A Deeper Dive

How do you take a 56-year-old brand into the future?This week’s episode of the Restaurant Business podcast A Deeper Dive features Heather Neary, the CEO of the fast-food Mexican chain Taco John’s.This is our latest in a series of podcast episodes recorded from the National Restaurant Show in May.Neary took over as CEO of Taco John’s last year. We speak with her about what she’s done over the past year-plus on the job.We were particularly interested in the company’s technology initiatives, including its voice-activated drive-thru AI test. We talk with Neary about how well it works, how it benefits Taco John’s and what the company does with the labor that no longer has to take orders.Neary discusses the company’s franchising strategy and its expansion plans. She also talks about the chain’s menu development efforts.We’re talking tacos on A Deeper Dive so please check it out.

What’s the next step for the owner of Krystal?This week’s episode of the Restaurant Business podcast A Deeper Dive features Josh Kern, the CEO of the multi-brand restaurant operator SPB Hospitality, which owns several different chains.This is the latest in a series of podcast episodes that we recorded during the National Restaurant Association Show last month. SPB Hospitality owns and operates a wide range of restaurants, including the fast-food concept Krystal, the casual-dining brand Logan’s Roadhouse and the upscale casual brand J. Alexander’s. Kern talks about the brands and how they’re doing. He also talks about operating a multi-brand company and how it can run both full-service and limited-service concepts. He also talks about the company’s future strategy, and whether it plans to keep all these brands or whether it plans to put one or two of them on the market. 

How does Velvet Taco come up with its recipes?This week’s episode of the Restaurant Business podcast A Deeper Dive features Clay Dover, CEO of the fast-casual taco chain.This is the latest in a series of podcasts we recorded at the National Restaurant Show. Velvet Taco is a rapidly growing chain of taco shops. It finished 2024 with 49 locations and grew sales nearly 22%, according to data from Restaurant Business sister company Technomic.The chain’s menu is more unique than a simple taco shop. You might go to one of the restaurants and be greeted with a Bacon Smashburger Taco or a Paneer Taco. And there are the WTF tacos, or weekly taco feature. We wanted to know how the brand develops these tacos and why that has helped the brand do things that perhaps other concepts cannot do.We also talk about other issues, including the chain’s growth and its plans for international development and what Dover sees as the biggest barriers to growth right now.We’re talking tacos on A Deeper Dive so please check it out.

Kyle Drenon, CEO and co-owner of Supper Co., shares insights on how AI is revolutionizing restaurant marketing. He discusses the urgent need for restaurants to adapt their strategies, particularly through engaging short-form video content on platforms like TikTok. Drenon highlights how AI influences consumer behavior and brand discovery, pushing traditional marketing to the sidelines. He also explores successful viral marketing strategies and emphasizes the importance of concise messaging to capture audience attention in this rapidly evolving digital landscape.

Katie Belflower, Manager of Menu Research and Insights at Technomic, dives into the restaurant industry's surge of limited-time offers (LTOs). With a 200% increase in five years, she reveals how social media, especially TikTok, is reshaping dining experiences and brand strategies. They discuss the popularity of trends like 'dirty soda' and the need for restaurants to innovate to attract customers. Belflower also touches on the challenges of pricing and traffic in a competitive market, underscoring the risks and rewards of frequent menu changes.

Michelle Korsmo, CEO of the National Restaurant Association, advocates for the restaurant industry on key issues like tariffs and immigration. She discusses how rising tariffs are impacting costs for operators and the potential consequences of immigration restrictions on labor availability. Surprisingly, she shares positive perspectives on immigration reform discussions. Korsmo also emphasizes the importance of operational efficiency and innovation for restaurants navigating economic challenges in a competitive landscape.

What does Culver’s new CEO have in mind for the chain?This week’s episode of the Restaurant Business podcast A Deeper Dive features Julie Fussner, who was recently named chief executive of the 1,000-unit, Wisconsin-based burger chain. Culver’s is quietly one of the most consistent restaurant chains in the country and is one of a generation of high-growth burger concepts. Its system sales grew 16% last year. By contrast, fast-food burger chain sales last year grew just 1%.Fussner came to the brand in 2017 and was later named chief marketing officer, the first CMO in that chain’s history. In April she was named just the fifth CEO in Culver’s history and the brand’s first woman CEO.So we thought we’d bring her on and ask her a bunch of questions about plans for the company.

Neal Sherman, the founder of TagX Brands, shares insights into how rising tariffs are reshaping the restaurant equipment industry. With tariffs hitting an average of 27%, restaurants are forced to consider used equipment as a cost-effective alternative. Sherman discusses the increasing demand for his company's offerings amid economic uncertainty, shedding light on the challenges like labor shortages and shifts in consumer preferences towards budget-friendly dining. His expertise brings clarity to navigating this evolving landscape.

How does Chili’s keep doing this?This week’s episode of the Restaurant Business finance podcast A Deeper Dive features George Felix, the chief marketing officer for Chili’s parent company Brinker International.We spoke with Felix at the Restaurant Leadership Conference. We wanted to talk about Chili’s marketing, and how it’s taken advantage of social media to draw attention to the brand. The chain’s same-store sales have increased more than 31% each of the past two quarters despite a brutal market for full-service chains.Felix talks about the way Chili’s took advantage of consumer frustration over high fast-food prices and he details the company’s thinking as it elevated one of its long-time offers. He also talks about social media in general and how the company recognized consumer affinity for cheese pulls. And he talks about the company’s Lifetime movie.We’re talking Chili’s and marketing on A Deeper Dive so check it out.

How do you teach an old pizza chain new tricks?This week’s episode of the Restaurant Business podcast A Deeper Dive features David Karam, the CEO of the pizza chain Sbarro.The pizza chain was founded in 1956 and for years thrived inside mall locations. But the company took on too much debt and filed for bankruptcy twice after the Great Recession. We wanted to talk with Karam to understand what Sbarro did to survive those two bankruptcies. Karam took over the chain between the two filings and has led the it ever since and now owns the concept. Sbarro just opened its 800th restaurant and has found new life in places like convenience stores and airports as well as international markets.Karam discusses these plans and provides insight into how the company was able to find a life past bankruptcy.