Take-Away with Sam Oches

In this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talks with Lauren Coulter, cofounder of Biscuit Belly, a breakfast concept out of Louisville, Ky., that has grown to nine locations serving a high-quality menu of biscuit sandwiches and other morning staples out of a fast-casual setting. Lauren joined the podcast to talk about the entrepreneurial spirit underlying everything she and cofounder husband Chad Coulter do with the business, and how the brand’s catering program in particular is helping Biscuit Belly connect with new consumers.In this conversation, you’ll find out why:Consistency across your system begins with training To give your new concept it’s best chance for success, incorporate more than one trendYour franchise partners are great sounding boardsYour customers’ social media content is a cheap and effective marketing strategy Local store marketing is a great compliment to digital efforts in maximizing your reachA successful catering program must have a “say yes” mentalityHave feedback or ideas for Take-Away? Email Sam at [email protected].

In this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talks with Thomas McNaughton and Ryan Pollnow, co-executive chefs and partners at Flour + Water Hospitality Group, a San Francisco-based operation dishing upscale pizzas and pastas across multiple concepts and even a CPG line. Their newest venture, Flour + Water Pizzeria, is a 4,000 square foot space with a full-service pizzeria, a dough production facility, and a quick-service pizza shop slinging pies through takeout and delivery — a model that the pair hope to scale through a hub-and-spoke expansion model. Thomas and Ryan joined the podcast to talk about how they’re planning to maintain quality and integrity as they scale.In this conversation, you’ll find out why:Sometimes simpler is betterRestaurants are vital to community ecosystems Don’t be afraid to hit the reset buttonYou can grow your business without being a sell-outA hub-and-spoke model is perfect for scaling scratch-made menusYour flagship location should set the vibe and atmosphere for your brand Have feedback or ideas for Take-Away? Email Sam at [email protected].

In this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talks with Mike Cunningham, founder and CEO of Cunningham Restaurant Group. This group is based in Indianapolis and has 42 locations across Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, making it one of the top 10 biggest independent restaurant groups in the country. Mike joined the podcast to talk about how his knack for creativity drove him to scaling across so many different concepts and how he’s designing an infrastructure that ensures consistency across the group.In this conversation, you’ll find out why:Your first step toward growth is surrounding yourself with people who can helpHow much you like airplanes may determine your growth strategy The joy of discovery shouldn’t be underestimated in your marketing efforts Simple loyalty programs are not deadBedroom communities often offer more stable business than city centersYour growth strategy should allow for some flexibility around unique opportunities  Have feedback or ideas for Take-Away? Email Sam at [email protected].

In this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talks with Chris Westcott, CEO of Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant, a full-service operation with 21 locations across five states. Iron Hill has been offering craft beers and scratch cooking now for 27 years, but recently overhauled its menu with 30 new dishes as it refines its post-pandemic operation to better create a high-quality experience. Chris joined the podcast to talk about how Iron Hill is tapping into the potential of both its brewery and restaurant businesses and how it’s building a base of loyal customers in each community it moves into. In this conversation, you’ll find out why:Some of the most successful bar businesses are the ones that pair food and drink To combat the negative perception around chains, companies should give each location a distinct personality An executive’s hands-on experience brings credibility to innovationYour menu shouldn’t just meet the low bar set by your competitors Kids shouldn’t be forgotten in your loyalty efforts By educating your guests on flavors and products, you can build trust and loyalty Your VIP guests should be able to take the brand home with themConsumers want hospitality, not service — don’t confuse the two Have feedback or ideas for Take-Away? Email Sam at [email protected].

In this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talks with Stephen Loftis and Christine Lorusso, the chief brand officer and senior director of digital marketing, respectively, of Firebirds Wood Fired Grill, a polished casual concept based in Charlotte, N.C., with 56 units across 20 states. Firebirds is in the midst of a major digital transformation as it looks to appeal to all generations and develop stronger customer loyalty, and Stephen and Christine joined the podcast to offer a peek behind the curtain of their budding digital marketing strategy and how it is helping them reach a broader consumer set.In this conversation, you’ll find out why:All of the senses are in play when developing a unique experience Your website is the entry point to your restaurant for many consumers and should effectively communicate your brand and experienceIf you haven’t changed your website since the pandemic, you probably should build it again from scratchFirst-party data is the most important goal with your digital marketing strategyYour loyalty program should feature some more subtle perks along with dealsMore upscale chains have to get creative in appealing to younger generationsHave feedback or ideas for Take-Away? Email Sam at [email protected].

In this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talks with Jason Berry, co-owner alongside his husband Michael Reginbogin of the Washington D.C. based restaurant group KNEAD Hospitality + Design, which today has 20 locations across 10 concepts, including Succotash and Mi Vida. KNEAD is another group finding incredible efficiencies and economies of scale through a broad portfolio of restaurant concepts, but part of the secret to its success is the attention to detail it gives each one of its brands, as well as the robust benefits it offers its team members. Jason joined the podcast to talk about how that creativity and attention to detail come to life in KNEAD’s restaurants, plus how the group is strategically growing its teams alongside its geographic footprint. In this conversation, you’ll find out why:Developing a new concept is much harder than replicating an existing one, but might be the right decision based on your available space The intersection of dining and eating is a tough but rewarding categoryConcept diversification provides a more stable business modelCustomers eat with their eyes, and the visual details besides the food matterIt’s hard to have economies of scale when you’re spread out geographicallyPaying for extra team benefits up front has a big payout later on Have feedback or ideas for Take-Away? Email Samat [email protected]. 

In this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talks with Claudia Lezcano, CEO of Fuku, the chicken-sandwich fast casual founded by chef David Chang that is now expanding primarily through sporting venues. Fuku about 30 stadium and arena locations across the country, including at Madison Square Garden in New York, Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, and T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Claudia, whose past experience includes marketing roles with Burger King and Church’s Chicken, as well as with the Miami Dolphins and Marlins, joined Fuku about a year ago and she joined the podcast to talk about why Fuku is all in on this nontraditional growth strategy and how the company is improving its operations, branding, and service to maximize its stadium potential. In this conversation, you’ll find out why:There is an opportunity to change the narrative around bad stadium foodForecasts are critical to capitalizing on your potential in a stadium or arena Unleashing the power of your brand begins with consistency The key to thriving in a sports venue is excellent operationsYour brand should be the icing on the cake of the guest’s stadium experienceHave feedback or ideas for Take-Away? Email Sam at [email protected].

In this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talks with Michael Osanloo, the CEO of Portillo’s. Michael has been with the iconic Chicago-based Italian beef brand for five years now, and Portillo’s remarkable success in the past few years can be largely credited to the work he and his team have done in building efficient systems and a people infrastructure that can sustain the brand’s growth momentum. Today, Portillo’s does a staggering $8.5 million-plus average unit volume at roughly 80 locations and it’s on track in its evolution from a Chicago brand to a national brand. Michael joined the podcast to talk about how a servant leadership mentality is behind that success and how Portillo’s maintains such a massive operation without the wheels coming off.  In this conversation, you’ll find out why:You should provide white-glove service to your most loyal guestsStrive for frictionless service in every channel you serveEfficiencies can be achieved by breaking your operation down into individual parts with dedicated employeesDon’t move into a new market without team members who know the business inside and outHave a development plan for everyoneYour job as a leader of a brand is to put your team in a position to succeed Have feedback or ideas for Take-Away? Email Sam at [email protected].

In this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talks with Denise Pedini, the chief marketing officer of Newk’s Eatery. Newk’s is a fast-casual concept based in Jackson, Mississippi, with about 100 locations around the Southeast, and just this week announced a rebrand fashioned around the tagline “Extra with Every Bite.” Denise joined the podcast to talk about that tagline and rebrand, what “extra” means to Newk’s, and how the concept is updating its digital marketing strategy to appeal to customers new and old.In this conversation, you’ll find out why:Your guests are the best source to tell you what to be — and what not to beThe value message still resonates as a traffic driverDigital marketing is the perfect way to draw customers new and oldLoyalty programs are a cheat code for brand evolution The marketing and IT fields are fusing into one guest experience functionHave feedback or ideas for Take-Away? Email Sam at [email protected].

In this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talks with Scott Snyder, the CEO of Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii. This 32-unit chain has been around since 1989, but Scott was part of a group that bought it in 2019 and has spent the past four years figuring out how Bad Ass Coffee can embrace its quirky and evocative branding and deliver the experience of “aloha” to its guests in and out of its shops. A big piece of this puzzle is Bad Ass Coffee’s omnichannel sales strategy that sees it investing in retail and merchandise, and Scott joined the podcast to talk about how shirts, hats and mugs adorned with the concept’s winking donkey logo have become as critical to the Bad Ass Coffee experience as its products and its store design. In this conversation, you’ll find out why:The experience your restaurant provides should be authentic to your brandThere is value in your brand’s “ownable truths”You should have a consistent interpretation of your brandMerchandise is an underrated way to drive sales without increasing labor Merch can help you link experiences to the brandAn e-commerce strategy can help drive customers to stores from day oneHave feedback or ideas for Take-Away? Email Sam at [email protected].

In this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talks with Louis Basile, founder of the Arizona-based fast-casual Wildflower. Wildflower is one of the OGs in the fast-casual industry, as Louis founded the concept in 1995 when most people didn’t even know the term “fast casual” and brands like Chipotle and Panera Bread were years from becoming household names. Since then, he’s expanded it to 16 locations, all in Arizona, and he’s refined the model to emphasize high-quality menu items and a strong focus on hospitality. Louis joined the podcast to talk about how the fast-casual industry has evolved in the past three decades and what keeps him up at night as he continues to drive the business forward. In this conversation, you’ll find out why:Even small innovations can grow into game-changing revolutions Fast casual is like fine dining but giving the guest their time backFast casual is a cross section of American consumers who still expect hospitalityRestaurant operators should be more worried about the future of supply Everyday affordability is the first thing you should worry about when growing your brandYour building costs have to be in line with your value propositionBy teaching your people to communicate and receive feedback, you can unlock their potential  Have feedback or ideas for Take-Away? Email Sam at [email protected].

In this special episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talks with Lance London, founder and CEO of The Carolina Kitchen Bar & Grill, a regional chain serving a taste of Southern cuisine in the Washington, D.C. area. Sam sat down with Lance at the recent Prosper Forum in Amelia Island, Florida, to learn more about the Carolina Kitchen story, which is a wild, nearly 30 year ride that is now culminating with Carolina Kitchen expanding from four to nine locations in the next couple of years. Have feedback or ideas for Take-Away? Email Sam at [email protected].

In this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talks with three more leaders from the recent Prosper Forum in Amelia Island, Fla.: Andre Vener, cofounder of Dog Haus; Geoff Alexander, president and CEO of Wow Bao; and Josh Halpern, CEO of Big Chicken. They represent three fast-casual concepts that are quickly growing with innovation and talent development at the core of everything they do, and they joined the podcast to offer a look at how exciting young brands can scale while protecting the authenticity of the ideas that made them exciting in the first place. In this conversation, you’ll find out why:Tech innovation requires smart tech minds in your leadership positions Carryout innovation is key to alleviating fee fatigue You can’t grow without innovation Innovation isn’t without bumps in the road; how you navigate those bumps ultimately decides your fateCulture is hard to develop once you’re at scale, so start early Your workforce is probably Gen Z, so train them as suchIf you authentically try to meet your teams where they are, they’ll give you the benefit of the doubt  Have feedback or ideas for Take-Away? Email Sam at [email protected].

In this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talks with Michelle Korsmo, the CEO of the National Restaurant Association. The Association is the largest advocacy group for restaurants in the U.S. and aside from lobbying on behalf of the industry in the nation’s capital, it also provides a wealth of resources for brands as they look to overcome the myriad challenges facing restaurants today. Michelle and Sam sat down at the recent Prosper Forum in Amelia Island, Fla., to discuss those challenges and how the National Restaurant Association is helping operators fight on multiple fronts. That includes a look at the “4 D’s”: demographics, digital, demand and disruption. Have feedback or ideas for Take-Away? Email Sam at [email protected].

In this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talks with CEO Peter Cancro, COO Mike Manzo, and District Manager Shelbie Sticca of Jersey Mike’s. The three joined Sam individually at the Prosper Forum in Amelia Island, Fla., to discuss the chain’s remarkable success over the past 50 years and especially the past three years, during which the brand has grown sales by 60 percent and opened around 300 locations per year. That success is rooted in how the brand invests in its team members and turns them into leaders.In this conversation, you’ll find out why:You should treat your company like a training company If you bet on your people and their success, you will be rewarded If you don’t invest, you’ll fall behind Show your employees the path they can take to leadership positionsTake care of your employees personally, not just financially You can measure your brand’s success by the impact on all of your stakeholders  Have feedback or ideas for Take-Away? Email Sam at [email protected].

In this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talks with Juan George, cofounder of foodservice technology investment firm and consultancy 858 Partners. Juan was one of Olo’s earliest hires, and he’s had a front-row seat to the explosion in new technology tools, strategies, and services over the past 16 years. Now he’s giving back to the foodservice tech world through 858 Partners, alongside fellow cofounder Marty Hahnfeld and recent additions Jackie Berg and Seth Hall — all of whom are also Olo alums.Juan offers a wealth of knowledge on the past, present, and future of restaurant technology, with insights that will help restaurant leaders on their own innovation journeys. He’ll continue the conversation as one of the speakers at CREATE: The Experience this Oct. 1-3 in Palm Springs, Calif. To join us in Palm Springs and go even deeper on technology innovation with Juan and others, head to create.nrn.com and register for free. Have feedback or ideas for Take-Away? Email Sam at [email protected].