Winning the Value Customer, with Cici's President Jeff Hetsel

Recently named a Top 3 emerging restaurant chain in the U.S. by Datassential, The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill is fast approaching 100 units and $150 million in systemwide sales. President Bob Andersen joins QSR Uncut to discuss life growing a concept in a red-hot Mediterranean category and what it takes to win on the AI, menu, and franchising fronts. And be sure to register for our QSR Evolution Conference in Atlanta to learn from and network with the country's top restaurant brands, from Chick-fil-A to Shake Shack to Burger King, Texas Roadhouse, White Castle, and more. You can do so here. Our first private restaurant operator community is now open. For $500 a year, you gain access to exclusive content and reports, but also AMA Zoom calls with industry experts, and a sign-up for a WhatsApp Chat that connects you in real-time with leaders across the sector, from franchisees to founders to emerging executives. Request your invite today at plus.qsrmagazine.com.

Alissa Partee is stepping into the role of CEO at Restaurant Technologies, a company she joined in 2020 before becoming COO. Partee has worked at leading brands such as Buffalo Wild Wings and Caribou Coffee and has picked up no shortage of lessons along the way. She joins QSR Uncut to discuss her journey to the CEO spot, what it takes to lead with clarity, and how restaurants can find back-of-the-house solutions to improve their hospitality and stand out during a challenging time.And be sure to register for our QSR Evolution Conference in Atlanta to learn from and network with the country's top restaurant brands, from Chick-fil-A to Shake Shack to Burger King, Texas Roadhouse, White Castle, and more. You can do so here. Our first private restaurant operator community is now open. For $500 a year, you gain access to exclusive content and reports, but also AMA Zoom calls with industry experts, and a sign-up for a WhatsApp Chat that connects you in real-time with leaders across the sector, from franchisees to founders to emerging executives. Request your invite today at plus.qsrmagazine.com.

Dan Rowe, CEO and founder of Fransmart, and 35-plus-year-industry vet, joins QSR Uncut this week for a special episode exploring what it takes to grow, the state of concept creation, how franchising is evolving, and much more. We explore some of the stories behind CAVA, Five Guys, QDOBA, and what founders and emerging brands should look for before deciding it's time to expand. How is regulation affecting the industry? Where is the consumer taking us? How can founders check the right boxes? All that and more in this deep dive into the state of QSR.And be sure to register for our QSR Evolution Conference in Atlanta to learn from and network with the country's top restaurant brands, from Chick-fil-A to Shake Shack to Burger King, Texas Roadhouse, White Castle, and more. You can do so here. Our first private restaurant operator community is now open. For $500 a year, you gain access to exclusive content and reports, but also AMA Zoom calls with industry experts, and a sign-up for a WhatsApp Chat that connects you in real-time with leaders across the sector, from franchisees to founders to emerging executives. Request your invite today at plus.qsrmagazine.com.

Can a brand based around beignets scale? We step into the unique concept with its cofounder and CEO, Fabrice Alce, to explore developing a fast casual from the roots, what it takes to start looking ahead, and how leadership changes from the early days to the evolution. And be sure to register for our QSR Evolution Conference in Atlanta to learn from and network with the country's top restaurant brands, from Chick-fil-A to Shake Shack to Burger King, Texas Roadhouse, White Castle, and more. You can do so here. Our first private restaurant operator community is now open. For $500 a year, you gain access to exclusive content and reports, but also AMA Zoom calls with industry experts, and a sign-up for a WhatsApp Chat that connects you in real-time with leaders across the sector, from franchisees to founders to emerging executives. Request your invite today at plus.qsrmagazine.com.

The legacy pizza buffet has posted a strong year despite the odds, leaning into a fresh approach of value-based branding and promotions. From a record-breaking loyalty launch that turned back the clock on pricing, with sales jumping nearly 30 percent in two days, to how Cicis is evolving its voice, Hestel shares why tapping into your roots and adjusting strategy along the way can lead to gains in a challenging consumer climate.And be sure to register for our QSR Evolution Conference in Atlanta to learn from and network with the country's top restaurant brands, from Chick-fil-A to Shake Shack to Burger King, Texas Roadhouse, White Castle, and more. You can do so here. Our first private restaurant operator community is now open. For $500 a year, you gain access to exclusive content and reports, but also AMA Zoom calls with industry experts, and a sign-up for a WhatsApp Chat that connects you in real-time with leaders across the sector, from franchisees to founders to emerging executives. Request your invite today at plus.qsrmagazine.com.

Back in March, F&B Capital, a new capital markets firm focused on advising and supporting concepts across the franchise ecosystem, emerged into the space. This isn’t your average vehicle. Zack Fishman and Jimmy Frischling, who you may best know, respectively, from Fishman PR and Branded Hospitality, joined forces to fill a need they identified. We’ll get into this venture and how it plans to tap into longstanding entrepreneurial and investment experience, along with a long-term approach to building enduring businesses in the franchising sector.And be sure to register for our QSR Evolution Conference in Atlanta to learn from and network with the country's top restaurant brands, from Chick-fil-A to Shake Shack to Burger King, Texas Roadhouse, White Castle, and more. You can do so here. Our first private restaurant operator community is now open. For $500 a year, you gain access to exclusive content and reports, but also AMA Zoom calls with industry experts, and a sign-up for a WhatsApp Chat that connects you in real-time with leaders across the sector, from franchisees to founders to emerging executives. Request your invite today at plus.qsrmagazine.com.

Jennifer Durham, SVP of franchising and development at Potbelly, joins QSR Uncut to discuss the sandwich chain’s next act after its blockbuster $566 million deal to RaceTrac. One of the most-intriguing deals in recent quick-service memory brought a cult-favorite fast casual into the network of a retail giant. What does that mean for future development? Integration? Durham shares her perspective and how Potbelly will strategically scale while staying true to its brand experience.And be sure to register for our QSR Evolution Conference in Atlanta to learn from and network with the country's top restaurant brands, from Chick-fil-A to Shake Shack to Burger King, Texas Roadhouse, White Castle, and more. You can do so here. Our first private restaurant operator community is now open. For $500 a year, you gain access to exclusive content and reports, but also AMA Zoom calls with industry experts, and a sign-up for a WhatsApp Chat that connects you in real-time with leaders across the sector, from franchisees to founders to emerging executives. Request your invite today at plus.qsrmagazine.com.

Beginning inside a Holiday Inn hotel kitchen in Tacoma, Washington, Secret Burger Kitchen has taken a fervent following and developed a brand ready to scale. CEO and cofounder Paul Sandhu joins QSR Uncut to share how the upstart concept teamed with some of the industry’s top minds to formulate a blueprint for expansion, what it’s doing to win over guests in a burger category full of competitors, and why you might just be looking at the next big thing in franchising.And be sure to register for our QSR Evolution Conference in Atlanta to learn from and network with the country's top restaurant brands, from Chick-fil-A to Shake Shack to Burger King, Texas Roadhouse, White Castle, and more. You can do so here. Our first private restaurant operator community is now open. For $500 a year, you gain access to exclusive content and reports, but also AMA Zoom calls with industry experts, and a sign-up for a WhatsApp Chat that connects you in real-time with leaders across the sector, from franchisees to founders to emerging executives. Request your invite today at plus.qsrmagazine.com.

BML Public Relations president and CEO Brian Lowe returns to QSR Uncut after one of our most-listened to episodes to unpack what restaurants need to know about today’s mainstream media landscape. Learn why big, stunty creative engineered for national coverage is OUT. Why spokesperson-driven tips and hyper-local promotions are IN. The power of human-interest stories. How to make a brand splash in an attention-strapped world. The benefit of earned media with AI optimization. Consumer versus FranDev agencies—what’s the difference and why it matters. And much more as we explore key traffic drivers, the answer to opening your restaurant with momentum, and how to keep that buzz going.This episode was brought to you by our partners at BML PR.

Last year, in what’s become an annual tradition here on QSR Uncut, Qu CMO Jen Kern broke down restaurant operators' thoughts on technology for the year ahead. Jen now returns to unravel the latest report, which unpacks how the industry appears to have moved from experimentation to execution, defined by operational stability, intelligent decision-making, and a unified guest experience. Is AI really here? How are kiosks coming along? What matters most to restaurants and what's starting to slide? We get into all of it.Here's a link to the full report: https://stateofdigital.qubeyond.com/And be sure to register for our QSR Evolution Conference in Atlanta to learn from and network with the country's top restaurant brands, from Chick-fil-A to Shake Shack to Burger King, Texas Roadhouse, White Castle, and more. You can do so here. Our first private restaurant operator community is now open. For $500 a year, you gain access to exclusive content and reports, but also AMA Zoom calls with industry experts, and a sign-up for a WhatsApp Chat that connects you in real-time with leaders across the sector, from franchisees to founders to emerging executives. Request your invite today at plus.qsrmagazine.com.