Building Smarter Restaurant Growth. Convo w/ Amanda Kahalehoe of Vicious Biscuit

What does it take to grow a restaurant brand quickly while building the systems, people, and discipline needed to sustain that growth?Great restaurant operators do not just react to what is happening today. They build systems, develop people, and use data to make smarter decisions before problems ever appear.Amanda Kahalehoe, Chief Operating Officer of Vicious Biscuit, sits down with James Tice to share how her background in finance, operations, and the military shaped her leadership style in restaurants. She explains why teaching operators the “why” behind the numbers creates stronger accountability and better performance at the store level. From scaling an emerging brand from two units to eleven and beyond, to evaluating technology through ROI and long-term fit, Kahalehoe breaks down how modern restaurant brands can grow with structure, trust, and smarter decision-making. She also shares why AI and data may be the biggest opportunity in hospitality’s future.What You’ll Learn:- Why teaching operators the why behind the numbers creates stronger performance- How trust and responsiveness build buy-in across restaurant teams- Why structure and repeatable systems are essential for scaling growthHow to evaluate restaurant technology based on ROI, simplicity, and long-term fit- Why operationalized data will separate winning brands over the next five years- How AI can help restaurants anticipate guest behavior and make smarter decisions fasterEpisode Links:- Amanda Kahalehoe LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanda-kahalehoe/- Vicious Biscuit: https://www.viciousbiscuit.com/