The Restaurant Report
Episodes
Fast Casual Evolution: Wing Snob's Growth Strategy and Industry Trends
28 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In a recent episode of The Restaurant Report, host Paul Barron sat down with two industry veterans to dissect the rapidly evolving fast casual landsca...
Fast Casual's Next Big Thing: How Toastique is Revolutionizing the "Better-for-You" Category
23 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Join Paul Barron and Paul Molinari on The Restaurant Report as they dive deep into the fast casual revolution with Brianna Keefe, founder and CEO of T...
AI in Restaurants: Balancing Technology and Human Connection
12 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Dive into the future of dining as industry experts explore the transformative potential of AI in restaurants. This eye-opening discussion reveals how ...
The 3 Essential GTM Strategies for Restaurant Tech Success
11 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The three essential Go-To-Market strategies for restaurant tech companies by Paul Molinari of Popcorn GTM. The strategies include: defining your Ideal...
Economic Impact on Restaurant Growth
11 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
With nearly 20% of America's food imported, tariffs up to 145% on Chinese goods are driving up costs for essential ingredients. Consumer pushback is r...
Restaurant Industry Market Update with Sam Oches
14 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this insightful episode of The Restaurant Report, host Paul Barron and Sam Oches from Informa's Restaurant & Food Group analyze the critical ch...
From Manual Notes to AI: How Bikky is Changing the Restaurant Game
06 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this eye-opening episode of The Restaurant Report, Abhinav Kapur, founder and CEO of Bikky, reveals how AI and data analytics are reshaping the res...
Insights from Bloomberg's Michael Halen on Restaurant Industry Trends
28 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In a recent Restaurant Report podcast episode, Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Michael Halen shared insights on restaurant industry trends, highlightin...
McDonalds's and Doodles Unite for New Consumer Marketing
02 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
McDonald's recent partnership with Doodles marks a significant leap into Web3 and culture marketing for the fast-food giant. This collaboration, launc...
Adapting the Restaurant Industry for 2025
08 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The restaurant industry faces a complex future in 2025, grappling with inflation, changing consumer behaviors, and technological advancements. Success...
Navigating the Future of the Restaurant Industry
20 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The National Restaurant Association (NRA) is addressing the food service industry's workforce shortage by focusing on attracting, training, and retain...
GenZ Leaders for a Tech Enabled Generation
13 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Fred LeFranc, founder of Results Through Strategy, shared insights on restaurant industry leadership, technology, and trends during a Prosper Forum po...
Technology in The Fast Casual and Restaurant Industry
10 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Anand Gala, managing partner of Galla Investments, shared his approach to investing in the restaurant industry during the Prosper Forum event. With a ...
Economic Challenges Faced by Restaurants in The Industry
04 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
🫶 Subscribe NOW - Unlock a world of knowledge, innovation, and growth from the largest podcast network in food service! - https://savorfm.substack....
The Great Restaurant Shakeup of 2024: Winners, Losers, and Your Dining Future
30 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
🫶 Subscribe NOW - Unlock a world of knowledge, innovation, and growth from the largest podcast network in food service! - https://savorfm.substack....
Leadership Tactics for 2025
21 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
🫶 Subscribe NOW - Unlock a world of knowledge, innovation, and growth from the largest podcast network in food service! - https://www.savor.fm/In a...
Rock N' Roll Sushi: The Next Big Franchise
24 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
🫶 Subscribe NOW - Unlock a world of knowledge, innovation, and growth from the largest podcast network in foodservice! - https://www.savor.fm/Rock ...
The Future of Point of Sale: Will Gen-Y and Gen-Z Drive New Tech Advances in Restaurants?
17 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
🫶 Subscribe NOW - Unlock a world of knowledge, innovation, and growth from the largest podcast network in foodservice! - https://www.savor.fm/The r...
The Evolution of Food Halls and Emerging Brands in the Face of Economic Challenges
26 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Evolution of Food Halls and Emerging Brands in the Face of Economic ChallengesIn this episode of The Restaurant Report, host Paul Barron and guest...
Winning Over Gen Z: The Future of Restaurant Loyalty Programs
11 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of "The Restaurant Report," host Paul Barron is joined by Zach Goldstein, CEO of Thanx, a leading restaurant customer engagement platf...
Will AI Create The Next Generation of Drive-Thur and Will Consumers Adopt?
04 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of The Restaurant Report, Paul Barron, a forward-thinker in technology and media, engages in a thought-provoking conversation with the...
Casual Dining Begins Up Trend In Hospitality Sentiment
26 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to The Restaurant Report, where we delve into the exciting resurgence of casual dining trends in the hospitality industry. As consumers start ...
Historical Impact on Regulations Affecting Restaurant Operators
09 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In a recent episode of the Restaurant Report Podcast, Sean Kennedy, Executive Vice President of Public Affairs at the National Restaurant Association,...
How Consumer Pricing Pushback Fuels the Rise of Dynamic Menu Pricing Strategies
30 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Paul Barron discusses the fascinating world of dynamic pricing strategies and the potential role of AI in reshaping menu modeling. As...
The Breaking Point for Fast Casual: Are We at a Reflection Point for Technology, Consumer, and Operational Conflict?
22 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Amy Hom, a veteran of the restaurant brand and technology space, and Paul Barron delve into the challenges faced by fast casual resta...
Create a Brand That Can Last The Next Consumer Cycle
06 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In today’s podcast, we dive into the future of technology and innovation that seem to dominate the consumer landscape; there is a growing paradoxica...
Taziki's Mediterranean Cafe Expands It's Flavors and Followers
01 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In today's podcast, we delve into the world of Taziki's Mediterranean Cafe with the extraordinary Julie Wade. Join us as we embark on a culinary adven...
Five Secrets To Brand Growth w/ Angry Chickz
27 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of The Restaurant Report, we sit down with Mike LaRue, a 16+ year franchise veteran who has, since the beginning, maintained a focus o...
What to Watch For When You Take On Capital As a Restaurant Startup
24 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In today’s podcast, we interview Robert Hersch of Mastodon Ventures and discuss the market for raising capital and what you should be doing to prepa...
Tech and Consumer Trends for 2024 with Erle Dardick of Lunchbox
10 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of The Restaurant Report podcast, I speak with Erle Dardick, of Lunchbox, a leading restaurant e-commerce platform. We discuss the top...
What Are The Real Trends Driving Consumer Loyalty?
30 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In today’s Pod, we chat with Raju Malhotra, Chief Product and technology Officer at PAR Technology (NYSE: PAR). He joined PAR by acquiring Punchh, a...
Fastest Drive-Thru in QSR - Is Speed Hurting or Helping Restaurants
16 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The restaurant industry has been at the forefront of innovation in today's fast-paced world. From digital menus to contactless payments, the industry ...
Consumer Spending Expected to Plummet at Restaurants This Fall
22 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Consumer spending is the driving force of the US economy, accounting for about 70% of GDP. So when consumers start to cut back on spending, it's a big...
Lettuce Entertain You: Leveraging Concepts, Location, and Branding to Create a Fine Dining Empire
19 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this podcast, we visit with the Lettuce Entertain You Leadership team to discus success and the formula for the future.FeaturingEthan Samson, Execu...
Food Trends Impacting Food Away From Home
18 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this podcast, we get a chance to talk with Stefanie Miller, President, Away From Home at Kellogg Company - We explore the way we consume food away ...
Market Trends and Younger Leadership Leaning Into Diversity
15 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we dive into research and trends from TJ Wommack, Partner at AlixPartners. We discuss the composition of management teams is undergoi...
Brand Growth Recipe with Big Chicken and Dog Haus Leadership
08 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
First up, we'll be exploring the incredible journey of Big Chicken, a fast casual giant that's redefining the way we think about chicken. Stay tuned a...
Velvet Taco and Starbird Show Strategic Leadership Pays Off
06 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The fast-casual restaurant industry is booming, and two brands that are leading the charge are Velvet Taco and Starbird. Both brands have seen rapid g...
240. Menu Engineering for Profit
11 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In recent years, third-party delivery services have become increasingly popular, with companies like Uber Eats, DoorDash, and Grubhub taking a large c...
239. Computer Vision and How it could affect the Future of Drive-Thru
02 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
White Castle is partnering with SoundHound to roll out voice AI at select drive-thrus. The technology will be added to over 100 White Castle drive-thr...
238. Future of Executive Education in Foodservice
24 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In today's fast-paced business world, the quest for effective executive education and leadership development is more critical than ever. Executives an...
237. Starbuck's and Nike Showing The Path For Growth in Web3 - Connects with Next-Gen Consumers
14 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Starbucks is one of the most well-known and beloved brands in the world. The coffee giant has a loyal customer base that is estimated to be worth over...
236. McDonald's to Web3
23 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This entire podcast is based on a WHAT IF Mcdonalds’ and the likes of Starbucks and Chick Fil could enter the Web3 space with their respective 95 Bi...
235. How To Bring Back A Nostalgic Brand
16 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Barry Westrum - CMO at Taco John’s, discussed the brand's current position and strategies for growth in the restaurant industry. Wi...
234. Strategies In Building A Recession-Proof Brand
26 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Golden Corral, the popular buffet chain, is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. The company has come a long way since it opened its first loca...
233. Is Restaurant Media Broken? + How Will This Affect Your Restaurant Business
19 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Informa, a London-based global events, digital products, and academic services firm, announced the acquisition of Winsight, LLC, a leading B2B informa...
232. Wendy's Develops AI Drive-Thru and Chipotle Effect Author Predicts a new Chipotle Future
12 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The fast food industry constantly evolves, with companies striving to meet customer demands and enhance profitability. In recent news, Wendy's, Sweetg...
231. Restaurants Facing a Growth Wall?
10 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The Savory Fund is a restaurant growth company based in the United States that provides capital, expertise, and support to help independent restaurant...
230. Focus Brands Pulling Out the Stops for Growth
17 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The challenge that operators are dealing with today is the issue with consumer sentiment, and it's underperformance when sales and menu prices are up....
229. Growth Brands of 2023
31 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Breaking down some of the emerging and fast growing brands in the fast-casual space had always been a passion of mine; even when I founded fastcasual....
228. Is Casual Dining Dying
24 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we dive into the brand-building elements for legacy brands to break thru and connect with a new generation of consumers. Dawn Petite ...
227. Fast Casual Sectors 2023 Trends
17 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Looking at the fast casual segment opens up some of the key categories as new movers based on consumer changes in the past few years. Operational rest...
226. Restaurant Trends for 2023
10 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Building the right culture for your restaurant business could be the make or break this year as we see more and more operators facing one of the bigge...
225. Is Better For You The Trend for 2023
03 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this podcast, we had a chance to dive deep into trends and styles for 2023 with Steve Schulze, the CEO of Nékter Juice Bar. Our conversation dove ...
224. Top 5 Restaurant Predictions for 2023
29 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
My Top five Predictions and Trends to watch in 2023 are a mix of brands, consumer trends, and the future of technology. In this episode, I will delive...
223. Leadership Skills in 2023
28 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The skills needed for the times ahead are not built overnight. Personal experiences and professional development form strong leaders through quality l...
222. Multi-Unit Franchising
23 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Franchise programs continue to build in the re-birth of the fast-casual segment for 2022-23, and a handful of companies understand what it takes to gr...
221. Hotel Dining Digital Transformation
20 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Understanding the new model of hospitality is gaining some ground with a shifting tide to technology, consumer demand, and a new server for exploratio...
220. Building a Growth Brand in 2023
08 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
These days, part of building a brand is the commitment to digital and addressing the needs of the new consumer - Hawaiian Bros has put together a mode...
219. The Shifting Demands of Consumers Set to Unsettle Restaurants
06 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Understanding the landscape of the restaurant industry is getting more and more difficult with various market conditions that are in place to shift so...
218. Top Culinary Trends for 2023 + Interview w/Mr. Brews Taphouse
22 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The National Restaurant Association, in partnership with the American Culinary Federation (ACF) and Technomic, conducted the 17th annual What’s Hot ...
217. Restaurant Sales Rising - Sentiment Falling
31 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Topical Smoothie is adding a double drive-thru restaurant that could help drive franchising growth for the brand. Existing franchisees are also behind...
216. Starbucks Adds NFTs, Robots, and Food, What Drives Down Rising Labor Costs
19 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
A new entry into the use case for NFTs and their connection to loyalty and rewards is now Starbucks. They unveiled Starbucks Odyssey, a new experience...
215. Recession Proofing Your Restaurant
21 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
During a recession, there is a decline in consumer spending when the credit markets become harder and harder for consumers to utilize. This is a key t...
214. The Independent Restaurants | Can They Survive?
05 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The real heartbeat of the restaurant industry is that of the independent operator. With this sector being one of the most affected by the Cerveza Flu,...
213. Challenges Facing the Restaurant Industry on the Brink of Economic Pressures
29 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Is the restaurant industry facing a major collapse under economic pressure? Why the mass exodus of significant CEO's within the last year, with Darden...
212. Restaurant Industry Facing Recession | How to Prepare
21 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The Fed Reserve Chair Jerome Powell testified in front of Congress this week. The update comes after the S&P 500’s worst week since March 2020, incl...
211. Casual Dining Drive Thru - Innovation or Fail?
14 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Smokey Bones Bar & Fire Grill is planning to open a drive-thru service model for their casual dining business. Considered to be the first pure-play dr...
210. Chipotle Accepts Bitcoin
07 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
You can now pay for your burritos and tacos with Bitcoin and other digital currencies, which could open up an array of innovations around loyalty and ...
209. Tech Trends Planned for a Restaurant Recovery
01 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today I breakdown three tech categories that could be leaders in the future recovery of the restaurant industry. The key will be consumer adoption, UX...
208. Consumer Debt to Impact US Restaurant Industry
31 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Even with rampant inflation and rapidly accelerating interest rates, household borrowing climbed to start 2022 and hit a new record, the Federal Reser...
207. Chipotle Consumer Sentiment Falls Again
19 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. CMG, -5.23% shed 5.23% to $1,252.89 Wednesday. Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. closed $705.66 short of its 52-week h...
206. Healthy Fast Casual Chains on the Move
16 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Woworks acquired Barberitos Southwestern Grille and Cantina, a 54-unit fast casual chain, and Zoup Eatery, a 68-unit fast casual chain, in a press rel...
205. Reef Goes Into Pizza and Restaurants Get $42 Billion
03 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today I breakdown Reef Kitchens as they seek an ownership stake in 800 Degrees Go, a joint venture between restaurant chain 800 Degrees and robotics c...
204. Chipotle Challenges Sign of the Times?
26 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Shares of the California-based chain crashed over 5% in the afternoon trading session, more than doubling the decline of the S&P 500 Restaurants index...
203. Food Metaverse - What Is It - And How Will It Reformat My Business
19 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Supreet Raju and her husband & co-founder, Gaurav Gupta are huge food and travel enthusiasts, exploring the blockchain industry together since 2017. W...
202. Bitcoin Set to Invade Restaurant Payments
12 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Mobile payment app Strike has partnered with Shopify, alternative payment provider Blackhawk Network, and point-of-sale supplier NCR to create a new U...
201. Foodservice Job Disappointment and Four Robot Companies to Watch
04 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Foodservice added 250K jobs in the first 3 months of 2022Employment in the sector still lags behind February 2020 levels by about 820,000 jobs, but th...
200. Has Private Equity Money Dried-up for Restaurants?
29 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
After more than a year of a bear market in innovation stocks that are not part of broad-based public equity benchmarks, we believe Instacart’s move ...
199. Crypto Impact on Restaurants - Fresh Mex Moves and McD Goes All-in on Podcasts
22 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Crypto Impact on RestaurantsRestaurant Revitalization Fund is dropped from omnibus spending bill as hope for relief dwindles. The second round of rest...
198. McDonald’s and Independents Getting Into NFTs
15 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Starship Tech a sidewalk robotic company is raising 100 Million in a flashStarship robots are revolutionizing food and package deliveries, offering pe...
197. Tech Sell Off | Doordash Buys Bbot
07 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Foodservice Tech Sell-Off - Affect on your restaurant?Lots of technology news this week and also a seismic shift in what we could be dealing with very...
196. Can Door Dash Hold Its Growth? - Panera Enters the Metaverse
22 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Could third party be seeing the end of the party as more and more consumers are stressed with financial considerations and economic impact from inflat...
195. Off-Premise Technology Delivering Speed and Experience
04 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In today’s episode of The Restaurant Report, host Paul Barron chats with Rajat Suri, chief executive officer of Presto about the future of where tec...
194. Trends to Watch in 2022
17 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Leading off with the Cooper’s Hawk announcement of their IPO in 2022 will set the stage for a few restaurant operations to take a lead in bringing t...
193. Chipotle to Reach 10k Locations by 2030 - Who Will Be the Uber of Drone Delivery
10 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
As we dive into this week's podcast we begin to tread in areas not often mentioned by the restaurant industry with Drone delivery leading the way and ...
192. Restaurant Metaverse Could Be Closer Than You Think - Reef Loses David Chang
21 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Food safety is a huge aspect of how Ghost Kitchen will control most of the digital landscape for the future and understanding the demand on a restaura...
191. Doordash Enters Super Fast, Are NFTs Coming to the Restaurant Metaverse?
07 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
DoorDash on Monday began offering 10- to-15-minute deliveries in the New York City neighborhood of Chelsea and if this works out they plan to put the ...
190. Mod Pizza Heading to IPO and Velvet Taco Sale
03 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Mod Pizza is set to go IPO soon and is one of the darlings of the Fast Casual Segment, founded in 2008. They have been on a tremendous growth plan. T...
189. Is Sweetgreen a Flop IPO and Will Burger King Correct The Ship With Firehouse Bling?
23 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
As we continue to see a shift in technology to take on the rising issues with Labor C3 and Sam Nazarian is leading a seed capital round of $ 20 millio...
188. Labor Situation Brewing in Foodservice With a Dramatic Impact on Restaurants
16 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Today's weekly wrap dives into the trends and stats for the current labor situation brewing in foodservice with a dramatic impact on restaurants based...
187. Shake Shack’s Growth Plans as Well as Fat Brands Newest Acquisition
12 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In today’s weekly wrap episode of The Restaurant Report, host Paul Barron looks at fast food embracing technology, explores the future of automation...
186. Growing Your Business with Digital, Delivery, and Takeout | All Day Kitchens
10 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of The Barron Report, host Paul Barron speaks with Ken Chong, co-founder and chief executive officer at All Day Kitchens to explore ho...
185. A New Product That Will Transform the Future of Food Services | Wings
08 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Guest: Haitham Al-Beik, CEO and Founder of Wings
184. Bartaco Culture, a Living Wage and Technology
28 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of The Barron Report, host Paul Barron talks with Scott Lawton, the chief executive officer and co-founder of bartaco, to explore tech...
183. The Next Gen Ordering Platform | Lunchbox
27 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of The Barron Report, host Paul Barron meets with Nabeel Alamgir, the chief executive officer and co-founder of Lunchbox, to explore t...
182. Restaurant Tech, Improving the Guest Experience | Bbot
16 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of The Barron Report, host Paul Barron meets with Steve Simoni, the chief executive officer of Bbot, to explore how technology is tran...
181. Foodservice AI Technology and Autonomous Delivery | Ido Levanon
27 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of The Barron Report, host Paul Barron chats with Ido Levanon, the chief executive officer and director of Dragontail Systems, to expl...
180. Smokey Bones Ghost Kitchen & Virtual Brands
13 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of The Barron Report, host Paul Barron sits down with James O'Reilly, the chief executive officer of Smokey Bones, to explore the popu...
179. Chipotle Stock in Trouble? | Raising Prices, CEO Pay, Stock Buybacks, and Tiny Burritos!
17 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The fast-casual chain announced that it would increase menu prices across the board by around 4% with another price increase scheduled for the summer....