The State of Restaurant M&A and Investing, with Mike Esposito

WOWorks’ CEO Kelly Roddy joins QSR editorial director to discuss the inspiration, development, and evolution of one of the category’s fastest-growing multi-brand groups, which now includes Saladworks, Garbanzo Mediterranean Fresh, Frutta Bowls, The Simple Greek, Barberitos, and Z!Eats (formerly Zoup!). As the former president of Schlotzsky’s, he repositioned the brand from a sandwich deli chain to a high-quality eatery, doubling its average unit sales, and, in 2019, took over Saladworks, navigating it through the challenges of COVID-19. We discuss everything from that journey in leadership to ghost kitchens to America’s food system to how you scale a health-halo brand in today’s market.

Bruno Cardinali, global head of marketing at açaí brand OAKBERRY, joins QSR editorial director Danny Klein to discuss the fast casual’s rise, which closed out 2023 with 35 stores in North America and is on track to double that by the end of 2024, and again by the end of 2025. Cardinali was also previously the marketing chief at Popeyes and shares some stories about the so-called “Chicken Sandwich Wars.” 

Alissa Partee, the Chief People Officer at Restaurant Technologies, which was recently recognized with three national workplace awards, joins QSR editorial director Danny Klein to discuss how you can win with culture in today’s hiring landscape. Can you build workplace culture from the top down and get franchisees onboard? In what ways can operators recruit/attract, and retain the best talent? We get into that and a whole lot more. This episode was sponsored by Restaurant Technologies.

Starting as an intern in 2003, Lance Vaught has held every position within the operations and training departments at Penn Station East Coast Subs, culminating in his appointment as president in January 2022. His experience and understanding of day-to-day tasks shaped his leadership style, which focuses on getting back into restaurants and helping operators stay disciplined as they navigate the challenges today. Vaught joins QSR editorial director Danny Klein to discuss the state and direction of the industry, as well as why Penn Station is primed for growth.

Ryan Ostrom, the marketing chief at the legendary fast-food brand, joins QSR editorial director Danny Klein to discuss how restaurants can reach and engage customers amid today’s challenges and opportunities, from technology to social media to value. Ostrom oversees Jack in the Back’s iconic brand marketing, directing out-of-the-box campaigns like its 2023 collab with Snoop Dog to Jack himself being named to People’s Sexiest Man Alive. We’ll get into that and take an overall look at the industry as another crazy year heads into its final months.

What lessons can restaurants learn from Blockbuster’s fall? How are on-trend ingredients like Ashwagandha resonating? What kind of partnerships make the biggest impact with Gen Z and millennial diners? Mitch Baker, the VP of marketing at Robeks, gets into those topics and a whole lot more as the famed juice and smoothie brand shares how it’s evolving toward the future of guest engagement.

Matt Wampler, the CEO and cofounder of ClearCOGS, joins QSR editorial director Danny Klein to discuss the state of digital solutions, how an operator became a tech maven, and where the next wave of technology is going to take the restaurant industry.

Value. Regulations. An upcoming presidential election season. The restaurant sector is being pressured on all sides by challenges. Jon Taffer, star of “Bar Rescue” and industry maven, returns to QSR Uncut for the third time to discuss all of it, including how his growing concept Taffer’s Tavern is charting a fresh path, and how the world of dining out continues to change.

One of the biggest CEO moves in recent restaurant memory (maybe ever) brought Chipotle executive Brian Niccol over to Starbucks in mid-August. It was an announcement that soared the java chain’s stock and re-injected optimism into the brand, which has struggled with negative traffic in back-to-back quarters. But the truth is, this is a tale for Starbucks that goes back much further. Where did its marketing lose traction? Can it win back guests and hold off competitors? Brett Townsend, SVP of Strategy at Quester Strategy & Insights, joins QSR editorial director Danny Klein to talk through the series of events that led to this moment in time and where Starbucks potentially lost its way.

Mike Esposito, co-managing partner and cofounder of Franchise Equity Partners, joins QSR Uncut to chat about the challenges and opportunities of the restaurant market today. Why is access to capital so challenging? Will that change? How can operators find investors and position themselves for growth? We get into that and a whole lot more.