do more with limited time. We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other content: Yelp for Restaurants Podcasts Restaurant expert videos & webinars

In life, sometimes our paths diverge from those we love. When the pandemic hit, my executive chef and business partner went one direction and I went another. Today we sit down together to talk about the epic wins, the heartbreaking defeats, and the moments in between. Success can be defined in many different ways these days, especially if you’re a chef. This is a broad conversation spanning our past together and the bright future ahead for all of us. That’s Chef Sammy Monsour. For more information on Sammy, visit him on Instagram using the handle @samuelmonsour. ____________________________________________________________ Full Comp is brought to you by Yelp for Restaurants: In July 2020, a few hundred employees formed Yelp for Restaurants. Our goal is to build tools that help restaurateurs do more with limited time. We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other content: Yelp for Restaurants Podcasts Restaurant expert videos & webinars

Are you interested in learning how to become the chef of a successful restaurant or starting your own catering company? Have you ever wanted to launch a pop up restaurant or a traditional brick and mortar? Today’s guest, Jason Fullilove has done all of that and so much more. In our conversation, we explore all of the options you have as a chef these days and how to capitalize on each. For more information on Jason, visit http://www.jasonfullilove.com/. ____________________________________________________________ Full Comp is brought to you by Yelp for Restaurants: In July 2020, a few hundred employees formed Yelp for Restaurants. Our goal is to build tools that help restaurateurs do more with limited time. We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other content: Yelp for Restaurants Podcasts Restaurant expert videos & webinars

Betsy Hamm didn’t set out to become the CEO of a 100+ unit donut franchise but, when the moment arose for her to step up, she took the opportunity to go global. In our conversation today, we’re discussing how a donut shop can grow from a thousand person town to a thousand location brand and why marketing is a blade that we must constantly sharpen. For more information on Duck Donuts, visit https://www.duckdonuts.com/. ____________________________________________________________ Full Comp is brought to you by Yelp for Restaurants: In July 2020, a few hundred employees formed Yelp for Restaurants. Our goal is to build tools that help restaurateurs do more with limited time. We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other content: Yelp for Restaurants Podcasts Restaurant expert videos & webinars

Daniel Shemtob is an award winning chef, a successful restaurateur, a Food Network star, and, most recently, the creator of Snibbs, a footwear line made just for us. I wanted to sit down with him to discuss the blueprint he’s used to create success after success across every aspect of our industry. Today we talk about nurturing innovation, overcoming obstacles, and the non-linear path that leads to success. To learn more about Snibbs, go to Snibbs.co and use promo code FULLCOMP to get 10% off your first pair. ____________________________________________________________ Full Comp is brought to you by Yelp for Restaurants: In July 2020, a few hundred employees formed Yelp for Restaurants. Our goal is to build tools that help restaurateurs do more with limited time. We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other content: Yelp for Restaurants Podcasts Restaurant expert videos & webinars

Considering your legacy and the legacy of the business you’ve worked so hard to build is a worthwhile effort. Today we chat with Ari Weinzweig of Zingerman's Deli who, after breaking every rule in the book to build his $75M empire, is choosing to give it all away. We’re also joined by Natalie Reitman-White who helped him accomplish this noble goal. This conversation proves that a vision for a better tomorrow leads to a better today. You can reach out to Ari directly using the email address [email protected]. For Ari’s educational blog, click here. For more information on Natalie and Perpetual Purpose Trusts, visit https://www.alternativeownershipadvisors.com/. ____________________________________________________________ Full Comp is brought to you by Yelp for Restaurants: In July 2020, a few hundred employees formed Yelp for Restaurants. Our goal is to build tools that help restaurateurs do more with limited time. We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other content: Yelp for Restaurants Podcasts Restaurant expert videos & webinars

Snooze is a breakfast joint like many others but with a few key exceptions. Today’s guest, Clint Hughey, is one of those exceptions. Clint is Snooze’s Director of Impact and works to strengthen the bond between Snooze, its team, and its community. I think most of us take the entrepreneurial leap to create a greater impact in the lives of others, today we sit down with a subject matter expert to learn how to maximize those efforts. For more information on Snooze and their programs, visit https://www.snoozeeatery.com/. ____________________________________________________________ Full Comp is brought to you by Yelp for Restaurants: In July 2020, a few hundred employees formed Yelp for Restaurants. Our goal is to build tools that help restaurateurs do more with limited time. We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other shows: Restaurant Marketing School Restaurant expert videos & webinars

After 30 years with restaurant conglomerate Lettuce Entertain You, Geoff Alexander could teach a masterclass on building and scaling a restaurant brand. And that’s exactly what he’s done for us today. In this far reaching conversation we discuss the essential elements of leadership, how to build a brand from the ground up, turnaround strategies for struggling brands, and how to outsmart the competition. That’s Geoff Alexander. For more information on Wow Bao, visit https://www.wowbao.com/. ____________________________________________________________ Full Comp is brought to you by Yelp for Restaurants: In July 2020, a few hundred employees formed Yelp for Restaurants. Our goal is to build tools that help restaurateurs do more with limited time. We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other shows: Restaurant Marketing School Restaurant expert videos & webinars

Pura Vida is more than a restaurant, it’s a wellness brand that's selling peace of mind through nourishment. Today we sit down with the founders Omer and Jennifer Horev to discuss the essential elements of brand building and how to effectively scale without brand dilution. For more information on Pura Vida, visit https://www.puravidamiami.com/. ____________________________________________________________ Full Comp is brought to you by Yelp for Restaurants: In July 2020, a few hundred employees formed Yelp for Restaurants. Our goal is to build tools that help restaurateurs do more with limited time. We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other shows: Restaurant Marketing School Restaurant expert videos & webinars

Our guests, even our most loyal guests, can cook at home. They don’t come to us for nourishment, they come to us for entertainment. Food and beverage done well is performance art and few have done it better than Eleven Madison Park. Today we chat with Natasha McIrvin, former head of the dreamweaver program at EMP. Her job was to build a system that ensured surprise and delight were baked into every guest experience. In our conversation she shares the system she built and the tactics she used to transform servers into the weavers of dreams. To check out what Natasha is working on now visit https://www.thankyou.nyc/. ____________________________________________________________ Full Comp is brought to you by Yelp for Restaurants: In July 2020, a few hundred employees formed Yelp for Restaurants. Our goal is to build tools that help restaurateurs do more with limited time. We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other shows: Restaurant Marketing School Restaurant expert videos & webinars

The world looks different post pandemic and so do a lot of restaurants. The same experimentation that we’ve put into our menus is now finding its way into our buildouts. My guest, Udi Hershkovitz, has been in the restaurant game for over 2 decades and he’s ready to try something new. Today we talk about his 25 year old restaurant and how it inspired him to open a second concept in a shipping container. That’s Udi Hershkovitz. For more information on Udi and his restaurant concepts, visit https://www.eatsabarabas.com/. ____________________________________________________________ Full Comp is brought to you by Yelp for Restaurants: In July 2020, a few hundred employees formed Yelp for Restaurants. Our goal is to build tools that help restaurateurs do more with limited time. We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other shows: Restaurant Marketing School Restaurant expert videos & webinars

Lauren Fernandez went from working in restaurants, to working on restaurants, to influencing the industry at scale. After cutting her teeth as a corporate executive turned franchisee, she’s taken the lessons she’s learned and crafted not only an educational platform, but an investment engine for those that come after her. Today, we discuss what she's built and how it works to ease the burden of independent restaurateurs. For more information on Lauren and Full Course, visit https://www.fullcourse.com/. ____________________________________________________________ Full Comp is brought to you by Yelp for Restaurants: In July 2020, a few hundred employees formed Yelp for Restaurants. Our goal is to build tools that help restaurateurs do more with limited time. We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other shows: Restaurant Marketing School Restaurant expert videos & webinars

The best companies in the world are agile. They’re analyzing data and then testing the market in small but significant ways to see what’s working and what isn’t. That’s why I sat down with Russ Hawkins. Russ is the leader of Agilence, a company that the big guys hire to process their data and create profitable strategies. Today we talk about what data we should be analyzing and how to test the market to ensure positive outcomes. For more information on Agilence, visit https://www.agilenceinc.com/. ____________________________________________________________ Full Comp is brought to you by Yelp for Restaurants: In July 2020, a few hundred employees formed Yelp for Restaurants. Our goal is to build tools that help restaurateurs do more with limited time. We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other shows: Restaurant Marketing School Restaurant expert videos & webinars

If you think it’s hard to build a brand, try turning one around. The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf scaled to 1,200 locations globally but, after decades of success, the wheels of progress began to slow. That’s when today’s guest, Sanjiv Razdan, was brought in as CEO. It was his job to take a great business and evolve it into a great company. Today, we discuss what it takes to begin again when you’re already in the middle of it and the tools he’s crafted to ensure that his new beginning has a happy ending. For more information on Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, visit https://www.coffeebean.com/. ____________________________________________________________ Full Comp is brought to you by Yelp for Restaurants: In July 2020, a few hundred employees formed Yelp for Restaurants. Our goal is to build tools that help restaurateurs do more with limited time. We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other shows: Restaurant Marketing School Restaurant expert videos & webinars

Miguel Hernandez is a genius. You have never heard me begin a show this way before, but I was absolutely blown away by the fresh perspective Miguel is bringing to restaurant ownership and operations. This is a guy who’s scaled to 4 locations in just a couple of years and has financed his growth exclusively through the profits from his active restaurants. Today we discuss how to pick a winner, double revenues, and scale profitability. For more information on Rreal Tacos, visit https://rrealtacos.com/. ____________________________________________________________ Full Comp is brought to you by Yelp for Restaurants: In July 2020, a few hundred employees formed Yelp for Restaurants. Our goal is to build tools that help restaurateurs do more with limited time. We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other shows: Restaurant Marketing School Restaurant expert videos & webinars

I always looked at the big restaurant groups out there with envy. How amazing must it be to own 6, 8, or more locations? At what point do you get rich? At what point do you go from backup dishwasher to brand evangelist. Chef Lisa Dahl has grasped the brass ring. Over the last two decades, she’s built a restaurant empire. In today’s conversation, we look back on what got her to where she is today and where she’s headed next. That’s Chef Lisa Dahl. For more information on the chef and her restaurant group, visit https://www.dahlrestaurantgroup.com/. ____________________________________________________________ Full Comp is brought to you by Yelp for Restaurants: In July 2020, a few hundred employees formed Yelp for Restaurants. Our goal is to build tools that help restaurateurs do more with limited time. We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other shows: Restaurant Marketing School Restaurant expert videos & webinars

How do ambitious brands punch above their weight class? Today we’re chatting with Carolyn Walker of Response Marketing, an agency that specializes in helping the little guys compete with the big guys. In our conversation we tackle the big misconceptions when it comes to restaurant marketing and Carolyn provides actionable information on how we can better position our brands to not only compete, but to win. For more information on Response, visit https://response.agency/. ____________________________________________________________ Full Comp is brought to you by Yelp for Restaurants: In July 2020, a few hundred employees formed Yelp for Restaurants. Our goal is to build tools that help restaurateurs do more with limited time. We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other shows: Restaurant Marketing School Restaurant expert videos & webinars

Bryce Fluellen has one of the most important jobs in our industry. As the Executive Director of Everytable, it’s his job to transform line level employees into managers and evolve those managers into restaurateurs. In today’s conversation we discuss Everytable’s Social Equity Franchise model and the steps they’ve taken to build the future of Everytable and our industry. For more information on Everytable, visit https://www.everytable.com/. ____________________________________________________________ Full Comp is brought to you by Yelp for Restaurants: In July 2020, a few hundred employees formed Yelp for Restaurants. Our goal is to build tools that help restaurateurs do more with limited time. We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other shows: Restaurant Marketing School Restaurant expert videos & webinars

The only thing I ever wanted was to own my own bar…until I owned that bar. Then the only thing I wanted was to own a bar and a restaurant. There’s something within so many of us that pushes us to scale, despite the overwhelm that we’re are already suffering from. Charles Bililies took a different route with Souvla. His growth has been measured and strategic and I believe there’s much we can learn from his methodical process. In today’s conversation we discuss his strategy for scaling and the benefits he’s enjoyed from taking the patient path. For more information on Souvla, visit https://www.souvla.com/. ____________________________________________________________ Full Comp is brought to you by Yelp for Restaurants: In July 2020, a few hundred employees formed Yelp for Restaurants. Our goal is to build tools that help restaurateurs do more with limited time. We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other shows: Restaurant Marketing School Restaurant expert videos & webinars

I’ve always likened opening a restaurant to having a child. Over the years, you watch it evolve and you do your best to positively influence its growth. The struggle is how to convey what you’ve become to an audience that only remembers what you were. In this episode we’re chatting with Matt McAllister, the Head of Marketing at Yelp for Restaurants about the power of storytelling and how it can influence even your toughest critics. We’re all working to get better everyday and, today, Matt shares the tools and tactics he’s developed to let people know. ____________________________________________________________ Full Comp is brought to you by Yelp for Restaurants: In July 2020, a few hundred employees formed Yelp for Restaurants. Our goal is to build tools that help restaurateurs do more with limited time. We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other shows: Restaurant Marketing School Restaurant expert videos & webinars

Fred Castellucci’s story is a familiar one. He grew up in his family’s restaurant, worked there through high school, and then pursued higher education to chart a new path for himself. But, like for so many of us, Fred got sucked right back in. This is where things get interesting. When Fred jumped back into the family restaurant, he turned it around. He then opened more restaurants and, today, he and his family own 10 restaurant concepts. Today we chat about how Fred turned the tide of that struggling restaurant into a wave of prosperity for his whole family. For more information on Fred's restaurant concepts, visit https://www.chgrestaurants.com/. ____________________________________________________________ Full Comp is brought to you by Yelp for Restaurants: In July 2020, a few hundred employees formed Yelp for Restaurants. Our goal is to build tools that help restaurateurs do more with limited time. We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other shows: Restaurant Marketing School Restaurant expert videos & webinars

In most cases, the folks that help start a great restaurant concept are not the folks running it at scale. Most leaders within a startup fail to meet the new challenges they’re presented with in a larger organization. But not Bob Ray. Bob went from managing a single restaurant location to COO, overseeing the massive growth of the Margaritas Mexican Restaurant chain over the last 30 years. In our conversation today, we discuss the kind of leader Bob was and what kind of leader he had to become to scale a small restaurant into a big company. For more information on Margaritas Mexican Restaurant, visit https://www.margs.com/. ____________________________________________________________ Full Comp is brought to you by Yelp for Restaurants: In July 2020, a few hundred employees formed Yelp for Restaurants. Our goal is to build tools that help restaurateurs do more with limited time. We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other shows: Restaurant Marketing School Restaurant expert videos & webinars

What does restaurant college look like? Where would you go if you wanted to learn how to create a sustainable business and a global restaurant brand? If you said TGI Fridays, today’s guest, Ricky Richardson would agree with you. Over his decades long career at TGI Fridays, Ricky learned the tactics, tools, and strategies that this massive company used to take over the globe. He then turned around and used that same blueprint to help scale Eggs Up Grill into a regional giant. Today, he shares that blueprint with us. For more information on Eggs Up Grill, visit https://eggsupgrill.com/. ____________________________________________________________ Full Comp is brought to you by Yelp for Restaurants: In July 2020, a few hundred employees formed Yelp for Restaurants. Our goal is to build tools that help restaurateurs do more with limited time. We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other shows: Restaurant Marketing School Restaurant expert videos & webinars

Marketing is hard. It’s hard because it’s nondescript and it’s a moving target. Restaurant marketing looked different in 2020 than it does in 2023. But there are experts in the field and we’re chatting with one today. Meet Paul McEnany. Paul is the founder of Plein Air, a marketing agency that specializes in helping great restaurant brands grow. Today he unpacks the same gameplan he gives the big guys, so that we can use it too. For more information on Plein Air, visit https://www.itspleinair.com/. ____________________________________________________________ Full Comp is brought to you by Yelp for Restaurants: In July 2020, a few hundred employees formed Yelp for Restaurants. Our goal is to build tools that help restaurateurs do more with limited time. We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other shows: Restaurant Marketing School Restaurant expert videos & webinars

Tyler Simmons wants to sell your trash. Our industry is famous for the amount of waste we create and Tyler is here to help. Today we’re talking about Too Good To Go, a company dedicated to eliminating food waste by elevating trash to treasure through innovative marketing and powerful tech tools. In an industry desperate for reasonable solutions to foundation problems, this just might be one. For more information on Too Good to Go, visit https://toogoodtogo.com/en-us/. ____________________________________________________________ Full Comp is brought to you by Yelp for Restaurants: In July 2020, a few hundred employees formed Yelp for Restaurants. Our goal is to build tools that help restaurateurs do more with limited time. We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other shows: Restaurant Marketing School Restaurant expert videos & webinars

What comes to mind when you hear the words “vegan food.” For many of us, it’s burlap clothing and plates made of cardboard, but Steven Salm is out to change that. Steven founded Planta, a vegan restaurant that transcends every boundary placed on that genre of food. The branding, the buildout, and the culinary program all speak to what it is: one of the most compelling restaurant concepts in the last 20 years–even for carnivores. In our conversation today, we unpack the strategy he developed and executed to bring veganism into the mainstream on a national level. For more information on Planta, visit https://www.plantarestaurants.com/. ____________________________________________________________ Full Comp is brought to you by Yelp for Restaurants: In July 2020, a few hundred employees formed Yelp for Restaurants. Our goal is to build tools that help restaurateurs do more with limited time. We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other shows: Restaurant Marketing School Restaurant expert videos & webinars

Before Cyrus Batchan became a bar owner and a Michelin-rated restaurateur, he was a lawyer and that’s what drew me to this conversation. How many nights have you laid awake wondering if tomorrow was the day you were going to get sued? We’ve all consulted with lawyers in the past but I wanted to see how a lawyer-turned-restaurateur would go about setting himself up for success and limiting his liability. Today we chat with Cyrus about the things to do and the things we should avoid in an effort to become a better restaurateur. For more on his latest project, visit https://www.camphor.la/. ____________________________________________________________ Full Comp is brought to you by Yelp for Restaurants: In July 2020, a few hundred employees formed Yelp for Restaurants. Our goal is to build tools that help restaurateurs do more with limited time. We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other shows: Restaurant Marketing School Restaurant expert videos & webinars

Jack McGarry has achieved the accolades most of us dream about. He’s been awarded the best bartender in the world and his NY bar, The Dead Rabbit, was awarded the distinction of Best Bar in the World, a few years after that. But that’s not the end of Jack’s story. Since hitting the top, Jack has redefined excellence through the lens of bar ownership and has spent the last several years working to become the best owner he can be. Today, we discuss what that looks like in theory and how it manifests itself in practical application. For more information on The Dead Rabbit, visit https://thedeadrabbit.com/. ____________________________________________________________ Full Comp is brought to you by Yelp for Restaurants: In July 2020, a few hundred employees formed Yelp for Restaurants. Our goal is to build tools that help restaurateurs do more with limited time. We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other shows: Restaurant Marketing School Restaurant expert videos & webinars

A great business starts with a great plan but, in our industry, those plans can take many different forms. Today, we chat with Michael Jantz-Moon of DC Vegan, a catering company turned deli turned bar concept that’s revolutionizing the way people eat and think in the DC area. In our conversation, we unpack how this storybook ending began with a bulletproof plan and discuss the ways in which we can all plan to win. For more information on DC Vegan, visit https://www.dc-vegan.com/. ____________________________________________________________ Full Comp is brought to you by Yelp for Restaurants: In July 2020, a few hundred employees formed Yelp for Restaurants. Our goal is to build tools that help restaurateurs do more with limited time. We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other shows: Restaurant Marketing School Restaurant expert videos & webinars

Che Ramos is quickly becoming a household name within our industry. His efforts to create an inclusive environment within the beverage industry are what initially sparked my interest but, once he had my attention, I was floored by the amount of value he was providing across every digital platform. In today’s conversation we tackle diversity, inclusion, and what it takes to make a damn good drink and a memorable cocktail list. That’s Che Ramos. For more information on Che, visit https://blackbourbonguy.com/. ____________________________________________________________ Full Comp is brought to you by Yelp for Restaurants: In July 2020, a few hundred employees formed Yelp for Restaurants. Our goal is to build tools that help restaurateurs do more with limited time. We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other shows: Restaurant Marketing School Restaurant expert videos & webinars

How do you become a restaurant expert? You take the time to learn from the experts themselves. Sam Fonseca received the education of a lifetime working at In & Out, Cane’s, and Dave’s Hot Chicken. In today’s conversation, we discuss the lessons he learned from the greats and how he’s leveraged that knowledge to scale Roll Em Up Taquitos into a national brand. For more information on Roll Em Up, visit https://rollemup.com/. ____________________________________________________________ Full Comp is brought to you by Yelp for Restaurants: In July 2020, a few hundred employees formed Yelp for Restaurants. Our goal is to build tools that help restaurateurs do more with limited time. We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other shows: Restaurant Marketing School Restaurant expert videos & webinars

We’re back with part two of our interview with Jim and Sabin from Cousins Maine Lobster. We continue our conversation by diving deep into the skills needed, best practices adopted, and the lessons learned as the cousins navigated their way through the difficulties of scaling a restaurant concept to massive proportions. That’s Sabin and Jim from Cousins Maine Lobster. For more on the guys and their restaurant group, visit https://www.cousinsmainelobster.com/. ____________________________________________________________ Full Comp is brought to you by Yelp for Restaurants: In July 2020, a few hundred employees formed Yelp for Restaurants. Our goal is to build tools that help restaurateurs do more with limited time. We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other shows: Restaurant Marketing School Restaurant expert videos & webinars

Today’s conversation is part one of a two part series. I sat down with Sabin and Jim from Cousins Maine Lobster. Maybe you know them from Shark Tank, maybe you don’t. What you should know is that these two cousins have scaled one food truck into a $55 million dollar business over the last 10 years. Over the next two episodes, we’ll unpack the tactics, tools, and strategies they used to build a restaurant empire. For more on the guys and their restaurant group, visit https://www.cousinsmainelobster.com/. ____________________________________________________________ Full Comp is brought to you by Yelp for Restaurants: In July 2020, a few hundred employees formed Yelp for Restaurants. Our goal is to build tools that help restaurateurs do more with limited time. We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other shows: Restaurant Marketing School Restaurant expert videos & webinars

Ben Kaplan of Plnt Burger is taking the fight for burger supremacy to the streets. He’s a man that isn’t content with owning the vegetarian fast casual market. He wants to cannibalize the whole burger industry. Today’s conversation gets right to the heart of what matters most to our consumers. Ben’s idea is to win hearts and minds by winning their bellies first. For more information on Plnt Burger, visit https://www.plntburger.com/. ____________________________________________________________ Full Comp is brought to you by Yelp for Restaurants: In July 2020, a few hundred employees formed Yelp for Restaurants. Our goal is to build tools that help restaurateurs do more with limited time. We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other shows: Restaurant Marketing School Restaurant expert videos & webinars

I’d say my life is divided into two parts. Here on the show, my job is to ask the questions that I believe you want to know the answers to and then listen to the answers. But there’s another side to my life. As a coach, folks just like you ask me questions and it’s up to me to provide the answers. I wanted the opportunity to share the other part of my life with you and, recently, the opportunity presented itself. In today’s episode you’ll hear me being interviewed by my close friend and colleague, David Scott Peters for his show. In our conversation, I unpack the frameworks and mental models I’ve developed to help restaurant owners and operators scale profitability in any season. To pick up some of the tools and templates I mentioned on the show visit https://joshkopel.com/. ____________________________________________________________ Full Comp is brought to you by Yelp for Restaurants: In July 2020, a few hundred employees formed Yelp for Restaurants. Our goal is to build tools that help restaurateurs do more with limited time. We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other shows: Restaurant Marketing School Restaurant expert videos & webinars