FULL COMP: The Voice of the Restaurant Industry Revolution Fun Is Non-Negotiable: Andy Shallal on Culture, Crisis, and Building Restaurants That Save Lives
What if the only way to build a restaurant worth running was to make it fun—even in crisis?
Andy Shallal didn’t set out to be a restaurateur. He left a stable path in medical science, waited tables to get by, and discovered something powerful: hospitality could be a vehicle for joy, justice, and deep human connection.
In this episode, Andy shares how he built Busboys and Poets into a mission-driven brand that prioritizes people over profits—and why “fun” is his north star, even through economic collapse and a global pandemic. We get into the power of quitting the wrong path, how food becomes a spiritual force, and why transparency and storytelling matter more than ever.
If you’ve ever wondered whether restaurants can still change lives, this conversation is your answer.
To learn more about Busboys and Poets, visit busboysandpoets.com.
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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.
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