Closed Monday cover art

All Episodes

Closed Monday — 254 episodes

#
Title
1

The Quiet Way Restaurants Overpay for Space

2

Robots Are Killing Corner Locations

3

How Tech Is Reshaping Franchise Site Selection

4

The Blind Spot In Franchise Due Diligence

5

You Snooze, You Lose...

6

Is Your Tech Stack Feeding or Bleeding Your EBITA?

7

Using Consumer Data To Choose Better Sites

8

How Long It Really Takes to Find and Secure a Location

9

Smart Scaling and Market Dynamics for 2026

10

Starbucks' Strategic Shift, What Does It Mean For Your Growth Plan

11

The SBA Rule Changes That Could Stall Your Growth w/ Robert Withers, President, M1 Capital

12

The Secret Real Estate Market Brokers Don’t Want You To Know About

13

The 1-Minute Tool Every Operator Needs Before Opening a Location.

14

The Nine-Figure Exit: Lessons from Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Mokas Coffee & Eatery

15

Inside the Mind of the CEO Revolutionizing Frozen Treat Franchising

16

This Is How CAVA Took Over Prime Locations Nationwide

17

The $1 Million Lease Mistake

18

Is Your Expansion Strategy Biased?

19

This Is Why Your Broker Isn't Calling You Back

20

How To Eliminate Frustrating Growth Barriers

21

Navigating The Pace of Your Growth

22

Pizza Powerhouse: Inside the Mind of an Unconventional Franchise CEO

23

Considering a New Restaurant Location? Here's the Spreadsheet You Didn't Know You Needed

24

Your Guide to Debt-Free Growth w/ Johann Moonesinge, CEO | InKind

25

The $5M Restaurant Startup Taking on Labor, Real Estate, and Delivery All at Once

26

Real Estate, Risk & Resilience: The Franchise Lessons You Can’t Ignore w/ Chris Olexa | CEO, Aspire 2B Hospitality Group

27

Purpose-Driven Profits: Turning Vietnamese Heritage Into America's Next Hot Franchise

28

Building and Leveraging Your Authentic Personal Brand w/ Josh Halpern | CEO, Big Chicken

29

Deal Diaries | Vol. 2

30

Deal Diaries | Vol. 1

31

AI-Powered Success: The Tools Transforming Today's Most Profitable Restaurants

32

Unconventional Growth Strategies: How Walter's Hot Dogs Built a 106-Year Empire

33

Don't Sign That Franchise Agreement Until You Ask These 8 Questions!

34

The 42 Square Feet That Can Make or Break Your Digital Sales

35

From Red Sauce to Green Juice: When a Brooklyn Restaurant Family Goes Franchise

36

Looking Beyond the AUV : Smarter Systems For Franchise Growth w/ Jeff Fenster | Founder & CEO of everbowl

37

Never Get Burned Again: A Guide to Site Selection Red Flags

38

How to Evaluate and Scale Your Business in 4 Weeks

39

Southern Hospitality and Some Next Level Tech | Mike Ball, VP of Operations, Vicious Biscuit

40

Building A Brand Centric Restaurant | Sebastian Stahl, Founder & CEO, Breadth - Strategic Restaurant Marketing

41

Your Restaurant Staff Doesn't Want More Money -They Want These 3 Things Instead

42

Rich Restaurant Owners All Use These 3 Formulas - And Now You Will Too

43

Franchise Marketing in the Digital Age | Devin Schneider, Director of Marketing & Tech, Jeremiah's Italian Ice

44

The Surprising Ways the Election Will Reshape Restaurant Expansion

45

Why Your Gut Feeling About Restaurant Growth is Dead Wrong (And What to Do Instead)

46

Designing Your Life in Hospitality w/ Christin Marvin, Hospitality Catalyst & Author

47

Sh*t Yeah! Building Restaurants with Heart and Hustle w/ Chris Smith | Co-founder & CEO, Zunzi's & Zunzibar

48

The Evolution of Restaurant Media w/ Jeanne Muchnick, Food & Dining Reporter at The USA Today Network

49

Expanding The Brand & Preserving The Family Legacy w/ Kevin Gagliard | Director of Operations at Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana

50

Should Your Restaurant Have A Podcast?

51

Proven Strategies to Keep Your Restaurant Construction On Time and Under Budget

52

The True Cost of Buying a Restaurant: A Practical Guide

53

Luxury Watches on The Bear & How to Find An Affordable Rent

54

Mastering Sustainability in the Kitchen with Chef Norman Fenton- Co-Founder/Partner | Carino

55

The Evolution of America's Largest Aftermarket for Restaurant Equipment w/ Neal Sherman

56

Start Small, Solve A Problem, Stay Committed w/ Jennifer Ryan | CEO BLUEROOT & Croux

57

From Humble Beginnings to a Seafood Empire: The Wild Story of San Pedro Fish Market w/ CEO, Michael Ungaro

58

Why Red Lobster’s Bankruptcy is a Wake-Up Call for Every Restaurant Entrepreneur

59

Live Session : Scaling Your Restaurants Digital Presence w/ Avi Goren & Sterling Douglas

60

From Naples with Love & Hospitality: Francesco Zimone, L'Antica Pizzeria da Michele

61

Cultivating Culture and Cash Flow w/ Preston Lee, Founder, The 30% Rule

62

AI-Driven Demand Prediction in the Food Industry w/ Matt Wampler, Co-Founder & CEO - ClearCOGS

63

Building a Scalable Team: Leadership Lessons from The Taco Project

64

How Not To Handle Negative Reviews, NRA Show Preview, And How To Properly Pay Your Sales Tax w/ Shawn Walchef & Troy Hooper

65

Should You Lease of Buy Your Restaurant's Real Estate?

66

Feeding the Future: Voosh.ai's Impact on Restaurant Growth and Innovation w/ Co-Founder, Priyam Saraswat

67

The State of the Independent Restaurant Industry w/ Dr. Anne McBride from the James Beard Foundation

68

Navigating The Restaurant Real Estate Market in 2024

69

Keith Lee Takes on NYC, CosMc's Open First Location and Self Care As A Restaurant Entrepreneur

70

Raising Canes Owner is Worth Billions, 2024 Restaurant Trends, A Return to Stability PLUS Understanding The SNDA Clause

71

Reviews to Revenue: Ovation's Game-Changing Approach to Feedback/ Zack Oates, CEO of OVation

72

Leading the Charge: How Strong Leaders Shape Top-Performing Restaurants w/ Executive Hospitality Coach, Andy Jones

73

All-In-One Review Response Solution w/ Avi Goren, Co-Founder & CEO, Marqii

74

Is Chipotle Still Worth It? Top Brands For Teens, What's Up w/ Wow Bao? and Is Ozempic Putting Restaurants Out Of Biz? Plus- How To Attract Investors

75

All About Authenticity : Refocusing Crafty Cow's Vision w/ Founder & CEO, Devin Eichler

76

Crafting a Home-Buying Blueprint for Restaurant Entrepreneurs

77

Mastering the Restaurant Marketing Game with Chip Klose, Author of 'The Restaurant Marketing Mindset'

78

The Science of Running Multiple Locations

79

When It's Worth Paying: Unlocking the Real Value of Key Money

80

Restaurants vs. Supermarkets: The Battle for Diners Dollars

81

Community At The Core w / Charlie Eblen, Founder of Single Tree BBQ

82

Mr Beast Wants Out & Other Trending News Stories, 10 Ways To Fail Plus... Listener Q &A

83

Dealing with the Dark Side of Restaurant Ownership

84

The Price of Integrity: How Toast's Fee U-Turn Proved Their Commitment to Restaurants

85

From Cocktails to Cold Cuts: How This Duo Turned Their Bartending Skills into a Sandwich Sensation | Justin Simmons, Co-Founder - Tony & Pete's

86

Employment and Edibles: Adapting to Cannabis Legalization

87

Leadership Strategies for Restaurant Expansion | Howard Soloman, Hospitality Coach & Leadership Mentor

88

With Tipping Fatigue in Full Swing, How Can Restaurants Cope?

89

Are Cursed Locations Really A Thing, Opening A Restaurant w/ Your Best Friend, Chef's Stealing Recipes

90

Conversations with a Craft Butcher Franchise Pioneer | Greg Snyder, Founder - Southern Steer Franchising

91

Keeping Your Guests Engaged w/ Atmosphere TV

92

Can You Be A Great Parent AND Run A Successful Restaurant?

93

Leveraging Technology To Increase Profitability

94

5 Essential Steps for Expanding Your Restaurant to New Markets

95

The Don of Digital Hospitality Shawn Walchef, Founder - Cali BBQ Media

96

The Impact of AI on Customer Service and Retention

97

The 2023 Food and Beverage (FABI) Awards®

98

Building A Restaurant Concept With Friends | Harold Walters, CEO - Shootz

99

The Granola Bar: A Tale of Resilience and Reinvention

100

Kitchen Innovation Awards: The Judges' Picks

101

Revolutionizing Restaurant Training w/ Jason Berkowitz, Founder of Arrow Up Training

102

Stay Ahead of the Game: Why You Need To Attend The National Restaurant Association Show w/ Lisa Malikow , Senior VP Winsight Exhibitions

103

What EXACTLY Are You Paying For? | A Restaurant Buyers Guide

104

"The Mother" of All Pizza | Matt Watson, Grigg Street Pizza

105

Restaurant Tactics for Banking Chaos

106

The Passionate Restaurateur: Building a Dream Restaurant w/ Rob Guarino

107

Pouring Goodness: How South Block is Nourishing The Body and Soul | Amir Mostafavi, Founder & CEO

108

Insights from a Tech-Driven Restaurant Entrepreneur | Prakash Karamchandani, Co-Founder - Balance Grille

109

Are YOU Holding Your Restaurant Back?

110

Digitizing Your Restaurant

111

6 Ways To Leverage Data To Grow Your Bottom Line

112

Steal This Idea From Shake Shack

113

The Employee Retention Tax Credit Explained

114

How To Build A Scalable Restaurant in 2023

115

Lessons From 2022 That Will Make You A Better Restaurant Operator

116

NRO #139: Dok Kwon | President & COO, Cupbop

117

NRO #138: Danny Klein | Editorial Director, QSR & FSR Magazine

118

NRO #137: Dan Unter | CEO & Co-Founder, Kitch

119

The Tech Stack You Didn't Know You Needed

120

NRO #135 : Mollie Engelhart | Owner & Executive Chef, Sage Plant Bistro

121

NRO #134 : Preparing Your Restaurant For A Recession

122

NRO #133: Jordan Boesch | Founder & CEO, 7Shifts

123

NRO #132: Roger Beaudoin | Founder & CEO, Restaurant Rockstars

124

NRO #131 : Aaron Ratner | Founder, Paper Plate

125

NROP #130: Charles Bililies | Founder & CEO, Souvla

126

NRO #129: John Pepper | Founder 211vc & Co-Founder of Boloco

127

NRO #128: Kevin O. Cox | 310 Hospitality - When Should You Hire A Consultant

128

NRO #127: Chad Horn | Co-Founder, Devour - What Web3 Means For Your Restaurant

129

NRO #126: Never Lease A Sh*tty Restaurant Space - How to find the best real estate & negotiate like a pro

130

NRO #125: Eric Huang | Founder, Chef - The Pecking House - From Cello's to Chicken

131

NRO #124: Brendan Sweeney | Co-Founder & CEO, Popmenu - Using AI To Turn Phone Calls Into Dollars

132

NRO #123: Why You Need To Get Your Restaurant On TikTok

133

NRO #122: Stratis Morfogen | Restaurateur, Author - "Be A Disruptor"

134

NRO #121: Greg Alpatov | Director of Sales, PlateIQ - Automating Your Accounts Payable

135

NRO #120: Troy Hooper | Founder & CEO, Kiwi Restaurant Partners & nurish - Growing Your Business In 2022

136

NRO #119 : Chip Klose | Restaurant Marketing Guru

137

NRO #118: Steve Raggiani | Founder, 8it app - The 8it Edible NFT Food Hunt

138

NRO #117: Mike Schulte | aka @itsyaboymikeofficial - Restaurants + TikTok

139

NRO #116: Hassel Aviles | Executive Director, Not 9 to 5 - Creating A Better Workplace

140

NRO #115 : Joe Fontana | Owner, Fry The Coop - Building A Hot Chicken Empire

141

NRO#114: Jeffery Weitz | Chief Visionary Officer, North Rim Partners - Providing The Infrastructure For Food Entrepreneurs

142

NRO #113 : Frank Carpenteri | CEO, Garden Catering - Maintaining Integrity During Expansion

143

NRO #112: Laura Louise Green | Founder, Healthy Pour - When Is It More Than Just a "Shift Drink"

144

NRO #111: Jim Taylor | Founder & CEO, BenchmarkSixty - Focusing On Growth

145

NRO #110: George Atterbury | Partner, Klaw Restaurant - Fair Wages In Hospitality

146

NRO#109 : Tiffany Helton | Founder, Online Restaurant Academy & Stuft Burger Bar

147

NRO #108: Official Launch of The National Restaurant Owners Network!

148

NRO #107: Dale Willerton | Founder, "The Lease Coach" - Restaurant Leasing 101

149

NRO #106: Chef Sakari Smithwick | Founder, Noble Promise - Thinking Outside The Box

150

NRO #105: Joel Rivas | Founder, Saint City Culinary Foundation - Mental Health In The Restaurant Industry

151

NRO #104 Christian Arkay-Leliever | Founder, Arkay-Leliever Creative Consultancy - The Essentials of Restaurant Design

152

NRO #103: Michael Schatzberg | Founder, Branded Strategic Hospitality - Restaurant Tech For 2022

153

NRO #102 : Jesse Limon | VP of Investment Sales, Marcus & Millichap |NFT's & Crypto For Restaurants?

154

NRO #101: Chef Matthew Stockard | Cooking w/ Cannabis + CBD

155

NRO #100: Russ Rosenband | Founder, The Lot Next Door

156

NRO#99: Mike Kelly |Atmosphere TV

157

NRO #98: Matt Plapp | CEO, America's Best Restaurants

158

NRO #97 : Zaid Ayoub | CEO, Falafel Inc/ SAJJ Street Eats

159

NRO #96: Monte Silva | Author, Coach, & Experienced Restaurateur

160

NRO #95: Chris Wyland | Chief Development Officer, Roll Em Up Taquitos

161

NRO #94: Craig Barber | CEO, Restaurant Growth Services

162

NRO #93: Adam Weiss | CEO + Director, Honeybee Burgers

163

NRO #92 : Matt Forbush | Founder & CEO, zignyl

164

NRO #91: Ryan Baggott | Founder & CEO, Tap The Table

165

NRO #90 : Andrew Pudalov | Founder & CEO, Rush Bowls

166

NRO #89: Shawn Walchef | Cali BBQ Media

167

NRO #88: Ken McGarrie | Author, Founder of Korgen Hospitality

168

NRO #87: Jensen Cummings | Chef/Coach, Best Served Creative

169

NRO #86: Daniel Estrada | Co-Founder & CEO, 86 Repairs

170

NRO #85: Donald Burns | The Restaurant Coach

171

NRO#84: Atul Sood| Chief Business Officer, Kitchen United

172

NRO #83: Bruce Irving | Host, Smart Pizza Marketing Podcast

173

NRO #82: Aaron Noveshen | Founder/CEO, Starbird & The Culinary Edge

174

NRO #81: James Mallios | Owner, Civetta Hospitality Group

175

NRO #80: Jarrod Fox & Taylor Lintz | Co-Founders, TailGate Outdoor Sports Bar

176

NRO#79: Chad Coulter | Founder & CEO Biscuit Belly

177

NRO #78: Alec Fernandez & Vicky Carballo| Founders, Dos Croquetas

178

NRO #77 : Michael McHenry | Founder, The McHenry Group

179

NRO #76 : Raji Sankar | Co-CEO, Wholesome International

180

NRO #75: Andrew Martino | Founder, Ghost Truck Kitchen & Martino Hospitality Services

181

NRO # 74 : Three Things That Will Kill Your Restaurant In Year One

182

NRO #73 : Sarah Gavigan | CEO, The Otaku Group - Otaku Ramen

183

NRO #72 : Creating A Scalable Concept - Part 2 | Patient Capital

184

NRO #71: Cory Zelnik| Owner, Zelnik & Co - Is New York City Back?

185

NRO #70 : Creating A Scalable Concept - Part 1 | The Six Points of Pain

186

NRO #69 Eric Wilson | Empire Merchants - You Really Need To Listen To Your Liquor Rep

187

NRO #68 : Your Bad Real Estate Is Costing You A Fortune

188

NRO #67 : Leslie Polizzotto | Co-Founder, The Doughnut Project

189

NRO #66 : Prakash Karamchandani | Co-Founder, Balance Grille

190

NRO #65 : It's Not Just About The Food

191

NRO #64 : Violetta Edelman & Robb Duncan | Co-Founders & Co-CEO's, dolcezza | From Ayahuasca to Gelato Empire

192

NRO #63 : Steele Smiley | Founder/CEO , Steel Brands - Crisp & Green & Stalk & Spade

193

NRO #62 : Brian Owens | Co-Founder , Crave Fish Bar & TacoVision | Powering Through The Pandemic in NYC

194

NRO #61 : Lisle Richards | Owner, The Village Den | Leading By Example

195

NRO #60 : Bettina Stern | Co-Founder, Chaia Tacos | Inventions & Innovation

196

NRO #59: Matthew Guelke | CEO & Co-Founder - The Plant Cafe | A Commitment To Health

197

NRO #58 : Otto Othman | CEO & Co-Founder of PINCHO | Bootstrapping Your Way to The Top

198

NRO #57 : Stratis Morfogen | Founder, Brooklyn Dumpling Shop | The Return of The Automat

199

NRO #56: Mike Lenard| CEO & Founder, TaKorean | Growing Pains & Learning To Adapt

200

NRO #55: Daniella Senior | CEO, Colada Shop | Coffee, Cocktails & Culture

201

NRO #54 : Thomas Kelly | Founder - Mexicue - The Restaurant Entrepreneur

202

NRO #53: Rev Ciancico | Head of Revenue Marketing, Branded Strategic Hospitality - Embracing Technology

203

NRO #52 : David Leonardo | CEO - Chill N Nitrogen Ice Cream - Building A Better Franchise

204

NRO #51 : Eric Cacciatore | Host , "Restaurant Unstoppable" - #openanyway

205

NRO #50: Aviva Sonenreich | TikTok & Supporting Local Restaurants

206

NRO #49 : Steve Raggiani & Joe Scalo - 8it app | Changing The Food Review Game

207

NRO #48 : Dan Rowe | The Future of Franchising

208

NRO #47 : Cristiana Crin | Design, Layout & Functionality in Your Restaurant

209

NRO #46: Rob Feinstein | The Man Who Gave Me My First Shot As A Chef

210

NRO #45: Mario "The Monk" Trotta | Do Restaurant Owners Need A Personal Brand?

211

NRO #44 : Dara Pollak | The Skinny Pig, Inc - @skinnypignyc

212

NRO #43 : Bobby Stuckey | Master Sommelier & Restaurateur

213

NRO #42 : Gonca Esendemir | Flatbread Grill - Co-Founder/CMO

214

NRO #41 : Shari Bayer | Founder , Bayer Public Relations

215

NRO #40: Tina Oppedisano | Owner & General Manager - Il Bacco & Trattoria 35

216

NRO #39 : Corey Manicone ZUUL - Co-Founder & CEO - Zuul Kitchens - The Rise of Ghost Kitchens

217

NRO #37 : Carrie Bob - Founder/CEO - Carrie Bobb & Co - Omnichannel For Restaurants & Landlords

218

NRO #36 : Jon Streep, CEO/Owner - Alidoro - Life in an NYC Restaurant Today

219

NRO #35: Scott Landers, Co-Founder - Figure 8 Logistics - The Food Delivery Revolution

220

NRO #34: Steve Simoni, CEO, Bbot (@meetbbot)

221

NRO #33 : Nick Palmeri ( @gaetanosristorante.lv)

222

NRO #32 : Von'Dre Smith (@whodoesyourmarketing) | Restaurant Marketing For The Now

223

NRO #32: Blake Haggett (@blake_hagzcre) | Personal Branding As A Commercial Real Estate Advisor

224

NRO #31 : Claudia del Castillo (@chipiedc) | Why Restaurant Branding Is More Important Than Ever

225

NRO#30: Michael Chernow (@michaelchernow) | Looking Beyond The Traditional Restaurant

226

NRO #29 : Elizabeth Tilton (@elizabethtilton) | Reopening Resources For Independent Restaurants

227

NRO #28 : Barry Wolfe (@barrywolfe_cre)

228

NRO #27 : Amy Mills (@17thstreetbbq)

229

NRO #26: Bill Taibe (@billtaibe)

230

NRO #25: Matt Storch ( @chefstorch)

231

NRO #24 : Chris Osborn (@chris_oz_az)

232

NRO #23: Bill Reed (@humboltandjackson)

233

NRO #22 : Constantine Kalandranis (@8northbroadway)

234

NRO #21 : Matt Read (@spatchcockfunk)

235

NRO #20 : Beth Azor (@bethazor)

236

NRO #19 : Gabriel Gonzalez (@gabriel_crenerd)

237

NRO #18 : Chef Trevor Bird (@cheftrevorbird)

238

NRO #17 : Documenting & Creating with @JIHVD

239

NRO #16: Experience, Beliefs, Actions, Results

240

NRO #15 : Sunday Morning Rant (Bonus Episode)

241

NRO #14 : Jimmy Oddone (@jimmyodd1) & Mario Trotta (@imthemonk)

242

NRO #13 : Mike Knapick ( Bar Louie, Dunkin Donuts, Corelife & Pedal Pub)

243

NRO #12 : Antonella Pomilla (@foodgetaboutit) & George Giacinto (@da_giorgio77)

244

NRO #11 :Giovanni Cucullo & Gene Christian Baca

245

NRO #10: The Essentials of Restaurant Bookeeping.

246

NRO #9 : The Rise of the Virtual Kitchen w/ Jon Brennan of Flavorism

247

NRO #8: Tech and the Modern BOH w/ Ian Christopher of Galley Solutions

248

RTP #7: Emotional vs Practical

249

RTP #6 : Work Life Balance As A Restaurant Owner w/ Mike Androw

250

RTP #5 : Building a Personal Brand in Commercial Real Estate w/ Eddie Gonzalez

251

RTP #4: A Social Media Rant

252

RTP #3: Running a 100 Year Old Family Business w/ Gene Christian Baca

253

RTP #2 : Growing Up In The Kitchen w/ George Kringas

254

RTP #1: Why Should You Listen To Me?