Choppin’ It Up by Bloomberg Intelligence

Noah Glass, Founder and CEO of Olo, is on a mission to digitize all restaurant transactions. In this discussion, he reveals how Olo’s innovative online ordering and delivery solutions are transforming the restaurant industry, currently dominated by analog processes. With only 6% of U.S. restaurant transactions digital, he sees immense growth potential—envisioning sales that could skyrocket 100-fold. Glass also highlights the power of integrated guest data and the launch of Olo Pay, which streamlines payments and enhances guest experiences.

Joe Kefauver, Founding Partner of Align Public Strategies, joins Michael Halen, Senior Restaurant and Foodservice Analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence, to discuss the US political climate following the mid-term elections. Kefauver explains what a split Congress means for the restaurant industry, gives an update on the FAST Act in California, discusses the progress made by labor unions and outlines what the industry should be lobbying for in 2023.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rich Reyes, CEO and Co-Founder of Mecha Noodle Bar, joins Michael Halen, Senior Restaurant and Foodservice Analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence, to discuss the chain’s strong commitment to giving back to the communities in which it operates. Mecha’s full-service restaurants serve pho, ramen and cocktails to ‘90s hip hop, but what really sets the chain apart is its commitment to charitable giving. Each month Mecha donates 50 cents from every bowl sold to a charity chosen by its staff, doing good while fostering employee and customer loyalty.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Matthew de Gruyter, CEO and Co-Founder of Next Level Burger, joins Michael Halen, Senior Restaurant and Foodservice Analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence, to discuss the plant-based burger chain’s menu, mission and development plans. Next Level Burger is America’s first 100% plant-based burger joint committed to giving customers a healthier option to traditional fast food by serving vegan, organic and non-GMO foods. Sustainability, living wages, an investment by Whole Foods Market and why Next Level chose Beyond Meat over Impossible Foods are among the topics covered.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Riley Lagesen, Shareholder and Chair of the Global Restaurant Industry Group at GreenbergTraurig, and Jonathan Sack, Shareholder at GreenbergTraurig, join Michael Halen, Senior Restaurant and Foodservice Analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence, to discuss the impact of unionization on the restaurant industry. Restaurant employees have historically been opposed to it, but unions see an opportunity with US approval of labor unions at a 57-year high. The organization efforts at Starbucks and Chipotle as well as other potential targets, election tampering and strategies to head off unionization are among the topics coveredSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Riley Lagesen, Shareholder and Chair of the Global Restaurant Industry Group at GreenbergTraurig, and Jonathan Sack, Shareholder at GreenbergTraurig, join Michael Halen, Senior Restaurant and Foodservice Analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence, to discuss California's passage of the Fast Act. The legislation will increase costs for fast food chains, including a potential 47% jump in hourly wages to $22. Menu price hikes, automation and potential challenges to the legislation are some of the topics covered.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Michael Lukianoff, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Extropy 360, joins Michael Halen, Senior Restaurant and Foodservice Analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence, to discuss a more localized, data-driven approach to implementing menu price increases. Dynamic pricing, the return of discounting, slowing summer sales and the health of the US consumer are some of the topics covered.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Atul Sood, Chief Business Officer at Kitchen United, joins Michael Halen, Senior Restaurant and Foodservice Analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence, to discuss the future of food delivery and ghost kitchens. Kitchen United's omnichannel approach, virtual brands, third-party economics and autonomous delivery are some of the topics covered.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Alice Elliot, Founder and CEO of The Elliot Group, joins Michael Halen, Senior Restaurant and Foodservice Analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence, to discuss leadership and human capital. Hiring trends, including C-suite and restaurant-level turnover, as well as hybrid work and diversity are some of the topics discussed.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gregory Francfort, Senior Restaurant Analyst at Guggenheim Partners, joins Michael Halen, Senior Restaurant and Foodservice Analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence, to discuss the industry. Deteriorating sales trends, Wall Street's lofty 2022 margin assumptions and the prospects for individual companies including McDonald's and Yum! Brands are discussed.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.