Choppin’ It Up by Bloomberg Intelligence

Red Robin Gourmet Burgers’ new flat-top grills make better burgers, improve efficiency and give the chain more menu optionality going forward, CEO and President G.J. Hart tells Bloomberg Intelligence. In this episode of the Choppin’ It Up podcast, Hart sits down with BI’s senior restaurant and foodservice analyst Michael Halen to give an update on the chain’s North Star plan, which includes improved food and operations, fewer discounts and new compensation plans for market partners and single-unit operators. He also comments on marketing spending, sale-leaseback transactions and changes to the loyalty program. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Restaurant CEOs seem pretty confident that sales will hold up just fine as the use of GLP-1 drugs increases, Daniela Sirtori-Cortina, Bloomberg News restaurant reporter, tells BI. In this episode of the Choppin’ It Up podcast, Sirtori-Cortina sits down with BI’s senior restaurant and foodservice analyst Michael Halen to discuss how drugs like Ozempic are forcing chains to consider salads, chicken and smaller portions. She also comments on the popularity of small indulgences amid a consumer slowdown and productivity improvements at Starbucks and Popeyes.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the surface it looks like US employment is strong but labor participation is lower than pre-pandemic levels and there are nearly four million part-time workers, many of which have multiple jobs, Vivian Wang, founder and CEO of Landed, tells Bloomberg Intelligence. In this episode of the Choppin’ It Up podcast, Wang sits down with BI’s senior restaurant and foodservice analyst Michael Halen to discuss how fewer full-time jobs and the gig economy are impacting restaurant hiring and retention. She also commented on application volume, chat bots and late-night staffing improvements. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Honeygrow keeps G&A tight and is profitable on a net income basis, founder and CEO Justin Rosenberg tells Bloomberg Intelligence. In this episode of the Choppin’ It Up podcast, Rosenberg sits down with BI’s senior restaurant and foodservice analyst Michael Halen to discuss the emerging chain’s strong unit economics and commitment to growing profitably. He also comments on Honeygrow’s development plans, stiff competition for real estate and his reluctance to raise menu prices amid higher gas costs and other pressures facing US consumers. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This will be a year of stealing share because the restaurant industry isn’t going to drive positive traffic, Mark Kuperman, COO of Revenue Management Solutions, tells Bloomberg Intelligence. In this episode of the Choppin’ It Up podcast, Kuperman sits down with BI’s senior restaurant and foodservice analyst Michael Halen to discuss why quick-service transactions, particularly at breakfast, are declining. He also commented on national promotions, labor dynamics and dynamic pricing.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Blaze Pizza’s new, smaller format stores are half the size of existing units and cost 25-35% less to build, CEO Beto Guajardo tells Bloomberg Intelligence. In this episode of the Choppin’ It Up podcast, Guajardo sits down with BI’s senior restaurant and foodservice analyst Michael Halen to discuss the chain’s US and international development plans and alternative store formats including drive-thrus. He also comments on issues like finding quality real estate, tighter financing for franchisees and his approach to finding great employees.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“We see a lot of challenges ahead, especially for the US consumer,” Howard Penney, managing director and consumables analyst at Hedgeye Risk Management, tells Bloomberg Intelligence. In this episode of the Choppin’ It Up podcast, Penney sits down with BI’s senior restaurant and foodservice analyst Michael Halen to discuss his near-term outlook for restaurant spending and which companies can thrive in a difficult environment. Spoiler alert -– large, franchise chains can outperform. He also commented on stubborn beef inflation, overstated Wall Street sales estimates and turnaround plans at Brinker and Burger King.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Melt’s turnaround was fueled by input from team members and customers, CEO Ralph Bower tells Bloomberg Intelligence, fueling a 400% jump in average unit volume (AUV) since 2017. In this episode of the Choppin’ It Up podcast, Bower sits down with BI’s senior restaurant and foodservice analyst Michael Halen to discuss the chain’s approach to hospitality, restaurant development, price hikes and third-party delivery. He also comments on supply chain and permitting issues, as well as the challenges of doing business in California.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers is highly focused on its franchisees and their returns on investment, President and CEO Chris Dull tells Bloomberg Intelligence. In this episode of the Choppin’ It Up podcast, Dull sits down with BI’s senior restaurant and foodservice analyst Michael Halen to discuss how the chain works with its partners to maximize their sales and profitability, boosting store growth. He also comments on the company’s real estate opportunities, technology improvements and how they’re attracting Gen Z customers.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Emotional connection drives consumer decisions and every marketing campaign needs to bring customers on an emotional journey to be successful, Beni Gradwohl, CEO and cofounder of Cognovi Labs, tells Bloomberg Intelligence. In this episode of the Choppin’ It Up podcast, Gradwohl sits down with BI’s senior restaurant and foodservice analyst Michael Halen to discuss how Cognovi uses its psychology-driven AI to form consumer behavior insights. He commented on recent struggles for Target, Bud Light and plant-based meat, as well as opportunities for ChatGPT and large-language models.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.