The Hospitality Hangout
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! 🚀
Choose your favorite podcast player
The Hospitality Hangout

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

Inside DRIPS by Pepsi: The Crafted Beverage Platform Built for Restaurants
145
July 7, 2026

Inside DRIPS by Pepsi: The Crafted Beverage Platform Built for Restaurants

At what point do dirty soda, cold foam, popping boba, and custom drinks become more than a trend and start functioning as a real restaurant growth strategy? PepsiCo’s Scott Finlow and Alison Dempsey explain how DRIPS by Pepsi is bringing crafted, personalized beverages to restaurants, theaters, and QSRs, and why the next restaurant growth opportunity may be sitting in the cup.
People First, Pizza Always: The Donatos Growth Playbook
143
June 30, 2026

People First, Pizza Always: The Donatos Growth Playbook

Donatos Pizza President and CEO Kevin King joins Hospitality Hangout to share the people-first growth playbook behind one of America’s most enduring pizza brands. From 100 pieces of pepperoni on every large pizza to sauce automation, employee retention, restaurant technology, and scaling a legacy brand without losing its identity, this episode explores what it takes to keep people first and pizza always.
Boba Isn’t a Fad: How Gong cha Is Scaling Bubble Tea With Automation
142
June 23, 2026

Boba Isn’t a Fad: How Gong cha Is Scaling Bubble Tea With Automation

Boba is no longer a niche menu item. On this episode of Hospitality Hangout, Chris Noffze, Director of Direct Franchising and Operations at Gong cha Americas, joins Jimmy and Schatzy to break down how Gong cha is scaling bubble tea in a cold, customizable beverage market that continues to pull in younger consumers.
Five Guys on AI, Automation, Loyalty and the Future of Restaurants
141
June 16, 2026

Five Guys on AI, Automation, Loyalty and the Future of Restaurants

What does the future of restaurant technology really look like? For Five Guys VP of Technology M.J. Worsham, it’s not about chasing the newest shiny tool, it’s about finding tech that actually works for operators, improves the guest experience, and makes life easier for restaurant teams.
Paris Baguette Isn’t From Paris: How a Korean Bakery Café Went Global
140
June 9, 2026

Paris Baguette Isn’t From Paris: How a Korean Bakery Café Went Global

Paris Baguette may sound French, but its story begins in South Korea. On this episode of Hospitality Hangout, hosts Jimmy Frischling and Michael Schatzberg sit down with Cathy Chavenet to explore how a Korean-born, French-inspired bakery café brand grew into a global powerhouse with more than 4,000 locations worldwide.
Rock & Brews CEO on the Future of Restaurants and the Power of Experience
139
June 2, 2026

Rock & Brews CEO on the Future of Restaurants and the Power of Experience

Rock & Brews CEO Adam Goldberg joins Hospitality Hangout at the Restaurant Leadership Conference to talk about how restaurants are competing for traffic with music, sports, big screens, live entertainment, hospitality, and a reason for guests to actually show up.

Recent Blog Posts

First-Party Guest Data FAQ: Restaurant Loyalty Questions Answered
July 8, 2026

First-Party Guest Data FAQ: Restaurant Loyalty Questions Answered

First-party guest data is the foundation every modern restaurant loyalty program is built on, and operators are asking exactly how to collect it, use it, and protect it in 2026. Below are the real questions owners and marketers are searching, answer…
Voice AI Ordering FAQ: Your Top Drive-Thru Questions Answered
July 8, 2026

Voice AI Ordering FAQ: Your Top Drive-Thru Questions Answered

Voice AI ordering is the most-searched restaurant technology topic of 2026, and operators are asking sharp, practical questions before they commit a lane to it. Below are the questions owners and C-suite leaders actually type into search, answered w…
Restaurant Loyalty ROI in 2026: From Points to Personalization
July 8, 2026

Restaurant Loyalty ROI in 2026: From Points to Personalization

For a decade, restaurant loyalty programs meant one thing: points and punch cards. In 2026, that model is quietly dying. The brands pulling ahead have stopped competing on how many points a burrito earns and started competing on how well they know t…

Sponsors

Olo
Foodbuy
DailyPay
DoorDash
DIRECTV For Business
Pepsi
Toast POS