Browse every Hospitality Hangout episode featuring conversations with restaurant executives, hospitality innovators, and emerging industry leaders.

In today's episode of Hospitality Hangout, Michael Schatzberg “The Restaurant Guy” and Jimmy Frischling “The Finance Guy” are joined by Lance Trenary, President and CEO of Golden Corral Corporation, and Roy Gilad, Founder and CEO of Vitality Bowls. Lance discusses how Golden Corral persevered through COVID shutdowns by innovating business models while maintaining quality and caring for staff and partners. Roy shares how he started Vitality Bowls because of his daughter's severe food allergies. ...

In today's episode of Hospitality Hangout, Michael Schatzberg “The Restaurant Guy” and Jimmy Frischling “The Finance Guy” are joined by Chris Dull, President and CEO of Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers, and Chris Wren, Vice President Head of International Development of Dairy Queen. Chris Dull shares how Freddy’s great franchise partners have powered growth to over 500 locations by mastering operations and development. He highlights innovations like kitchen display software that optimize ...

In this REWIND episode of Hospitality Hangout, hosts Michael Schatzberg, "The Restaurant Guy," and Jimmy Frischling, "The Finance Guy," were joined by Marianne Radley, the Chief Marketing Officer of Smoothie King. The trio engaged in a discussion revolving around effective marketing strategies and insights within the food and beverage industry. During the episode, Radley shed light on Smoothie King's recent marketing initiatives and shared valuable insights into the company's success. She empha...

In the latest episode of Hospitality Hangout, Michael Schatzberg “The Restaurant Guy” and Jimmy Frischling “The Finance Guy” chat with R.J. Melman, President of Lettuce Entertain You, a fifty-one year old restaurant group that is privately held with over one hundred and twenty restaurants across the country in thirteen different states. It is based out of Chicago, Illinois. Melman’s dad, Rich Melman started the company back in 1971 when he opened a restaurant with his best friend Jerry Orzoff. ...

In the latest episode of the Hospitality Hangout podcast, Michael Schatzberg “The Restaurant Guy” and Jimmy Frischling “The Finance Guy” sit down with Phil Crawford, the chief technology officer of CKE Restaurants, to explore the ongoing digital revolution in the restaurant industry. CKE Restaurants is a Tennessee-based, privately held company that runs and operates Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s. The two regional brands combined represent over 3,800 franchised or company-operated restaurants in 44 st...

LIVE from the Fast Casual Executive Summit in Louisville, Kentucky, the guys catch up with the visionaries of emerging restaurant brands, unpacking their innovative concepts and roadmaps to expansion! In today's episode of Hospitality Hangout, Michael Schatzberg “The Restaurant Guy” and Jimmy Frischling “The Finance Guy” are joined by Prakash Karamchandani, Chief Executive Officer of Balance Pan-Asian Grille; Chris Medhurst, President and Chief Operating Officer of District Taco; and Chad Coult...

In today's episode of Hospitality Hangout, Michael Schatzberg “The Restaurant Guy” and Jimmy Frischling “The Finance Guy” are joined by Troy Hooper, CEO of Hot Palette America, the parent company of Pepper Lunch Restaurants, as well as Elisia Flores, CEO at L&L Hawaiian Barbecue . Troy has over thirty-one years of experience in the hospitality industry, having grown up helping his father build restaurants and bars in Miami. Troy talks about global expansion, his recent ten-unit deal in Arizona,...

In today's episode of Hospitality Hangout, Michael Schatzberg “The Restaurant Guy” and Jimmy Frischling “The Finance Guy” are joined by Josh Kern, CEO of SPB Hospitality. Josh shares his experiences from his time in politics to working in the marketing sector for high-profile brands like Quiznos, Outback, and American Blue Ribbon Holdings. The trio discuss the challenges of running a restaurant business, the use of AI in drive-thrus, the impacts of inflation and supply chain issues on pricing, ...

LIVE from the CREATE conference in Palm Springs California, the guys chat with emerging restaurant brand leadership on their growing concepts and path to expansion. Key Takeaways [00:06 - 02:18] Schatzy and Jimmy visit CREATE in Palm Springs [02:20 - 05:27] How and Why Francesco and Allessandro developed a restaurant rooted in healthy vegetables [05:29 - 08:02] Francesco's experience raising capital for Avocaderia on Shark Tank [08:08 - 09:38] Operating in the toughest markets, like NYC [1...

In today's episode of Hospitality Hangout, Michael Schatzberg “The Restaurant Guy” and Jimmy Frischling “The Finance Guy” talk to Lauren Bailey, co-founder and CEO of Upward Projects. As head of the Upward Projects Restaurant Group, Bailey steers five brands and 30 restaurants toward profit, success, and good experiences. In her conversation with Jimmy and Schatzy at CREATE, the trio discusses how Bailey got into the restaurant industry and some of the lessons learned as an emerging restaurante...

In the latest episode of Hospitality Hangout, Michael Schatzberg “The Restaurant Guy” and Jimmy Frischling “The Finance Guy” chat with Dave Harris, chief information officer as well as chief technology officer at Shake Shack about how technology can enable and enhance the guest experience. Harris has been with Shake Shack for four years and has led technology teams across companies in retail, hospitality and consumer packaged goods. Some companies include Virgin Atlantic, Avis, JetBlue, Yankee ...

The latest episode of “Hospitality Hangout” hosted by Michael Schatzberg, known as “The Restaurant Guy”, and Jimmy Frischling or “The Finance Guy”, the podcast with Scott Boatwright, the Chief Operating Officer of Chipotle Mexican Grill. It was a delightful spread of insightful career stories, automation in restaurant operations, and a sprinkle of light-hearted banter to top it off. A Dishwasher’s Journey to COO At 50, Scott Boatwright holds an impressive resume that starts from his initial ro...

In the latest episode of Hospitality Hangout, hosts Michael Schatzberg "The Restaurant Guy" and Jimmy Frischling "The Finance Guy" were on the road at FSTEC in Dallas, Texas. They ventured into the intricacies of the hospitality industry, with guests John Pepper of 211VC, Emily Williams Knight, CEO of the Texas Restaurant Association, Angela Leet, CEO of QSR Automations, and Golden Corral’s CIO, Dawn Gillis. John Pepper: From Restaurant Startups to Tech Stardom Opening the session was John Pepp...

On the latest episode of Hospitality Hangout, co-hosts Michael Schatzberg “The Restaurant Guy” and Jimmy Frischling “The Finance Guy” sat down with a breakfast industry giant: David Birzon, CEO at Snooze, an A.M. Eatery. This conversation offers unique industry insights that you will not want to miss. From Paradise Bakery to Snooze, A Journey of Expansion Birzon, who began his journey in the hospitality realm with Paradise Bakery in Aspen back in 1988, recounted his experience of growing the c...

In the latest episode of Hospitality Hangout, hosts Michael Schatzberg, affectionately known as "The Restaurant Guy," and Jimmy Frischling, "The Finance Guy," sit down with the legendary Don Fox, Chairman of Firehouse Subs. The Meteoric Rise of Don Fox Starting his culinary journey scrubbing dishes at an Italian restaurant in New Jersey, Fox has seen it all. From his aspirations of being a trumpet player to a substantial 23-year tenure with Burger King, Fox's tale is nothing short of inspiring...

In the latest episode of "Hospitality Hangout", industry insiders are treated to an enlightening conversation as hosts Michael Schatzberg, fondly known as "The Restaurant Guy", and Jimmy Frischling, dubbed "The Finance Guy", sit down with G.J. Hart. Currently at the helm of Red Robin as President, CEO, and Director, Hart's journey from the Netherlands to leading a renowned American food brand is nothing short of inspiring. G.J. Hart: From Immigrant Dreams to Restaurant Reality Arriving in the ...

The Culinary Edge is a food and beverage innovation firm that was started by Noveshen over twenty years ago and Starbird is a fast-casual chicken chain that their team created after identifying chicken was about to grow significantly. The guys talk to Noveshen about the success of marketing Starbird’s limited time offers, better known as LTOs including the Cali Bacon Dutch Crunch. The Dutch crunch bread is baked in house and the chicken sandwich has made it to the menu. Novenshen says that thei...

Get ready to indulge in the latest episode of Hospitality Hangout, where your hosts, Michael Schatzberg "The Restaurant Guy" (Schatzy) and Jimmy Frischling "The Finance Guy," turn up the heat with an extraordinary guest. Samir Zabaneh, CEO and Chairman of TouchBistro, joins the culinary conversation. Episode Credits: Produced by: Branded Hospitality Media Hosted by: Michael Schatzberg, JImmy Frischling Producer: Julie Zucker Creative Director: Adam Levine Show Runner: Drewe Raimi Post Prod...

In the latest episode of Hospitality Hangout, Michael Schatzberg "The Restaurant Guy" and Jimmy Frischling "The Finance Guy" host Kep Sweeney, CEO of PDQ Restaurants. The guys start with the Tuesday trivia, revealing three facts about Kep, two of which are true and one false. Kep gives a brief background of himself and PDQ, sharing that the company has a presence in Florida and New York and is known for delivering non-QSR quality food quickly. He mentions PDQ's culinary ethos and its co-founder...

In the latest episode of Hospitality Hangout, Michael Schatzberg "The Restaurant Guy" and Jimmy Frischling delve into the innovative world of food with their guest, Andy Hopper, CEO of Hart House. Hart House, founded by comedian Kevin Hart, is revolutionizing the food industry with its mission to create craveable and nutritious 100% plant-based meals. With over 20 years of experience in the restaurant business, Hopper takes listeners on a culinary journey, recounting his first gig washing dishe...

In the latest episode of Hospitality Hangout, hosts Michael Schatzberg, known as "The Restaurant Guy," and Jimmy Frischling, "The Finance Guy," deep-dive into the intricacies of restaurant marketing with industry insiders, Joe Reinstein, Executive Director of the Digital Restaurant Association (DRA), and Karim Webb, Buffalo Wild Wings Franchisee and Principal at Webb Investments. Reinstein, who holds the dual role of CEO and Acting Chair of the Board of Directors at the DRA, spearheads the asso...

In the latest episode of Hospitality Hangout, Michael Schatzberg “The Restaurant Guy” and Jimmy Frischling “The Finance Guy” welcome special guests from the Texas Restaurant Association (TRA) - Ben Knorr, Director of Partnerships, and Joe Monastero, Chief Operating Officer. Broadcasting from Houston, Texas, the hosts revel in the larger-than-life experience that the Lone Star State offers. Broadcasting from Houston, the conversation gets cooking with jaw-dropping statistics: Texas boasts a reco...

In the latest episode of Hospitality Hangout, hosts Michael Schatzberg, "The Restaurant Guy," and Jimmy Frischling, "The Finance Guy," sit down with Gregg Majewski, the CEO of Craveworthy Brands. Boasting an illustrious career of over 23 years in the food and beverage industry, Majewski holds a myriad of founder and senior executive roles under his belt. Among his significant accomplishments is the founding of Wildcat Investments and his former position as CEO of Jimmy John's Gourmet Sandwiches...

Don't miss out on the latest episode of Hospitality Hangout, where hosts Michael Schatzberg, fondly known as "The Restaurant Guy," and Jimmy Frischling, "The Finance Guy," dive deep into a compelling chat with food industry guru Rob Ertmann, CEO of Mo' Bettahs. This episode offers a delicious blend of insights and entertainment guaranteed to sate your curiosity about restaurant tech trends and Hawaiian food. From humble beginnings at a pizza shop to leading the helm at Mo' Bettahs, Ertmann guid...