Hospitality Hangout | Expert Strategies & Industry Trends from Hospitality Insiders

In the vibrant city of Las Vegas, hosts Michael Schatzberg "The Restaurant Guy" and Jimmy Frischling "The Finance Guy" took their listeners on an exhilarating journey in the latest episode of Hospitality Hangout. Broadcasting from the Food On Demand conference, they were joined by a lineup of guests who are shaping the future of the hospitality industry. Kicking off the episode was Kevin King, the President of Donatos Pizza. A brand with a rich history dating back to 1963. Next, the dynamic duo welcomed Kristen Hawley, the Founder of Expedite, a cutting-edge newsletter that spotlights revolutionary news and big ideas transforming the hospitality landscape. And finally, they talk with Brita Rosenheim, the Managing Partner of Vita Vera Ventures and author of the highly acclaimed 2023 Restaurant Tech Ecosystem. With their expertise in advancing the food industry's resiliency, efficiency, and sustainability, Brita and her team are dedicated to supporting tech entrepreneurs who are defining the future of dining. Together, this engaging trio explored a wide range of captivating topics, leaving listeners inspired and eager to embrace the ever-evolving world of hospitality.They were joined by their first guest, Kevin King, the President of Donatos Pizza, famous for their Edge to Edge® pizza. With a fascinating background in the restaurant business, Kevin shared his journey from working in a pizza shop as a kid to holding leadership positions at renowned pizza chains like Domino's, Papa Murphy's, and Smoothie King. Having rejoined Donatos as President in 2022, Kevin's passion for the pizza industry and dedication to the company's growth was evident throughout the conversation. Donatos, founded by Jim Grote in 1963, has since expanded to 375 locations across 22 states, with a strategic partnership with Red Robin further boosting its nationwide presence. The episode delved into various topics, including the challenges and opportunities of third-party delivery, the significance of technology in the industry, and Donatos' commitment to giving back to the community. Kristen Hawley, the founder of Expedite, a newsletter in the restaurant industry, was the next guest. Known for her insightful articles and deep understanding of restaurant technology, Kristen shared her perspective on how technology is transforming the dining experience. She highlighted the importance of leveraging technology to enhance customer interactions, covering delivery, loyalty programs, and reservations. Kristen also emphasized the need for a nuanced understanding of the industry, challenging the prevailing narratives around technology's impact. Additionally, she shared her cautious optimism regarding chat GPT, acknowledging both its potential benefits and the importance of regulating its rapid development.Brita Rosenheim, Managing Partner of Vita Vera Ventures and Author of the 2023 Restaurant Tech Ecosystem. They talked about Brita's recent panel discussion and her expertise in the industry. During the conversation, Brita discussed various topics, including the unique focus of Food OnDemand compared to other conferences. She also highlighted the importance of investing in the food industry's resiliency, efficiency, and sustainability. The discussion touched upon the growth and challenges of ghost kitchens and virtual brands, emphasizing the need for maintaining quality and consistency. Brita also shared insights on dynamic pricing and revenue management, advocating for a rebranding of the concept. Additionally, she discussed the saturation of single-point solutions in the market and predicted that automation would be a significant topic in the industry's future. To hear “Branded Quickfire,” the “Crystal Ball Moment” and more industry insights check out this episode of Hospitality Hangout. Episode Credits:Produced by: Branded Hospitality MediaHosted by: Michael Schatzberg, JImmy FrischlingProducer: Julie ZuckerCreative Director: Adam LevineShow Runner: Drewe RaimiPost Production: Three Cheers Creativewww.thehospitalityhangout.com

In the latest episode of Hospitality Hangout, hosts Michael Schatzberg, "The Restaurant Guy," and Jimmy Frischling, "The Finance Guy," were joined by Marianne Radley, the Chief Marketing Officer of Smoothie King. The trio engaged in a discussion revolving around effective marketing strategies and insights within the food and beverage industry.During the episode, Radley shed light on Smoothie King's recent marketing initiatives and shared valuable insights into the company's success. She emphasized the importance of understanding customer needs and tailoring marketing efforts accordingly. Radley pointed out that staying relevant in the ever-evolving marketplace requires continuous innovation and adaptation.Smoothie King's CMO emphasized the role of data in guiding marketing decisions. Radley revealed that the company leverages comprehensive customer data to create personalized experiences and develop targeted campaigns. By analyzing consumer preferences, Smoothie King has successfully implemented strategies to drive customer loyalty and engagement.They delved into third-party delivery services and the invaluable insights derived from their analytics. The trio eagerly discussed the challenges and opportunities that arise when partnering with external delivery platforms, emphasizing the importance of harnessing the power of data to enhance customer experiences and drive business growth. With Marianne's wealth of knowledge and expertise, they explored innovative strategies for leveraging third-party delivery analytics to make informed decisions and optimize operations.The discussion also touched upon the significance of brand authenticity. Radley emphasized the need for businesses to genuinely connect with their target audience by aligning marketing messages with their core values. She explained how Smoothie King's commitment to providing nutritious and delicious smoothies resonates with health-conscious consumers, leading to a strong brand identity.Hospitality Hangout once again proved to be an engaging platform for industry professionals. This episode delivers Marianne Radley's expertise and provides an enriching exploration of marketing strategies in the food and beverage industry.To hear “Branded Quickfire” answers and all of Radley’s conversation check out this episode of Hospitality Hangout. Episode Credits:Produced by: Branded Hospitality MediaHosted by: Michael Schatzberg, JImmy FrischlingProducer: Julie ZuckerCreative Director: Adam LevineShow Runner: Drewe RaimiPost Production: Three Cheers Creativewww.thehospitalityhangout.com

In the latest episode of Hospitality Hangout, hosts Michael Schatzberg "The Restaurant Guy" and Jimmy Frischling "The Finance Guy" are joined by Christi Ravneberg, Director of Content Integration, Restaurant & Food Group, and Joe Donnelly, Group Director & Publisher, Restaurant and Food Group at Informa Connect. Informa, a leading B2B global media exhibition company, aspires to become the foremost voice in content, connections, and intelligence. Generating approximately $2.2 billion in annual revenue, Informa is traded on the London Stock Exchange. Joe Donnelly and Christi Ravneberg are integral members of Informa Connect, the company's Knowledge & Networking division, which is spearheaded by CEO Andrew Mullins. With its extensive resources and expertise, Informa continues to drive innovation and foster connections across multiple industries worldwide.The Informa team joins the conversation to discuss the recently released 2023 Market Leader Report for Transformative Tech Strategies for Restaurants. As foodservice operators seek tools and data to accelerate their growth, they are carefully considering technology's impact on operations, labor management, marketing, and scalability with their current tech stack and workforce. To help operators make informed investment decisions, Nation's Restaurant News Intelligence conducted a comprehensive investigation of the technology needs and upcoming initiatives of nearly 400 operators, representing a diverse range of service styles and brand sizes. The insights gleaned from this research are invaluable in guiding the industry toward successful and sustainable technology adoption.Donnelly highlights how COVID-19 accelerated a technology revolution in the food service industry, which was bound to happen eventually. With over 15 years of experience in B2B technology, he aims to use Informa's platform to facilitate peer-to-peer recognition for best practices in technology adoption and application in the sector.Ravneberg shares a key finding from a recent survey, revealing that 92% of operators are very likely to invest in technology within their restaurants and hotels over the next 12 months. Despite the industry's history of being slow to adopt new technologies, this statistic demonstrates the increasing understanding that embracing tech is now a non-negotiable factor for success. The challenges of cost and integration, as well as significant knowledge gaps and an overwhelming number of choices, still persist, but operators are more determined than ever to adapt and compete in this rapidly evolving landscape. To hear “Tuesday Trivia, Two Lie’s and a Truth” check out this episode of Hospitality Hangout and to read the full 2023 Market Leader Report for Transformative Tech Strategies for Restaurants, you can click this here. Episode Credits:Produced by: Branded Hospitality MediaHosted by: Michael Schatzberg, JImmy FrischlingProducer: Julie ZuckerCreative Director: Adam LevineShow Runner: Drewe RaimiPost Production: Three Cheers Creativewww.thehospitalityhangout.com

In the latest episode of Hospitality Hangout podcast, Michael Schatzberg “The Restaurant Guy” and Jimmy Frischling “ The Finance Guy” chat with Amer Wahab, President of Kettlemans Bagels. Founded over two decades ago, Kettleman's Bagels, led by CEO Craig Buckley and President Amer Wahab, has established itself as a veritable food institution in Ottawa, with a steadfast commitment to crafting the best bagels the old-fashioned way. Operating around the clock, every day of the year, Kettleman's Bagel is renowned for its traditional Montreal-style bagels, made with premium ingredients, hand-rolled, kettle-boiled in honey water, and baked in a wood-burning oven stoked with carefully selected hardwood. The business model is as unique as its bagels, offering a fully transparent, "no-wall" experience that lets customers witness the entire preparation and baking process. Wahab was asked about the expansion success, the right franchise partners and hiring employees. Wahab shares that Kettlemans has units that do more than $4.8 million in revenue. In a bid to streamline service and meet customer demands for speed, Kettleman's Bagel Co. launched a mobile ordering app pre-COVID that has reshaped the customer experience. "The nature of quick service restaurants is to be quick," President Amer Wahab explained, "And in listening to our guests, we've tried to make our service quicker." Now, customers can place orders and receive their bagel sandwiches in as little as five minutes when ordering in-store.The app's functionality allows for scheduled pickups, but understanding the unpredictable nature of daily schedules, the company integrated geofencing technology, in partnership with BlueDot, to ensure product freshness upon arrival. "People's schedules sometimes change. You may place your order to pick up at 11:30, but due to traffic or other delays, it's 11:45. We want your food to be just right," Wahab said. This technology triggers the kitchen to prepare orders as customers cross a specified threshold, ensuring a fresher, better product upon handoff at the drive-through or counter.Additionally, Kettleman's Bagels has looked to technology to aid in its production process, specifically in dealing with the manual labor involved in producing about 3,000 pounds of cream cheese a week. "We're scooping it by hand," Wahab said. Recognizing the potential for technology and AI to improve this process, the company collaborated with a tech firm to automate the weighing and dispensing of cream cheese. "You tell the machine you want 175 grams, it spits it out. It doesn't matter the consistency of the product," Wahab added. These technological advancements are not only improving efficiency but also contributing to the overall quality of the Kettleman's experience.To hear the questions and Wahab’s responses to “Two Truths and a Lie” check out this episode of Hospitality Hangout. Episode Credits:Produced by: Branded Hospitality MediaHosted by: Michael Schatzberg, JImmy FrischlingProducer: Julie ZuckerCreative Director: Adam LevineShow Runner: Drewe RaimiPost Production: Three Cheers Creativewww.thehospitalityhangout.com

In the latest episode of Hospitality Hangout podcast, Michael Schatzberg “The Restaurant Guy” and Jimmy Frischling “ The Finance Guy” were on the road at Restaurant Leadership Conference in Scottsdale, Arizona. Their guests include the President of Dunn Brothers Coffee, Kim Plahn, Alex Eagle, CEO of Freebirds World Burrito, Daran Han, Cargill, and Scott Taylor, President and CEO of Walk’Ons Sports Bistreaux. Ed and Dan Dunn were on a mission to roast in small batches, serve freshly brewed coffee, and provide an experience and the community was front and center. Dunn Brothers Coffee opened in 1987. Plahn has been with Dunn for 16 years and the brand currently has 55 locations and is continuing to grow. Gala Capital Partners recently acquired Dunn Brothers Coffee. Plahn said, “We're getting infrastructure all set, we're getting our pipelines going, and we're looking at new models for business. We have wonderful funding behind us and we are ready to grow and share our brand.” Alex Eagle is the CEO of Freebirds World Burrito, the Austin-based restaurant chain. Eagle has worked for the ownership group, Tavistock Group for 11 years. Eagles said that they have 63 locations and 100 percent of the company is operated in Texas and focused on burritos and bowls. The guys ask Eagle where restaurant and technology will be in two years, and he said, Well I think people are still taking a look at the labor issue the most and how do we become more efficient and how do we create a better work environment for our employees at the same time.Daran Han leads the food tech division at Cargill. Han said I think a big part of our long-term strategy and vision is that we realized to serve the industry better we have to start getting technology and understanding how digital and the technology solutions are impacting what we're doing across the industry. Cargill Digital Studios as we continue to build this out, the portfolio last time when on the show had four or five new products and now has eight in the portfolio.Walk’Ons Sports Bistreaux CEO, Scott Taylor stopped by to chat with the guys. Walk-On’s operates 75 locations and is on the path to reaching 100 locations by the end of 2024. Taylor talks about the underdog mentality and how Walk-On’s embraces that and allows it to drive their culture. To hear more from all of the guests that stopped by to chat with Schatzberg and Frischling at RLC and the crystal ball moments, check out this episode Hospitality Hangout. Episode Credits:Produced by: Branded Hospitality MediaHosted by: Michael Schatzberg, JImmy FrischlingProducer: Julie ZuckerCreative Director: Adam LevineShow Runner: Drewe RaimiPost Production: Three Cheers Creativewww.thehospitalityhangout.com

Episode Credits: - Produced by: Branded Hospitality Media - Hosted by: Michael Schatzberg, JImmy Frischling - Producer: Julie Zucker - Creative Director: Adam Levine - Show Runner: Drewe Raimi - Post Production: Three Cheers Creative www.thehospitalityhangout.com

In the latest episode of Hospitality Hangout podcast, Michael Schatzberg “The Restaurant Guy” and Jimmy Frischling “ The Finance Guy” chat with the authors of “Delivering the Digital Restaurant: The Path to Digital Maturity,” Meredith Sandland and Carl Orsbourn. Sandland, co-author of two books, “Delivering the Digital Restaurant, Your Roadmap to the Future of Food”, as well as the new one “Delivering the Digital Restaurant, The Path to Digital Maturity.” Sandland says, “My background, I was at Taco Bell for many years, leading development there and building lots and lots of Taco Bells and started to wonder, why are we building all these Taco Bells next to malls when no one goes to malls anymore? That seems kind of weird. And that planted a seed which only grew when we tried to enter Manhattan and I thought, why are we paying the world's most expensive real estate prices when 40% of our sales are going out-the-door delivery.”Orsbourn before meeting Sandland was working for a large oil and gas company but spent 15 years in the retail space. “I wanted to speak to folks that had made that transition from big company blue chip world into the startup environment and a mutual friend of Meredith and mine introduced us and it was through the conversation there that Meredith said I'm doing this thing in ghost kitchens now and at that time I thought well this is a doozy, isn't it,” Orsbourn said. Sandland who had joined Kitchen United explained the logic about why ghost kitchens made sense and Orsbourn was immediately drawn in. Orsbourn also joined the Kitchen United team and helped them build out the operational model. Orsbourn talks about every big restaurant chain in the U.S. that was looking to explore ghost kitchens and trying to understand the digital disruption that was happening, He says, “When you're doing something new, it's not easy to help people see that future, especially when there are hundreds of millions of dollars being plowed into this space and a lot of restaurants at that time were very begrudging towards the whole idea of this and that's where the genesis of the initial book came.”They talk about digital maturity and how an operator can recognize where they fall on the digital maturity scale. Orsbourn says, “A digitally mature restaurant is, and there's a story that is told in this, Jimmy, as you go through it because, in many ways, a fully digitally mature restaurant is one that in many ways needs to reorient its entire business model towards what it's gonna take to become digitally mature.” To hear about digitally native restaurants and holistic technology plus get the answers for Trivia Tuesday check out this episode of Hospitality Hangout. Episode Credits:Produced by: Branded Hospitality MediaHosted by: Michael Schatzberg, JImmy FrischlingProducer: Julie ZuckerCreative Director: Adam LevineShow Runner: Drewe RaimiPost Production: Three Cheers Creativewww.thehospitalityhangout.com

In the latest episode of Hospitality Hangout, Michael Schatzberg “The Restaurant Guy” and guest host David "Rev" Ciancio chat with Betsy Hamm, CEO of Duck Donuts, Charles Watson, CEO of Tropical Smoothie, and Gregg Majewski, CEO of Craveworthy Brands while on the road at RFIS, Restaurant Franchising & Innovation Summit. Hamm, chief executive officer of Duck Donuts, a made-to-order donut concept says that what makes them different is when you walk into a Duck Donuts there aren't any donuts already sitting there made. The customer customizes their donut order and gets to watch their donuts get made. Hamm shares franchising insights and says, “ you know life as a franchisor is very difficult and life as a franchisee is very difficult and I think everything has been tested the last few years and continues. We think every month maybe it'll be calmer.” She adds, “we want to be known for having a superior product with an exceptional customer experience.”Watson, CEO of Tropical Smoothie Cafe a brand that offers fresh, made-to-order smoothies, wraps, sandwiches, and flatbreads stops by to talk with the guys. Watson says they have crossed the 1200 mark on cafe locations, opened 158 new stores last year, and will open 170 new locations in 2023. Watson attributes the success to their franchisees. He says, “we have some dedicated and passionate franchisees and combine that with a brand that is simple, that provides a healthier option for everybody that's on the go. We focus a lot on convenience and speed at Tropical Smoothie Cafe.”Craveworthy Brands' chief executive officer Majewski stops to talk about the brands and RFIS show. Majewski has been working in the Food and Beverage industry for over 23 years. He worked for Jimmy John’s before putting together Craveworthy Brands. Majewskis says, “I was going to put together a group to do platforms properly and when I talk about platforms I talk about it being a group of restaurants that can work together and have shared services that the emerging brands can never achieve on their own.”To hear more details and insights into franchising from Hamm, Watson, and Majewski, plus the Branded Quickfire Florida addition questions check out this episode of Hospitality Hangout. Episode Credits:Produced by: Branded Hospitality MediaHosted by: Michael Schatzberg, JImmy FrischlingProducer: Julie ZuckerCreative Director: Adam LevineShow Runner: Drewe RaimiPost Production: Three Cheers Creativewww.thehospitalityhangout.com

In the latest episode of Hospitality Hangout, Michael Schatzberg “The Restaurant Guy” and Jimmy Frischling “The Finance Guy” chat with Otto Othman, Chief executive officer and Co-founder of PINCHO, a premium Latin street food concept. Othman was born and raised in Brazil and moved to the United States when he was sixteen. He was a software developer for years, then design and advertising. Prior to PINCHO he was a creative director for a large advertising agency. Othman says, “I'm a big computer nerd and I got into design and I was working for this ad agency. But prior to that, I did a lot of work in the hospitality industry. So the biggest nightclubs in Miami, the biggest restaurants, I was part of a boutique agency that that's what we did for a living we branded them, we created campaigns for them, so I kind of fell in love with hospitality.” PINCHO is a slang word for a kebab and the kebab recipe was his mom’s recipe, Othman says. He opened his restaurant and it quickly became a local favorite. PINCHO’s with ten existing locations in Florida now is expanding to Texas. The restaurant has won several awards for the best burger. “We were smart enough early on to bring on the director of culinary when we had one store. So we are the fast-casual and had a chef since store number one. That really played a huge huge role. Adrian Sanchez is currently still with today, he is our director of culinary. He's an incredible incredible incredible chef and he is the guy behind all of the sauce,” Othman says. Othman talks about PINCHO’s core values which are flavor, culture, and passion. He said flavor matters, they have had a chef from the beginning, flavor in the food, and the way they serve their food. The second is culture and it is not only the culture that they are building internally for their teams but is about being part of the fabric part of the culture of Miami. Othman adds, “if you're not passionate about hospitality, you shouldn't be in this game. It's not an easy gig. You got to have passion for serving people, you have to have passion for inviting folks into your home but internally as a team, we have to have passion about everything that we do.”PINCHO due to Othman’s background in technology he says has the best tech stack for the size of the brand. Also, they are part of the Savory Fund brands and this allows them to benefit from the proprietary technology. Othman talks about the artificial intelligence that they use as well as PINCHO University. To hear how PINCHO’s Savory partnership, more insights on technology and the talking back question check out this episode of Hospitality Hangout. Episode Credits:Produced by: Branded Hospitality MediaHosted by: Michael Schatzberg, JImmy FrischlingProducer: Julie ZuckerCreative Director: Adam LevineShow Runner: Drewe RaimiPost Production: Three Cheers Creativewww.thehospitalityhangout.com

In the latest episode of Hospitality Hangout podcast, Michael Schatzberg “The Restaurant Guy” and special guest host Sterling Douglass were on the road at MURTEC and spoke to Angela Diffly, Co-Founder of the Restaurant Technology Network, Carissa DeSantis, CTO of Brix Holdings, Frazer Nagy, CEO of Tablz, Geoff Alexander the President and CEO Wow Bao and Zerrick Pearson the CIO at Five Guys Enterprises. The discussion begins with Diffly the co-founder of RTN, Restaurant Technology Network, a membership community that is dedicated to the restaurant technology industry. They have over 300 restaurant brands and about 100 vendor brands associated with RTN. Start-Up Alley, which is presented by RTN. This is the third Start-Up Alley and the focus is on the new start-up technology companies. Next DeSantis, chief technology officer at Brix Holdings shares the new initiatives that they have brought to the brands over the last year. She talks about adding new POS as well as adding robotics. DeSantis is also serving as a judge for Start-Up Alley. Nagy, Chief Executive Officer of Tablz an immersive 3D booking experience stops by and talks about being a participant in Start-Up Alley. Nagy points out that Tablz is the only participant that is the only tech that is dedicated to full-service restaurants. Wow Bao’s president and chief executive officer, Alexander says that they have done over 700 virtual or dark kitchen locations and recently got involved with e-commerce direct-to-consumer with Walmart.com and Amazon.com. Wow Bao is now available in grocery stores and hot food vending machines. The last guest from the MURTEC show was Pearson, CIO for Five Guys Enterprises and a Start-Up Alley judge. Five Guys can be found in 26 countries and Pearson manages IT for the brand. He says that he’s seeing several companies working on customer engagement. To hear more from all of the guests that stopped by to chat with Schatzberg and Douglass at MURTEC, plus the Branded Quickfire Las Vegas questions and responses check out this episode Hospitality Hangout. Episode Credits:Produced by: Branded Hospitality MediaHosted by: Michael Schatzberg, JImmy FrischlingProducer: Julie ZuckerCreative Director: Adam LevineShow Runner: Drewe RaimiPost Production: Three Cheers Creativewww.thehospitalityhangout.com