All Episodes
A Deeper Dive — 413 episodes
The story of a growing, Midwestern salad chain
How restaurants are faring this spring
Giordano's is getting ready to grow again
Why some restaurants face a leadership vacuum
How restaurants can handle the K-shaped economy
What is wrong with the pizza market?
This company is taking Chinese takeout into the modern era
A look at the future of Chuck E. Cheese
Why restaurant chain franchisees are struggling right now
Why 2025 was another tough year for restaurant chains
How Kilwins is adapting to life under new owners
Why consumers don’t think their restaurant visits are worth it
How the Sysco-Restaurant Depot deal will affect operators
How rising gas prices will affect restaurant sales
A look at the bankruptcy of Fat Brands
Why beef costs are increasing so much
The secret behind the success of Dave's Hot Chicken
Five Guys is making some changes
How the restaurant industry will fare in 2026
How Starbucks is changing its coffee shops
How convenience stores and supermarkets are gunning for restaurants
How the Saks Global bankruptcy could affect restaurant real estate
Why consumers' views on value are changing
How franchisees can find winning restaurant brands
The outlook for restaurants in 2026
Restaurant sales and traffic challenges dominated 2025
How AI will reshape restaurants
How AI is helping restaurants with their marketing
How AI is helping restaurants in the back of the house
AI is playing a bigger role in menu development
How AI may, or may not, change the drive-thru
AI is everywhere, but how can it help restaurants?
How El Pollo Loco is winning the value-profitability battle
What is driving consumer weakness right now
Why so many consumers are dining on a deal right now
Why PJ's Coffee cut hundreds of food items from its menu
The outlook for the restaurant industry the rest of this year
Why a choosy investor opted to invest in a major 7 Brew franchisee
Why restaurants may be missing an opportunity on delivery
On McDonald's head-scratching stand on the tip credit
How the convenience-store chain Casey’s is making waves in the pizza business
Why restaurant profitability has yet to recover from the pandemic
Todd Penegor on his first year as CEO of Papa Johns
How franchisees are facing the difficult operating environment
What restaurant chains are looking for when it comes to technology
Why Zaxbys believes it is ready to grow again
A look at the recent sale of Dave's Hot Chicken
Why Handel's is keeping the focus on hospitality
Why fireplaces are vital for La Madeleine
How the CEO of A&W taps into brand nostalgia
The story behind the fast-growing restaurant chain Mo'Bettahs
How Heather Neary is bringing Taco John's into the future
How the owner of Krystal and Logan's Roadhouse makes it work
How Velvet Taco's unique menu gives it permission to go where others can't
How restaurants can adapt marketing in an era of AI
Why restaurant chains are pushing so many new menu items
How the restaurant industry is adjusting to the Trump administration
A discussion with new Culver's CEO Julie Fussner
How tariffs will affect restaurant equipment costs
A deep look at Chili's marketing
How Sbarro survived, and thrived, after 2 bankruptcy filings
A look into the Top 500 chain restaurants
How the Hooters and TGI Fridays bankruptcies will disrupt the credit markets
The Salad House founder on finding balance between healthy and indulgent
What the owner of Pollo Tropical will do next
How the COVID pandemic has changed the restaurant industry
Why restaurants are still having challenges this year
How record egg prices are affecting breakfast chains
A look into Starbucks' marketing strategy shift
How to grow a hot restaurant concept without destroying it
How to rebuild a restaurant chain
Why Chili's is outperforming Applebee's
What private equity thinks of the restaurant business right now
The right and the wrong way to franchise a restaurant
How weight-loss drugs will impact restaurants
Why restaurants closed so many locations last year
Why consumers turned away from fast-food restaurants in 2024
How to tell whether an emerging restaurant chain will be a long-term success
Why restaurant chains are releasing so many new menu items
Why some restaurant brands are coming back from the dead
Inside Church's Texas Chicken's big growth plans
The story behind L&L Hawaiian Barbecue
Why TGI Fridays filed for bankruptcy
Bill Marler on McDonald’s E. coli outbreak
What to make of a weird year in the restaurant business
How to use customer reviews to your advantage
The benefits, and drawbacks, of restaurant AI
How to market fast food at a time like this
Why third-party delivery continues to grow in popularity
A look at the past, and future, of Whataburger
What Topgolf's challenges say about the future of food-and-games brands
The story behind the fast-growing sandwich chain Cheba Hut
What all these bankruptcies say about the state of restaurants right now
What a potential merger of Circle K and 7-Eleven means for restaurants
How franchising can build multi-generational wealth
Why China is causing headaches for Starbucks
Why private equity likes restaurant franchisees
How Pepper Lunch is breaking into the U.S. market
Why restaurants are losing customers
Why platform companies are buying so many small chains
Can technology fix restaurants' workforce issues?
How restaurants should operate in a price-sensitive market
A look at some of the restaurant industry's biggest concerns
The difference between winners and losers in a tough restaurant market
What is the future of Red Lobster?
How Dutch Bros is refining its real estate strategy
The biggest trends in the restaurant industry right now
How Pinstripes plans to upgrade the bowling experience
Who is winning the chicken wars right now
A preview of this year's National Restaurant Association Show
An in-depth look at a fast-growing c-store chicken concept
How restaurants can tailor real estate strategies to an uncertain market
A look at the future of virtual restaurant brands
The story behind the fast-growing minigolf concept Puttshack
What to expect from the upcoming Restaurant Leadership Conference
How Wingstop fixed its chicken wing cost problem
How to modernize a 50-year-old pizza chain
How a more diverse C-suite is helping restaurants
What Corner Bakery's new owners saw in the brand
Why you should never compromise on unit economics
Why restaurant consumers are more value conscious right now
What to expect out of restaurants in 2024
How does an emerging brand break into a new market?
How Shipley Do-Nuts is bringing its brand into the future
How Cici's Pizza is becoming more like Chuck E. Cheese
How private equity is impacting food costs
How Subway franchisees view some of the chain's recent moves
How Starbucks is evolving to meet consumer demands
How Smalls Sliders uses modular buildings to speed growth
The best of the 'A Deeper Dive' podcast
Inside the turnaround at Potbelly
How high-end restaurants are becoming like Taylor Swift concerts
Why the FTC is targeting the Subway sale
Why customers increasingly think restaurants aren't worth it
Why Steak & Ale is making a comeback, 15 years after shutting down
What Pollo Tropical's new owners plan to do with the brand
A look at the state of the restaurant labor market
What is the future of restaurant loyalty programs?
Can healthy eating and restaurants coexist?
Is the tip credit dead?
Ron Shaich on why Cava deserved to be a public company
Meet the fast-growing drive-thru coffee chain 7 Brew
How Gregg Majewski is building Craveworthy Brands
How small restaurant companies should think about marketing
Huey Magoo's is riding the chicken tenders wave
Why Greg Vojnovic believes the Hot Dog Shoppe is ready for expansion
How Subway's sale will affect the sandwich market
Why the restaurant industry attracts so many fraudsters
How Tamer Afr is fixing Big Boy
What to expect with food prices in the coming months
How a trio of seismic events affected Subway, Chipotle and Texas Roadhouse
Why are more restaurants adding service fees?
Why restaurant sales are slowing, despite high prices
The story behind Burger King's turnaround effort
Why supermarkets are starting to think like restaurants
What the MrBeast controversy says about virtual brands
How innovation and nostalgia are working for Pizza Hut
Chip Wade on how to manage the 'new workforce dynamic'
Why Peter Piper Pizza is developing a fast-casual concept
Who will win, and who will lose, as the economy slows
How Taco John's responded to the 'Taco Tuesday' challenge
Why DoorDash is taking a stand on delivery menu prices
How higher menu prices will affect restaurants as grocery inflation slows
Chain restaurants had a good 2022. Or did they?
Duck Donuts CEO Betsy Hamm on adapting to a changing market
How Smashburger is rethinking the drive-thru
How corporate layoffs will affect McDonald's
An interview with Firehouse Subs President Mike Hancock
Focus Brands CEO Jim Holthouser on the future of the company's concepts
Why tipping is so important to restaurant employees
A look into third-party delivery, virtual brands and ghost kitchens
A deep dive into Subway's recovery and sale
A look at the future of Bojangles
How the restaurant of the future will help, or hinder, customer service
Why culture is so important in a restaurant
Plant-based meat is dead. Or maybe it isn't.
Why Capriotti's hoards stuffing every Thanksgiving
How younger consumers are adapting to inflation
The story behind Killer Burger
Behind Cava Group’s conversion of Zoe’s Kitchen restaurants
How Dave’s Hot Chicken became the next big thing
Why restaurants will be able to withstand an economic downturn
Should fast-food restaurants suggest a tip?
Why companies should, or should not, franchise their business
Has Starbucks won its union battle?
What is the future of restaurant automation?
How nostalgia keeps Mountain Mike’s on the growth track
Applebee’s John Cywinski on the future of casual dining
The fast-casual sector is dead, or maybe it isn’t
How video games proved to be a winner for Cicis
How restaurants can avoid becoming a political football
How operators can navigate a tough pricing environment
Why Scooter’s Coffee believes speed is key to its growth
How Gong Cha plans to take its bubble tea brand across the U.S.
A look at unionization and California’s new fast-food wage law
A look at the devastating impact of opioid addiction
Why Quiznos believes it is on the cusp of a turnaround
How Smoothie King cut back on sugar and won
A look at Krispy Kreme’s innovative marketing strategy
On pumpkin spice, plant-based meat and Milk Bar
How restaurants are combating a historically challenging environment
Why Charlie Morrison left Wingstop for an upstart
Taco Bell’s COO on its ‘Defy’ drive-thru prototype and the Mexican Pizza
How an Iranian immigrant figured out the pizza business
A look into Subway’s new menu, and whether it will further the brand’s turnaround
How Layne’s Chicken Fingers hopes to become the next big thing
What it means to have a good workplace culture
How chicken wings helped Charley’s escape the mall
A look into Subway’s future
How to create a restaurant concept in a time of uncertainty
How operators can overcome thinning profit margins
How restaurants are combatting multiple challenges
Why grocery inflation is so bad, and how it’s affecting restaurants
A look into the impact of the driver shortage on distributors
The story behind Crumbl Cookies’ sweet success
How operators can avoid raising prices too aggressively
How Wienerschnitzel handled a sudden surge of drive-thru business
A look at which chains stood out in 2021
A look at the quality and value of virtual kitchens
A look into Wendy’s plans to build more restaurants
Why the supply chain crisis won’t go away anytime soon
How the pandemic has changed restaurants’ beverage deals
Why people keep buying restaurants
How a small chain is coping with the tough operating environment
How Portillo’s is handling life as a public company
A look at the future, and the present, of third-party delivery
A look at the fierce competition for drive-thru real estate
What restaurants can expect in 2022
How the omicron surge has affected restaurant traffic
A former McDonald’s franchisee looks back at her long career
How Biggby Coffee works to compete with its giant competitors
How ghost kitchens and virtual brands could change the restaurant industry
The biggest stories of 2021
What is the future of restaurant mergers and acquisitions?
Should restaurants worry about the omicron variant?
Can a salad chain become the next big thing in the restaurant business?
How operators can navigate twin inflationary waves
How Andy Wiederhorn plans to pay for all his new chains
A debate on the long-term impact of the labor challenge on restaurants
How Jack in the Box is reclaiming its unit growth potential
Checkers has the upper hand in a drive-thru future
How restaurants are coping with the labor shortage
Why the FTC may take a harder look at franchising
Why independent restaurants are recovering more slowly than chains
How long will supply chain problems last?
Why more careful selection is key to restaurant success
How Sam Fox overcame early challenges to thrive as a restaurateur
A look at restaurants' mixed relationship with delivery
Why restaurants’ recovery has been faster than expected
How long will the restaurant sales boom last?
How organizations can best tackle diversity issues
Can a franchisee be a successful brand operator?
What it takes to make a good fast-food burger
Why the real estate market is so hot right now
Is the plant-based meat revolution past its peak?
Is there any hope for the Restaurant Revitalization Fund?
How Red Robin is helping vault Donatos around the country
How companies can keep their best employees in a tough market
How Jollibee plans to take over the U.S.
How Jimmy John’s shifted marketing under Inspire Brands
How restaurants are fending off the labor shortage
Why there are so many big franchise disputes right now
How to best build a virtual brand
How Domino’s became a technology company
How long will the restaurant boom last?
How Jersey Mike’s was able to thrive during the pandemic
What to expect from restaurant M&A coming out of the pandemic
How the Top 500 restaurant chains fared during a tough 2020
How activist investors hurt corporate diversity
How Greg Flynn engineered the biggest franchise deal in U.S. history
A deep look at the fast-food chicken sandwich wars
How Cooper’s Hawk is preparing for pent-up demand
Why SPACs have become so popular
Del Taco has big plans for its new prototype
How Golden Corral survived the pandemic
Why virtual brands are changing the restaurant game
How Hungry Howie’s competes against big pizza chains
The story behind Dutch Bros Coffee’s quiet yet impressive growth
Why fast-food restaurants need more than just a redesign
How Bartaco adapted to the pandemic
Why Nathan’s Famous is big on ghost kitchens
How Papa John’s quickly turned itself around
A look back at a difficult 2020
Why ghost kitchens may not be all they’re cut out to be
The ‘Gain Train:’ How restaurants can win in the post-pandemic era
Why restaurants are more resistant to pandemic shutdowns this time around
Inside Zaxby’s deal with Goldman Sachs
What the restaurant industry will look like when the pandemic is over
Why some restaurants may struggle to get through the winter
What Inspire Brands is building with its Dunkin’ acquisition
What restaurant sectors thrived during the pandemic?
Why private equity puts some restaurant chains at a disadvantage
Why franchise regulations are due for a makeover
Why a second wave might be worse for restaurant-landlord relations
How restaurants are being designed for a mobile future
How Reef Kitchens is riding the wave of delivery demand
Why the CDC report will hurt the full-service recovery
How the pandemic is changing restaurant finance
Some restaurants push growth while others struggle to survive
Why the virtual brand gold rush may not be all it’s cracked up to be
Why Andy Wiederhorn keeps buying restaurants
How Firehouse Subs hit record sales this summer
How Qdoba survived the quarantine on its own
Where does the economy go from here?
Taco John’s Jim Creel on the coronavirus, expansion and LeBron James
Why BurgerFi is going public in a pandemic
What restaurants should think of the worsening pandemic
How to protect unit profitability during a pandemic
10 big challenges restaurants face post-COVID
How Punch Bowl Social is surviving the pandemic, without Cracker Barrel
Why cultural intelligence matters for restaurants
How to avoid buying a bad restaurant franchise
How Zaxby’s adapted to the pandemic and thrived
Restaurants are rethinking their costs during the pandemic
How is the pandemic affecting the food supply?
How landlords view the future of restaurants
How MOD Pizza is combatting the pandemic
How the pandemic is affecting restaurant chains
How the coronavirus is shaking up delivery
How restaurants can get creative to help people and survive the shutdown
How restaurants can survive as their sales plunge
How restaurant operators are coping with the coronavirus shutdown
How the coronavirus shock is hurting restaurants
Raising Cane’s on its new restaurant partner program
How Sonic is rethinking its brand identity
What does the ghost kitchen trend mean for restaurants?
How Barcelona Wine Bar survived the acquisitions roller coaster
How Just Salad finds people to keep growing
How Macaroni Grill turned it around
How the Burgerim story came together
How G.J. Hart plans to keep Torchy's Tacos hot
How Velvet Taco prepared itself for delivery
How Smoothie King adjusts with an evolving customer
How a former McDonald’s franchisee made it in New York
Restaurants struggle to find good real estate
Why restaurants are searching for new ways to build sales
What is the future of restaurant delivery?
How Black Bear Diner is combating the labor shortage
Why so many big-chain CEOs are out
Todd Penegor has big plans for Wendy’s
Why the restaurant lending market is still booming
How restaurants can combat an economic slowdown
How the plant-based trend is helping Veggie Grill
Debating the risks and rewards of franchising
How Portillo’s finds new markets
How Auntie Anne’s is evolving beyond the mall
How fast-growing Tropical Smoothie keeps chugging
The IPO market reopens for restaurants
What is the future of casual dining?
How small chains can tackle delivery
How Blaze Pizza’s founders figured it out
How HMS Host works to get it right inside airports
How restaurants can solve the labor dilemma
What to make of a flurry of restaurant acquisitions
How Chicken Salad Chick makes it work
How growing Culver’s keeps its small-town culture
How casual dining is fighting the beverage battle
Could any chain overtake McDonald’s?
How Punch Bowl Social gets customers to come back
How small restaurant chains can compete against the big guys
Why grocers are pushing into prepared food
How restaurants can walk the menu price tightrope
Have investors soured on small restaurant chains?
How restaurants can combat the labor shortage
How companies can ride the off-premise wave
How Habit Burger made delivery profitable
How The Halal Guys found its name—and its growth
How White Castle did 'The Impossible'
How big will the restaurant industry be this year?
Why are restaurants now buying tech companies?
Modern Market, Lemonade, and the future of fast casual
The Evolution of Kids' Menus
How marketing is fueling KFC’s turnaround
How Tim Casey plans to fix Quiznos
How Buffalo Wild Wings is plotting its turnaround
How True Food Kitchen plans to grow with a healthy menu
Why restaurant chains are going private
Why merger mania has hit the restaurant industry
How restaurants should adapt to rising takeout demand
Why takeout is taking over restaurants
Wingstop’s Charlie Morrison on the digital future
How demographics are affecting restaurant sales
Why 2018 was a big year for restaurants
How Greg Flynn kept the faith through Applebee’s struggles
Why the franchisor-franchisee relationship is worsening
How robots will change the restaurant business
How independent restaurants handle labor pressure
Restaurants’ looming debt problem
Is casual dining coming back?
How Domino’s plans to keep its momentum
How Snooze, an A.M. Eatery perfected day drinking
Why so many restaurants are declaring bankruptcy
How Honeygrow uses technology with a purpose
Why franchisor-franchisee disputes are more common right now
How Norman Van Aken developed his ‘New World Cuisine’
How restaurants are dealing with their labor problems
How restaurants can take advantage of delivery
How a chain’s reputation influences its performance
First Watch’s Chris Tomasso on breakfast business growth
Jersey Mikes’ Hoyt Jones on the shifting sandwich landscape
Why some restaurants are losing customers
Dave Boennighausen details Noodles & Co.'s impressive comeback
Can Papa John’s recover from John Schnatter controversy?
Smashburger’s Tom Ryan on the burger wars
Firehouse Subs’ Don Fox on the impact of the takeout trend
Why Chick-fil-A is getting into the meal kit business
Subway’s James Walker on how delivery is changing restaurants
How John Schnatter’s problems have damaged Papa John’s
How McDonald’s is working to change its menu
Why small restaurant chains have the advantage
An inside look at the IHOb campaign
Technomic talks the state of the restaurant industry
Chipotle's Scott Boatwright on improving operations