What do you do with Pollo Tropical? This week’s episode of the Restaurant Business podcast “A Deeper Dive” features Alex Macedo, the chairman of Authentic Restaurant Brands, to talk about that company’s recent acquisition of Pollo Tropical. Authentic Restaurant Brands, or ARB, is owned by the private equity firm Garnett Station Partners. Macedo is a former executive with Burger King and Tim Hortons and is overseeing the multi-concept operator, which also owns Primanti Brothers, PJ Whelihan's and Mambo Seafood. Pollo Tropical has long been one of the industry’s most intriguing concept. The fast-casual chicken chain operates 169 locations and generates some industry-leading restaurant-level profits. But it has long struggled to expand outside of Florida—so much so that many buyers were reticent to acquire the company when it was put on the market two years ago. Macedo talks about that, and he discusses why he believes there is plenty of growth in Florida and nearby communities. He also talks about ARB’s acquisition plans, how many companies it is talking with, and what the company does once it acquires a restaurant chain. It is an interesting conversation with the chairman of a new multi-concept operator so please have a listen.

Brian Miller, CEO of management recruiting firm Patrice & Associates, talks about the state of the restaurant labor market. They discuss the resilience of the labor market, strategies for retaining employees, and the importance of company values in the restaurant industry.

Loyalty programs are all over the place. But are they really necessary? This week’s episode of the Restaurant Business podcast “A Deeper Dive” features Stephanie Meltzer-Paul, the EVP of global loyalty for MasterCard, to talk about loyalty programs. We asked Meltzer-Paul to join the podcast given how popular these programs have become. Just about every major fast-food chain, and many casual-dining concepts, have one of these programs, many of which were added only recently. But there have been some high-profile upgrades of these programs that haven’t always gone over well with loyal customers, often creating bad press in the process. We ask Meltzer-Paul about these issues, and why so many companies are spending so much effort on these programs. We talk about whether these programs are truly necessary—she has an interesting answer for this—and why it may sometimes be necessary for popular programs to accept some angry customers as their programs mature. And we ask her about the future of loyalty programs and what kinds of trends can be expected out of them in the coming years. It’s all about loyalty on A Deeper Dive so check it out.

Will restaurants need to serve more healthy food in the future? This week’s episode of the Restaurant Business podcast “A Deeper Dive” features RB Executive Editor Lisa Jennings and we spend the entire time talking about the concept of a healthy fast-food restaurant. Lisa and I have had numerous debates over the years about this topic and we thought we’d let you in on some of them. We chat about Ozempic and drugs like it, and whether these medications could ultimately change the restaurant industry by curbing the appetite of a potentially large number of Americans who could end up taking those drugs. We talk about why there hasn’t yet been a truly healthy fast-food restaurant, and about the types of chains that are doing something about it, such as Everbowl, Salad & Go and others. And we talk about the success of chains like Cava and Chipotle. We also debate about the restaurant industry’s role in the obesity crisis, and whether it has a responsibility to change that. It’s a healthy debate on A Deeper Dive this week, so check it out.

Is the tip credit dead? It sure seems that way, given the way big cities and states are doing away with the credit. So, for this week’s episode of the Restaurant Business podcast “A Deeper Dive,” I’m joined by RB Editor-at-Large Peter Romeo to talk about these things. Peter has been reporting on a rapid and increasingly successful movement around the country to do away with the tip credit, the sub-minimum wage restaurants pay to servers who get tips. This led into an extensive conversation about the rapid rise of service fees in the industry, an effort by the government to regulate such fees, and the impact on restaurants and their consumers. With the fees, the regulation and the decline of the tip credit, we wonder whether the industry is going to need another model for paying its employees altogether. It’s a fascinating discussion on tipping, service fees and the tip credit, so check it out.

Ron Shaich, Chairman of Cava and former CEO of Panera Bread, talks about why Panera thrived, the decision to sell Au Bon Pain, other chains Act III Holdings has invested in, public companies and activist investing, and taking Cava public. A fascinating conversation with an innovative industry figure.

Let’s meet 7 Brew, one of the fastest-growing chains in the country. This week’s episode of the Restaurant Business podcast “A Deeper Dive” features John Davidson, CEO of the rapidly growing drive-thru coffee chain. If you haven’t been to a 7 Brew, just wait: One will probably show up near your house sometime soon. The company’s unit count nearly tripled last year—enough to make the brand No. 3 on the Restaurant Business Future 50 ranking. It has grown even faster this year.   But anybody who listens to this podcast probably knows that such fast growth comes with serious risks, and we talk with Davidson about how the brand set itself up for growth and how it’s been able to grow that quickly. And it will only continue to grow quickly in the coming years. We also talk about why drive-thru coffee is so popular—several fast-growing chains in the U.S. serve drive-thru coffee in fact. And we talk about the chain’s expansion into smaller markets. We also talk extensively about training and operations. And why Davidson wants 7 Brew to be “the Dollar General of coffee,” and what that means. We’re talking 7 Brew on A Deeper Dive so please have a listen.

How do you build a restaurant brand platform? This week’s episode of the Restaurant Business podcast A Deeper Dive features Gregg Majewski, the longtime industry executive and founder of Craveworthy Brands. We spoke with Gregg at the FSTEC Conference in Texas earlier this month. Majewski had worked for years in the industry as an investor and executive, most recently as CEO of Mongolian concepts BD’s Mongolian Grill, Genghis Grill and Flat Top Grill. Earlier this year he created Craveworthy Brands, which hopes to strike gold by finding the next big concept. It has several brands under its umbrella, including the Mongolian concept and emerging chains like Lucky Cat, Krafted burger bar, Budlong Hot Chicken and Wing it On. The company is on the verge of a trio of acquisitions, one of which Majewski reveals on the podcast. We talk about the strategy behind the acquisitions and why it makes sense to operate many brands under one umbrella. We talk about the market for mergers and acquisitions and where that’s headed in the future. And we talk about other issues, such as third-party delivery and why Majewski thinks more brands should hold off on excessive charges on third-party delivery orders. It’s a fascinating conversation with the latest restaurant brand collector so please have a listen.

How can a small restaurant operator think about marketing? This week’s episode of the Restaurant Business podcast “A Deeper Dive” features Chip Klose, the host of the Restaurant Strategy podcast and author of the book The Restaurant Marketing Mindset. We wanted to talk with Chip about marketing, and why it’s so important for restaurant companies. We initially thought we’d discuss some recent industry marketing trends but we ended up talking entirely about how small brands and operators should think about it. Klose coaches operators on the topic. And he believes that marketing is vital for operators and that they should get into that mindset even before they open their doors. He discusses the best way for operators to get into that mindset. We also talk about social media and the best way to leverage that medium to keep pace with large brands. It’s not as simple as just having someone “do social media.” And we talk about where the best marketing takes place. Hint: It’s not far from the restaurant. It was a fascinating conversation about marketing so check it out.

Why are consumers and franchisees so interested in chicken tenders? This week’s episode of the Restaurant Business podcast “A Deeper Dive” features Andy Howard, the CEO of the chicken chain Huey Magoo’s. Howard has had a long history in the chicken business, a history that mirrors the evolution of the chicken business. He talks about Huey Magoo’s, the Florida-based concept he acquired a few years ago, and which has become one of the fastest-growing chains in the U.S. He talks about the company’s growth in recent years and the factors behind that growth. We also talk extensively about consumer demand for chicken and how that demand has evolved. An abnormally large number of the fastest-growing chains in the U.S. sell chicken. We also talk about demand from franchisees, and why Howard is the one who leads franchise sales for his brand. And we discuss what he looks for in a franchisee, and what kind of real estate the brand looks for. It’s a fascinating conversation with the owner of one of the fastest-growing chains in the U.S., so check it out.