The Hospitality Hangout
Join Michael Schatzberg aka Schatzy (The Restaurant Guy) and Jimmy Frischling (The Finance Guy) on The Hospitality Hangout as they explore hospitality, food service, and investment trends while connecting with industry leaders. Each week, receive insider insights and funny stories that shape the hospitality landscape. They live at the intersection of hospitality, food service, technology, and investment, connecting the biggest players and boldest ideas shaping the industry. Each week, they serve up funny, informative, and wildly entertaining conversations with the insiders who are leading a new era of hospitality. From emerging brands and breakthrough tech to industry trends and restaurant success stories, no topic is off the table. It’s where the who’s who of hospitality hangs out – packed with expert insights, laugh-out-loud moments, and must-know trends that keep you ahead of the game. 🍽️ Tune in, grab a drink, and let’s talk shop! 🚀
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Welcome to the Hospitality Hangout
Join Michael Schatzberg (The Restaurant Guy) and Jimmy Frischling (The Finance Guy) on The Hospitality Hangout for bold, hilarious, and insight-packed conversations with the power players redefining hospitality. From hot trends and tech breakthroughs to behind-the-scenes stories, no topic is off the table.
Recent Episodes
164
Oct. 1, 2026
The Foodfluencers: Before Food Influencers Had a Name | Jackie Gebel of No Leftovers
Jackie Gebel was recommending restaurants before “food influencer” was really a job. On The Foodfluencers, the creator behind No Leftovers talks about the early days of food Instagram, Foursquare, restaurant PR, brand deals, comped meals, authenticity and how she has stayed trusted after more than a decade in the space.
162
Sept. 29, 2026
IHOP Is 68 Years Young: Lawrence Kim on Evolving an American Icon
IHOP President Lawrence Kim joins Hospitality Hangout live from Prosper Forum to talk about evolving one of America’s most iconic restaurant brands. Lawrence shares why IHOP is “68 years young,” what he learned working inside the restaurants, his anonymous visits to more than 150 locations, the $6 Value Menu, Dubai Chocolate Pancakes, loyalty, catering and why IHOP’s next chapter starts with understanding what guests already love.
161
Sept. 24, 2026
The Foodfluencers: The Foodie Magician on What’s Actually Worth the Hype
Josh Beckerman does not cook. He has been eating at restaurants almost every day for more than two decades. On The Foodfluencers, the Foodie Magician talks New York restaurants, viral food trends, restaurant influencers, Taylor Swift, paid versus organic recommendations and how algorithms are changing where people eat. Then he puts his restaurant-themed mentalism to the test live in the studio.
160
Sept. 22, 2026
Inside Yum! Brands: How Taco Bell, KFC and Habit Run at Global Scale
Nigel Henry, Global Director of Operations at Yum! Brands, joins Hospitality Hangout to talk about what it takes to operate restaurant brands like Taco Bell, KFC and Habit Burger & Grill at global scale. Nigel gets into guest recovery, digital ordering, restaurant technology, operational data, team-member experience, cross-brand collaboration, Pizza Hut’s transition and why the best operations strategy still comes down to what happens with one guest in one restaurant.
159
Sept. 17, 2026
The Foodfluencers: Cassie Yeung on Viral Food, Gordon Ramsay and Reinvention
Cassie Yeung went from professional dancer to viral food creator, Gordon Ramsay competitor, and New York Times bestselling author. On Foodfluencers, she shares how a recipe she almost didn’t post became the viral carrot ribbon salad, why simple recipes win, and how social media is changing what all of us eat.
158
Sept. 15, 2026
Tropical Smoothie Cafe’s CMO on Building Awareness, Joy and Purpose
Tropical Smoothie Cafe CMO Deborah von Kutzleben joins Hospitality Hangout to talk about growing awareness to match the brand’s 1,700-plus cafe footprint. She shares how Tropical Smoothie Cafe is building bigger brand moments through smoothies, wraps, Disney partnerships, Banana Ball, No Kid Hungry, food innovation, influencer marketing and purpose-driven growth.
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Recent Blog Posts
Oct. 1, 2026
Fast Casual Growth in 2026: Why the Segment Keeps Winning
While overall restaurant traffic has wobbled through 2026, one segment keeps posting green numbers month after month. Fast casual growth has become the industry's clearest bright spot, with the leading chains not just surviving a cautious consumer b…
Oct. 1, 2026
Value Beyond Price: The 2026 Restaurant Playbook for Winning Guests
If 2026 has one dominant storyline for restaurant operators, it is this: the guest has redefined what "worth it" means. Price still matters, but the brands gaining traffic this year are the ones delivering value beyond price — the full package of co…
Sept. 30, 2026
Zero Proof Menu FAQ: Restaurant Operator Questions for 2026
A well-built zero proof menu has moved from restaurant afterthought to genuine profit center, and operators have a lot of practical questions about doing it right. Here are the answers restaurant owners and beverage directors are searching for in 20…
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