QSR Uncut
302 episodes - English - Latest episode: 3 days ago - ★★★★★ - 27 ratingsQSR Uncut is a podcast from the editors of QSR magazine—the leading publication for foodservice owners and operators—that discusses the current state and future of the fast-food restaurant industry as it recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic. Made for restaurant executives, entrepreneurs, consumers, and leaders, each episode candidly shares expert advice from some of the industry's most insightful leaders.
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Episodes
The Meteoric Rise of Clean Juice
May 06, 2022 15:00 - 42 minutes - 29.3 MBClean Juice founder Kat Eckles is the driving force behind a multi-million dollar empire that continues to expand across the country. The nation's only USDA-certified organic juice and food bar franchise has grown past 170 locations, with plenty more ahead. Learn how Eckles balances being a mother of 5 with running a restaurant rocket ship, and how intuitive entrepreneurship can create a healthier balance between work, life, and family.
Smoothie King CMO Rebecca Miller on Redefining an Iconic Brand
April 27, 2022 20:00 - 43 minutes - 29.8 MBFrom a purpose-driven menu revamp to a subscription platform, Smoothie King CMO Rebecca Miller is taking the classic restaurant chain back to its wellness roots. Miller joined QSR editors Danny Klein and Ben Coley for a wide-ranging chat on the message behind the brand, and why this 1,300-unit icon shows no signs of slowing down.
Your Pie CEO Dave McDougall on Emerging Stronger than Ever
April 21, 2022 19:00 - 36 minutes - 24.9 MBThe fast-casual pioneer is surging out of the pandemic, with growth, tech, and a host of other evolutions fueling its future. Thirty-year industry vet Dave McDougall chats with QSR editorial director Danny Klein about the comeback, where pizza goes from here, and why the sector's prospects have never looked better.
The Man Behind Noodles & Company’s Growth Surge
April 14, 2022 20:00 - 42 minutes - 29.3 MBJohn Ramsay, VP of Franchise Sales at Noodles & Company, has spent more than three decades in the restaurant industry. He's not only found a home at the national fast casual; he's ready to turn a multi-year sales surge into significant expansion.
Franchising in the Booming Better-for-You Segment
April 08, 2022 13:00 - 42 minutes - 29.6 MBCEO Trey Kessler, of rising fast casual Grain & Berry, fills the QSR team in on what it takes to launch and grow a franchising concept in the rapidly growing world of better-for-you brands. From inflation to development to market share and curbside, there's a lot on the table in this post-COVID landscape, and plenty of opportunity ahead.
Del Taco CMO Tim Hackbardt on Hitting Inflation Head On
March 30, 2022 15:00 - 43 minutes - 29.6 MBThirty-year industry vet Tim Hackbardt joins QSR editors Danny Klein and Ben Coley to talk about the past, present, and future of restaurant marketing, and how the 600-unit Mexican chain is offering value to customers in a world where everything is becoming more expensive.
Togo's on 50 Years of Sandwich Dominance
March 24, 2022 20:00 - 39 minutes - 26.9 MBJohn Dyer, Togo’s VP of franchise sales and real estate, joins the QSR team to discuss how the nearly 200-unit California-based sandwich brand is looking to the future, from nontraditional growth to navigating today's chaotic real estate market.
The Bakery Chain Racing Toward 1,000 Locations
March 15, 2022 20:00 - 37 minutes - 26 MBParis Baguette has a massive global footprint, but its U.S. expansion is just gearing up. Where does it plan to go exactly? How will it get there? And what is the state of real estate and fast-food expansion in general these days? Chief Development Officer Mark Mele joins the QSR team to discuss all those things, and much more.
Buy or Sell? The Real Deal with Restaurant Real Estate
March 10, 2022 20:00 - 42 minutes - 29 MBRobin Gagnon, CEO and co-founder of We Sell Restaurants and wesellrestaurants.com, the nation's largest restaurant brokerage firm (and the only business broker franchise specializing in restaurant sales), joins the QSR team to talk through one of the most dynamic markets in industry history. Is fast food suddenly the hottest ticket in town?
Trends Shaping The Coffee Shop of the Future
March 02, 2022 20:00 - 45 minutes - 30.9 MBSanjiv Razdan, president of the Americas and India for The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, chats with the QSR team about innovation and the java industry coming out of COVID-19. From the “third-place” shift to the bring-it-to me culture we live in, how do you meet customers where they want to be? And when? There's a lot at stake.
Another Restaurant Tech Company on the Rise
February 23, 2022 20:00 - 37 minutes - 26.1 MBMeet Sunday, a platform that raised $100 million in September and is looking to create the world's fastest and easiest way to pay at restaurants. CEO and co-founder Christine de Wendel joins the QSR team to chat about the company's future, and where the industry is headed as a whole coming out of the pandemic.
Meet America's 40 Hottest Fast Casuals: Part 2
February 17, 2022 19:00 - 58 minutes - 40.5 MBQSR editors Danny Klein and Nicole Duncan return to count down the rest of America's 40 Hottest Fast Casuals. From bowl concepts to chicken served in a cone, the future of fast food has never looked brighter, or more diverse. Meet the brands setting the stage for a new generation.
Vitality Bowls and the Rise of the Superfood Movement
February 09, 2022 18:00 - 36 minutes - 24.9 MBVitality Bowls exec Tara Gilad joins QSR editor Danny Klein to discuss standing out in one of the industry's fastest-growing (and crowded) categories, surviving COVID, and why the future is full of expansion potential for the 10-year-old fast casual.
Meet America's 40 Hottest Fast Casuals: Part 1
February 03, 2022 21:00 - 1 hour - 48.8 MBOn a special, bonus episode of QSR Uncut, the entire QSR magazine editorial team breaks down one of our biggest reports of the year: The 40/40 List, which recognizes the country's hottest fast casuals with 40 of fewer locations. Now in its sixth year, the list has become of the industry's most-anticipated features, and the perfect place to find the next big thing in foodservice. Plus, Shaq is in this year's group.
Introducing NextGen Casual and Finney's Crafthouse
January 31, 2022 16:00 - 52 minutes - 35.9 MBA new category has emerged for restaurants, one that promises to challenge everyone from the biggest fast-food chains to the most polished sit-down concepts. And Finney's Crafthouse out of California is the perfect poster child. Executive Brad Finefrock joins the QSR team to chat about the emerging restaurant chain's history, future, and how the category as a whole has changed for good.
Talking Bourbon with Spirits Guru Fred Minnick
January 13, 2022 15:00 - 47 minutes - 32.8 MBFred Minnick, best-selling author, bourbon curator, and taster, and one of the country’s leading voices on America’s native spirit, joins QSR Editorial Director Danny Klein for a wide-ranging chat that covers everything from restaurant menus to rebottling fraud to tasting 101 for bourbon drinkers. Why is it so hard to find Buffalo Trace? Is it worth it? What’s it really like to write and talk about bourbon? How did he pick the top 100? All that and much more as we dive into the limitless wor...
How to Survive the Great Supply Chain Crisis
January 06, 2022 20:00 - 44 minutes - 30.7 MBRestaurants are battling shortages and rocketing prices across the supply chain as 2022 kicks into gear. Avanti CEO Mark Rossi joins the QSR team to talk about best practices and tactics, what's coming next, and how to manage one of the greatest disruptions in recent operating history.
Diversity from The Top Down, with Dr. James Pogue
December 29, 2021 19:00 - 39 minutes - 27.3 MBDr. James Pogue joins the QSR team to share tips and advice for executives and restaurant professionals on how to keep the conversation around unconscious bias, diversity and inclusion, and multigenerational intelligence going.
FAT Brands CEO Andy Wiederhorn on a Buying Spree for the Record Books
December 21, 2021 13:00 - 42 minutes - 29.6 MBThe owner of Fatburger, Fazoli's, and 15 other restaurant brands, spent nearly a $1 billion on acquisitions in 2021. And it could have been more. From bidding on Del Taco to an inside look at last year's deals, CEO Andy Wiederhorn chats with the QSR team about arguably the biggest storyline of this past year, and what an encore looks like.
How to Create a Restaurant Concept from Scratch
December 07, 2021 14:00 - 44 minutes - 30.6 MBThe Culinary Edge, visionaries behind fast-growing Starbird Chicken, chat with the QSR team on concept creation, trends, and how to tell fact from fiction when it comes to the next big thing in restaurants.
Meet the Next Big Mediterranean Chain
December 02, 2021 21:00 - 45 minutes - 31 MBCEO Zaid Ayoub is an electrical engineer turned restaurateur. And it shows in the continued evolution of SaJJ Mediterranean, a 15-unit fast casual from the Bay Area ready to hit its stride coming out of COVID. Ayoub joins the QSR team to discuss the concept’s innovative growth and how it hopes to go mainstream.
Smashburger's Secret to Better-Burger Success
November 22, 2021 15:00 - 44 minutes - 30.5 MBOn a special Thanksgiving week episode of QSR uncut, the team chats with Smashburger president Carl Bachmann for an inside look at what’s made the fast casual thrive over the years and during COVID-19, from menu innovation to technology to store design, and more. Also, what Thanksgiving foods are overrated, and what’s the best way to cook a turkey? Let's dive in.
Finding the Post-COVID Restaurant Consumer: Tips from a Tech CEO
November 17, 2021 15:00 - 40 minutes - 28.1 MBAs restaurants rebound from the pandemic, the opportunity to lean on customer data has never been greater. But how do you listen, and what really matters? Nihal Advani, CEO and founder of QualSights, joins the QSR team to talk about the future of foodservice, and why reviews don't begin and end with Yelp.
Ghost Kitchens, Virtual Brands, and the Power of Wiz Khalifa
November 04, 2021 18:00 - 38 minutes - 26.6 MBQSR editor Danny Klein catches up with industry innovator and change-marker Alex Canter, the CEO of Nextbite, to chat about all things virtual brands, and why COVID ushered in a digital era for restaurants that's just getting started.
A&W CEO on Surviving the Labor Shortage, Root Beer, and a Comeback of Epic Proportions
October 20, 2021 18:00 - 55 minutes - 38.1 MBA&W CEO Kevin Bazner discusses the biggest crisis facing restaurants today—where to find labor and how to keep employees from leaving. Also, cheese curds, the brand's famous root beer, and how the 102-year-old chain charted one of the most impressive turnarounds in fast-food history.
A Digital Pioneer on the Future of Restaurant Tech
October 06, 2021 20:00 - 58 minutes - 40.4 MBOneDine CEO and industry thought leader Rom Krupp joins the QSR magazine team this week to talk all things digital, and how COVID-19 ushered in a decade of innovation in 19 months. From QR codes to the real dangers of third-party delivery to a rash of IPOs, we take an unscripted look at the hottest topic in the restaurant industry's evolution today. Plus, Wendy's is roasting McDonald's (again).
Is The Virtual Restaurant Bubble About to Burst?
October 01, 2021 11:00 - 51 minutes - 35.7 MBIn this week’s episode of QSR Uncut, QSR magazine editors Danny Klein and Ben Coley are joined by Joseph Szala, managing director of Vigor and author and marketing expert, to talk about everything from virtual restaurants—are there too many?—to brand relevance, marketing to employees amid a labor shortage, the return of the McRib, Golden Corral, Jersey Mike's, and Portillo's, and whether or not tater tots should be considered French fries (they shouldn’t). We answer reader’s questions, shar...
The Magic of Chick-fil-A's Drive-Thru
September 24, 2021 12:00 - 42 minutes - 29.3 MBIn the first edition of QSR Uncut, editors Danny Klein and Ben Coley discuss how Chick-fil-A could be the "slowest drive-thru in America," and yet also be the fastest. And Wendy's roasts McDonald's on Twitter yet again. Plus, Chipotle has some wild ideas about how to make ranch dressing.
Whataburger's leaders on getting through crises like a family
April 16, 2021 20:00 - 47 minutes - 32.3 MBEverything restaurants have been forced to go through in the last year has been unprecedented. The COVID-19 pandemic has been a crisis like no other for restaurants. There hasn’t been a playbook. But there have been some companies that have been better prepared for crises than others. Just look at Whataburger. This is a company whose restaurants are primarily based in the South, and which has been forced to deal with hurricane and storm damage to its restaurants seemingly every year. Even j...
Raising Cane's founder and co-CEO on building a pandemic-proof culture
April 12, 2021 10:00 - 1 hour - 41.4 MBChicken-finger brand Raising Cane's lost 30 percent of its sales in the weeks following stay-at-home orders last March, but by the end of 2020, it was clearing its original sales expectations by 10 percent. How did it do it? Drive thrus helped a lot, but the company's culture was mostly to thank. That culture is something founder Todd Graves has been working on since he opened the first location in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in 1996, and it helped the company clock in at No. 89 in Glassdoor’s...
Crisp & Green's founder on the health food concept's big pandemic success
April 09, 2021 20:00 - 38 minutes - 26.3 MBIf you were to point to some of the biggest trends in the pre-pandemic foodservice world, health-oriented concepts would have to be in the top five. Especially in the fast-casual category, there was a lot of momentum for salad and bowl concepts that were geared toward that healthy, active lifestyle. When COVID showed up, though, some wondered if the momentum for that category had hit a wall. But that’s not really been the case—at least not for Crisp & Green. In fact, founder Steele Smiley ...
Tacos 4 Life's cofounder on upholding its mission during the pandemic
April 07, 2021 13:00 - 37 minutes - 25.6 MBThe buy-one-give-one model became popular in the last 10–15 years, with businesses like TOMS Shoes and Warby Parker donating a product to those in need for every transaction they made. That’s exactly what Tacos 4 Life is doing with tacos, as founders Austin and Ashton Samuelson committed to donating the funds necessary to purchase one meal to the organization Feed My Starving Children for every taco they sell. That mission was sailing along until last March, when COVID arrived. And like eve...
Fields Good Chicken founder on reinventing an urban fast casual restaurant
April 02, 2021 10:00 - 47 minutes - 32.7 MBWhile most quick serves and fast casuals had a huge advantage in quickly recovering from the sales drop of last March, there is a whole subset of fast casuals that, even if they were in tune with digital and off-premises trends, took much longer to recover. Those are the fast casuals in more urban areas or business districts, brands that might have done 80 percent or more of their sales at the lunch daypart and had a massive catering business serving the workers of downtown Chicago, San Fran...
McAlister's Deli president on its digital service evolution
March 26, 2021 20:00 - 28 minutes - 19.5 MBThe COVID-19 pandemic has forced restaurants to rethink how they get their food into customers' hands, and technology has allowed them to get really creative with service. That's led to a real opportunity for restaurants of all service models to innovate—which is exactly what McAlister’s Deli is doing. Prior to the pandemic, McAlister's was doing dine-in, carryout, and third-party delivery model, while also testing curbside. After the pandemic, though, it’s expanded those service channels ...
Hopdoddy's CEO on its huge off-premises gains
March 23, 2021 21:00 - 38 minutes - 26.7 MBIn the five or six years prior to the pandemic, big-box fast casuals sprung up around the U.S. offering a high-quality experience meant to be enjoyed on-site. These kinds of restaurants were hit particularly hard by COVID-19, as they didn’t have the off-premises mechanisms that helped more traditional fast casuals turn things around last year. Hopdoddy is one of these so-called fast casual 2.0 brands with big footprints and comfortable seating, a laid-back experience that is best enjoyed i...
GLEAM's founder on the power of restaurant industry mentorship
March 19, 2021 18:00 - 31 minutes - 21.9 MBIf you’re a restaurant industry professional, chances are your path to where you are today has included a lot of hustle, a lot of putting your head down and grinding out the job that needs to get done. You probably didn’t have a clearly articulated career ladder to climb or the attention of someone higher up who took you under their wing and taught you how things were supposed to be done. That’s because this rarely exists in the restaurant industry, outside maybe the major corporations. And...
Smashburger's president on the better-burger chain's digital transformation
March 17, 2021 10:00 - 44 minutes - 30.3 MBFor many, the COVID-19 pandemic has been an opportunity to take a step back and reflect on life, to reassess what we’re doing and where we're going. That's been very true of restaurant companies, which have taken the opportunity to think more about their operations, their service, their menu, and their plans for the future, and for many, to use that reflection to reimagine their business model. Smashburger is one of those companies that has undergone a transformation in the last year, one p...
Franchising expert Scott Greenberg on restaurant franchisee success
March 12, 2021 23:00 - 35 minutes - 24.7 MBCOVID-19 is likely to give a jolt to the franchise world. Just like in the Great Recession, there will probably be a surge in people looking for a new career, driving demand for franchises sky high. And many franchisors are able to provide support and resources to their franchisees in times of crisis, making franchises a safer bet for those looking to jump into entrepreneurialism. Scott Greenberg is a franchising expert and author of the new book, “The Wealthy Franchisee: Game-Changing Step...
Church's CMO on restaurant marketing's COVID evolution
March 10, 2021 16:00 - 34 minutes - 23.9 MBRemember the chicken sandwich wars that launched with Popeyes’ new sandwich? Way back in 2019? We all called it a war but really, as with most marketing initiatives, it was mostly just tongue-in-cheek barbs and playful quips that brands slung at each other via social media. That playfulness disappeared in the early days of the pandemic as restaurant brands scrambled to come across as trustworthy and transparent. And while that playfulness has since returned to restaurant marketing, it's no...
SkinnyFats CEO on using a food hall as an R&D factory
March 07, 2021 19:00 - 35 minutes - 24.8 MBJust a few years ago, food halls were christened as the next big thing in foodservice. Like food trucks, every city had to have one and consumers had to be seen eating at one. Unfortunately for food halls, the COVID-19 pandemic was kind of like the anti-food hall; food halls are all about socialization, which is exactly what we lost with COVID. Reed Allen Slobusky had opened a food hall, Hall Pass in Salt Lake City, just before COVID-19 hit. But Slobusky—the founder of seven-unit fast casua...
Sam Fox on the keys to hospitality post-COVID
March 02, 2021 21:00 - 32 minutes - 22.2 MBCOVID-19 has affected limited- and full-service restaurants in totally different ways, with staggering implications for the future of the industry. Nobody knows this quite like Sam Fox. The founder of Fox Restaurant Concepts has developed both casual and fast-casual concepts, giving him a unique window into how the pandemic has altered service and hospitality for the future. Fox joins the podcast to discuss his entry into the ghost-kitchen space with Fly Bye. He also talks about how he’s h...
The 40/40 List: FieldTrip
February 27, 2021 12:00 - 40 minutes - 28.2 MBThe 40/40 List launched in 2017 as a way to identify the quick serves and fast casuals that have the best shot at becoming the next big thing—the rising stars of the restaurant industry. Starting over each year with a new set of 40 brands, we've highlighted 200 concepts that we think have got what it takes to become the next Chipotle or Shake Shack. For our fifth edition of the 40/40 List, we'll be sharing interviews all month on the Fast Forward feed with founders and leaders at several of...
The 40/40 List: Everytable
February 19, 2021 21:00 - 30 minutes - 21.2 MBThe 40/40 List launched in 2017 as a way to identify the quick serves and fast casuals that have the best shot at becoming the next big thing—the rising stars of the restaurant industry. Starting over each year with a new set of 40 brands, we've highlighted 200 concepts that we think have got what it takes to become the next Chipotle or Shake Shack. For our fifth edition of the 40/40 List, we'll be sharing interviews all month on the Fast Forward feed with founders and leaders at several of...
The 40/40 List: Sweet Paris Crȇperie & Café
February 12, 2021 20:00 - 49 minutes - 33.7 MBThe 40/40 List launched in 2017 as a way to identify the quick serves and fast casuals that have the best shot at becoming the next big thing—the rising stars of the restaurant industry. Starting over each year with a new set of 40 brands, we've highlighted 200 concepts that we think have got what it takes to become the next Chipotle or Shake Shack. For our fifth edition of the 40/40 List, we'll be sharing interviews all month on the Fast Forward feed with founders and leaders at several of...
The 40/40 List: Sweet Paris Crȇperie & Café
February 12, 2021 20:00 - 49 minutes - 33.7 MBThe 40/40 List launched in 2017 as a way to identify the quick serves and fast casuals that have the best shot at becoming the next big thing—the rising stars of the restaurant industry. Starting over each year with a new set of 40 brands, we've highlighted 200 concepts that we think have got what it takes to become the next Chipotle or Shake Shack. For our fifth edition of the 40/40 List, we'll be sharing interviews all month on the Fast Forward feed with founders and leaders at several of...
The 40/40 List: Wings Over
February 05, 2021 21:00 - 52 minutes - 36.1 MBThe 40/40 List launched in 2017 as a way to identify the quick serves and fast casuals that have the best shot at becoming the next big thing—the rising stars of the restaurant industry. Starting over each year with a new set of 40 brands, we've highlighted 200 concepts that we think have got what it takes to become the next Chipotle or Shake Shack. For our fifth edition of the 40/40 List, we'll be sharing interviews all month on the Fast Forward feed with founders and leaders at several of...
The 40/40 List: RASA
February 01, 2021 11:00 - 50 minutes - 35 MBThe 40/40 List launched in 2017 as a way to identify the quick serves and fast casuals that have the best shot at becoming the next big thing—the rising stars of the restaurant industry. Starting over each year with a new set of 40 brands, we've highlighted 200 concepts that we think have got what it takes to become the next Chipotle or Shake Shack. For our fifth edition of the 40/40 List, we'll be sharing interviews all month on the Fast Forward feed with founders and leaders at several o...
How quick service and full service can coexist in one brand
January 22, 2021 16:00 - 46 minutes - 32.1 MBWe've all heard that full service has suffered the worst of the pandemic's effects, while quick service has thrived because of off-premises channels. But very few brands have experienced both sides of the service aisle quite like Dish Society. Launched in 2014, Dish Society is a flex-casual concept, serving counter service by day and full service by night at five Houston-area locations. And throughout the pandemic, the brand has witnessed first-hand how both service styles could be directly...
This casual chain is switching to fast casual
January 15, 2021 22:00 - 36 minutes - 24.9 MBThroughout the COVID-19 pandemic, restaurant operators have gotten really creative with their service models to get food in customers' hands. Full-service brands in particular have gotten a crash course in off-premises business and a limited-service model. Now one chain is making that change permanent. Bonchon, the Korean fried chicken chain, has developed a fast-casual prototype that it's going to stick with moving forward. CEO Flynn Dekker joins the podcast to talk about that decision, h...
What happens to nontraditional foodservice after this?
January 13, 2021 16:00 - 34 minutes - 23.5 MBNontraditional venues like schools, sports arenas, hospitals, business centers, and airports have long been great opportunities for restaurants to get in front of new audiences. But those venues were particularly hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, as many of them lost a vast majority of their audience, if not all of it. Sodexo is one facility management company that provides foodservice for nontraditional venues, and its leadership team has spent the last several months adapting to the pandemic ...