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

Jimbo (0:00): Hey, everybody. I gotta tell you. We're gonna talk about BUILT. BUILT Hospitality. Millions of people use BUILT every day.

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Jimbo (0:21): Built's restaurant facing platform is designed specifically for dining operators to drive loyalty with their guests. It combines reservations, guest preferences, VIP management, and payments all into one platform alongside an agentic concierge. That's right. An AI concierge that thoughtfully designs and executes experiences around your guest tastes using the latest and greatest in AI technology. When a guest walks in, your team already knows what they like without digging through notes.

Jimbo (0:56): Built Hospitality works across the entire guest journey. That's right. The entire guest journey from delivering a complimentary course at the right moment, just the right moment, sending a personalized offer that brings them coming back again and again and again. That's right. That's what Built Hospitality is doing.

Jimbo (1:14): It is allowing you to communicate with your guests and keep them coming back over and over. Make every guest feel like a regular every time, not just their first time every time They're a regular. Built Hospitality is available now for restaurant groups everywhere. Learn more at builtdining.com backslash hangout. That's builtdining.com backslash Hangout, and check out what Built Hospitality is gonna do for you and your restaurant.

Jimbo (1:42): Live from the Restaurant Leadership Conference in Scottsdale, Arizona. It's the Hospitality Hangout podcast presented by DailyPay. Alright, Jimbo. Let's get into it. We're sitting here MJ Worsham, the vice president technology from Five Guys Enterprises.

Unknown Speaker (1:58): Do you know what MJ stands for, Jimbo?

Unknown Speaker (2:00): In this case, I do not. I guess

Jimbo (2:02): we're gonna Martin Joseph. Martin Joseph. Martin Joseph. And you know who calls him that? Only his mother when she's angry.

Unknown Speaker (2:07): That that that's

Unknown Speaker (2:08): that's who calls me James.

Jimbo (2:09): Nobody ever says always MJ. Yes. Not and today, we're just gonna say MJ. MJ. Because we're not angry yet.

Jimbo (2:17): Not angry. But if we get angry It's possible. We might go with Martin Joseph. Right? Don't get mad at my friend, MJ.

Jimbo (2:24): Never. Never. Let's dig in. You know, five guys. I mean, let's dig into it a little bit.

Jimbo (2:28): How did MJ become the vice president technology of one of our most beloved restaurants? That was a question. That was a question. Sounded like a question. Was a question

Unknown Speaker (2:39): to Because now Shatsi is going to give a bunch of factoids about you.

Unknown Speaker (2:43): That was a question.

Unknown Speaker (2:43): How many things did he get right?

Jimbo (2:45): Right. Exactly. So that wasn't a question. It was more of a question to the people.

James Frischling (2:49): Horrible question.

Jimbo (2:49): Out in podcast land. So he went to Penn State. Jimmy. MJ went to Penn State.

Unknown Speaker (2:54): The Lions, baby.

Jimbo (2:55): Yeah. He went to Penn State and he started you remember the company called Micros, Jimmy?

Unknown Speaker (3:00): Micros. They were big.

Unknown Speaker (3:01): Is that what you

Jimbo (3:02): use at Martell's? Do you have a Micros or you don't get cash register?

Unknown Speaker (3:04): We had a cash register when I was bartending at Martell's. Full on cash register.

Jimbo (3:08): Years up is 1946. Gives you an idea how old Just after the war. It was. Worked at micros, you know, so that's where he cut his teeth on technology and restaurant technology. NCR cut his teeth over there, wacked up a bunch of other places, and he and he finally lands at at Five Guys, worked his way up over there.

Jimbo (3:26): And now and now he's at Five Guys. I think Five Guys has 1,975 restaurants in 27 countries, Jimmy, and counting and counting, right? And MJ was named one of the top 30 movers and shakers in 2024, and I understand he's being considered for 2026. Considered? Yes.

Jimbo (3:52): And based on what how he, performs on this particular show, that will decide whether he gets the nominees.

Unknown Speaker (3:59): I don't I don't think the person who I don't think the people who booked MJ here understand this is, the final exam. Like, this is what will make or break.

James Frischling (4:07): Oh, I did not study.

Unknown Speaker (4:08): Didn't study.

Unknown Speaker (4:08): I didn't study. We

Jimbo (4:09): are the ones who will decide will he be one of these movers and shakers. So, Jimmy, let's get into it. Let's see. Will he become a 2026 mover and shaker? Yes or no?

Unknown Speaker (4:21): That's the question.

Unknown Speaker (4:22): I'm I'm I'm already voting yes. But but you know what? Let's let's do the show first.

Jimbo (4:25): Go

MJ Worsham (4:26): ahead. I we we've talked. We love talking to restaurant companies. We love talking to technologists, and you're kind of the the that's a hybrid because you're you're the technology guy inside this amazing restaurant brand. And I understand that you've said publicly that the technologists, the technology companies have a burden of proof.

MJ Worsham (4:47): And I dig this burden of proof that it's not enough for tech companies to pitch hospitality and restaurant operators, you know, like, with exciting stories, and they've got innovative ideas. But it ultimately has to work for operators, and that's so on brand for us because we we are an operator centric tech investor. The tech has gotta deliver first and foremost for the operator and address the pain points and the opportunities of the challenge that work best for them. So I guess my question is is there's a lot of talk about AI and automation and robotics and voice ordering. How do you look at it?

MJ Worsham (5:20): How do you look at a tech company to decide is it worth it? And what does technology need to kind of do they need to prove it?

Unknown Speaker (5:26): The three part question.

Unknown Speaker (5:27): And earn how do they need to earn a place at at a at Five Guys?

James Frischling (5:32): Yeah. So, I mean, everything starts with how do we sell more burgers and fries? And then it all kind of trickles down from there. Right? How do you have a good guest experience, a good customer, employee experience?

James Frischling (5:43): How are you profitable? Do you have happy franchisees? Right. And so if, if they have a, if they have a business case to do that in some capacity, we'll listen. Right.

James Frischling (5:53): And I'll listen to anything. I think the problem is that when you get under the hood is when you see like, is it real or is it a bunch of hamsters in cages? Right. And I think that's been what I've seen with AI to date now in the last six months, I think we've, we've really seen just the maturity and the acceleration with things like clot and whatnot that make it so everybody has something viable, right? Then it just becomes kind of, you know, I don't think the people that are like first to market are going to win.

James Frischling (6:23): Right. I think it's going to be a little like Blackberry iPhone type thing. Where

Jimbo (6:27): I'll get Jimmy started the Blackberry. He's still,

James Frischling (6:29): I miss my Blackberry curve. I miss that track. Oh, I miss the keyboard. You know there's an attachment for the iPhone where you could I do thought about the one in my pocket.

Unknown Speaker (6:38): I I had the original version of that.

James Frischling (6:40): Oh, loved it. It was awesome.

Jimbo (6:42): But I used to joke that I could drive a car doing 95 on, like, or a 100 miles an hour on, like, the LIE, and I could be texting with my BlackBerry and never have a spelling mistake. I mean, that's how great the BlackBerry was.

Unknown Speaker (6:57): So there are a few things in that sentence that one would frown upon. Which one? Starting with the driving a 100 miles an hour. Yeah. Well, I'm trying to I'm trying to say texting while driving.

Unknown Speaker (7:06): Alright. Was If you add in if you

Unknown Speaker (7:08): add in you're in a in a a kind of in a a bottomless bloody Mary brunch before you drove the 100 miles

Unknown Speaker (7:13): an hour. I texted you.

Unknown Speaker (7:14): You hit the trifecta. Beer in the

Unknown Speaker (7:15): other hand.

Unknown Speaker (7:16): Hit the trifecta. The Tiger Woods diet. The I

Unknown Speaker (7:18): mentioned I had a beer in the other hand.

Unknown Speaker (7:19): Beer in

Jimbo (7:20): the other hand. But yeah. No. I I totally I I listen. The BlackBerry is a good example there.

Jimbo (7:26): But let me ask you something about AI because you brought up AI. You mentioned AI. I mean, we can we can play let's play the drinking game, Jimmy.

Unknown Speaker (7:33): Every time you say the initials AI.

Unknown Speaker (7:35): The old AI because, I

Unknown Speaker (7:36): mean, AI You know, drunk I would be at this conference if I had to have a sip of something every time someone said AI?

Unknown Speaker (7:42): Well, reminds me

James Frischling (7:42): back. Watching the watching anything on TV, you'd be you'd be drunk at home

Unknown Speaker (7:45): twenty four seven.

Unknown Speaker (7:46): Well, it reminds me

Jimbo (7:47): a few years back, and Jimmy and I have been coming to these conferences for a long time and and it was, Jimmy, think was was it off prem delivery? Was it third party? What was the thing everyone mentioned? There were a couple of years ago, like, you know, like, remember? And we said it's a drinking game.

Jimbo (8:02): What was the what was that? What remember?

MJ Worsham (8:05): Three PD. Was that was that one was one of them?

Unknown Speaker (8:07): It's three PD. Third

Unknown Speaker (8:08): party delivery.

Unknown Speaker (8:09): Don't throw that at me like that. Just say third party. Three PD. What are you coming up

Unknown Speaker (8:13): with? I'm hip.

Unknown Speaker (8:13): Tick a

Unknown Speaker (8:14): tick a

Unknown Speaker (8:14): tick a tick

Unknown Speaker (8:15): a three PD. What the hell is that? Well, I don't know what it was. And, Jimmy, I know you're not gonna remember because you got early early Alzheimer's. Yes.

Jimbo (8:23): But, I mean, everybody's just talking AI. Companies are changing their URL to .ai.ai to even be associated with AI. So what is it like? Talk about AI in restaurants. What do you see?

Jimbo (8:38): What what's happening?

James Frischling (8:41): I think that there's, there's two ways that we look at it. We look at like customer facing, right? Like working with companies that do voice AI for ordering. And then there's also just like being smarter, right? Actionable insights that the managers can receive without having to like do anything, right?

James Frischling (8:57): Just set your triggers and just send it to them and say, your labor's running high or, you know, in a perfect world, I would love to connect literally every feed of every like news, weather stream, whatever, to be like, there's a, you know, this road's going be closed down the street from you. 30% less car and foot traffic for the next week. Got it. I'll schedule that right now. You just have to live there and kind of know, right?

James Frischling (9:20): Massive thunderstorm, right? There's a tree down. Schools are closed, snow, this, whatever, like everything you can pump in, it's just going to make it smarter. And if we can take time away from scheduling and forecasting this from the managers and give them more time to train staff, to work with the teams, to provide a good guest experience with customers, then it's just a better use of their time. Not to mention if you can shave five hours off of the restaurant manager's life and first for quality of life, mental health, all of that, everyone's gonna win.

James Frischling (9:51): More profitable, happier guests, happier employees, happier.

MJ Worsham (9:55): I like that you commented on the first movers. I've I I'm gonna say I heard you say kinda probably not gonna win. You might've just gone or not gonna win. And I I

James Frischling (10:03): hope pro I I hope I said probably.

MJ Worsham (10:05): But but I agree with you. I think the in in our industry, there's such a second mover advantage.

Unknown Speaker (10:10): No. No. That's

MJ Worsham (10:11): And that's not to say the first movers can't succeed, but the learning from the the the trails that someone else have blazed, have the, know, the ideation and otherwise. I I feel right now, and Chats and I have been talking about this, you know, AI

Jimbo (10:26): Nonstop. Nonstop.

MJ Worsham (10:27): AI has to think of AI. I mean, it seems like people wanna kinda jump on this this this this bandwagon. Yeah. And respectfully, it still comes down to is the tool going to effectuate and be helpful to your business. Right.

MJ Worsham (10:41): And that's what, and I love that you are going to hold those technology companies, accountable that they're going to prove that. And I think that's, I think that's really, I think that's really cool. But I love that you're making them prove it because they, they can tell exciting stories, but at the end of the day, you're in the trenches, your team's in the trenches and they want tools that work to address something that means something to them. Yeah.

James Frischling (11:02): There's two things I will say about that one. There's a chance that it could be like, I mean, AI it's it's uncharted territory. It could end up being not that the, the, like the, the fast follow kind of wins. It could just could end up being cyclical. Like the flavor of the month is Claude next, you know, the flavor of month is, you know, it's going be mythos, this and that.

James Frischling (11:18): I mean, like, who knows? Right. It could just rotate that. I mean, honestly, that's fine. Right.

James Frischling (11:23): Competition breeds, you know, better products. But the other thing that I, you know, from on the restaurant side, the shiny new toys, always the most helpful. If you don't know what you want to do with it or what you want to get out of you're just going to spin your tires. So like you, everything has to start with what, what do I want to achieve? Right.

James Frischling (11:39): And then you figure out what's the best fit. And also like, you know, sometimes there's things that just fit better in different stacks. Like we're a Microsoft shop. We use Copilot for a lot of things on a day to day basis. One of the things that we learned was we needed to have like a single tenant for that because of the horror stories of people uploading financials to chat GBT.

James Frischling (11:56): And then you could just go search and be like restaurant brand X, what is, you know, give me their P and L right. That somebody uploaded and just doesn't know that. But they don't know. And it just exists out there forever. Right?

James Frischling (12:07): So the security, what you want to do, and then just find the person that helps you solve for it. But I think making sure that you're don't, don't get like into the vendor bloat game just because somebody says they can do it. Work with the vendors you have, because I guarantee you they're trying to solve for it already.

Unknown Speaker (12:25): See sticking the, the, the person who brought you to the dance, stick with them, stick with that person. No, because that's

Jimbo (12:30): what I'm thinking. I'm thinking like I'm getting pitched a lot of tech And a lot of it's AI. It's AI. It's better than that. It's better than that.

Jimbo (12:37): But then I'm saying, but but the people that are already in the game that have the consumers that have the the the the the like, what are they not sitting still doing nothing? Like, oh, we everyone is doing the same thing. Everyone is, like, trying to figure out how do they incorporate AI into their current model. So it's like, if you come up with a new I it's like it's you're coming up with a new idea. Jimmy were Jimmy and were talking about this yesterday, that you're not really coming up with a new idea.

Jimbo (13:05): You're just like, why don't I take all of the information and I could put in a better format for you, but you're taking the information from another tech company that that has it. So they can just do it. Like Right. You're not really coming up with a platform. I'm sorry.

Jimbo (13:18): You're you're not coming up a platform. It's just like another feature that that that they can just add. Right. Just give give them a little bit of time. And the way things are happening so fast.

Jimbo (13:26): It sounded like it won't even take them like a year. It could

James Frischling (13:28): take them a few weeks. Yeah. And I looked at it more like I would love it up. Everything to be more like an appliance that I can just sit on top of my own data lake. Because the last thing I want to do is say, here's another vendor.

James Frischling (13:39): That's going to integrate with all of my other vendors to get that information. When I'm taxing that API, if everybody does that, then then you're going to, then the new blocker is going to be everybody's APIs are just going be jammed. Right. And then you're going to risk downtime. You're going to risk issues with ordering, right?

James Frischling (13:54): If they're the same vendor is using, the, an API for like order injection and also like for you to like make calls for like data on a daily basis. Right. You can't risk that. Right. So they either have to like figure that out or you just put the appliance on my deal.

James Frischling (14:10): Like I'm getting all the information. I don't need 10 other vendors getting it from the same people I'm getting it from. I'll replicate things out to you and then quarantine you over there. Then it all just kind of works. It's also just more efficient.

James Frischling (14:21): For the vendors, then they don't have to worry about maintaining all those integrations and maintaining all of, all that data, you know, bridge. Right.

Unknown Speaker (14:29): You're interested, you're probably looking to like reduce vendors and reduce

Unknown Speaker (14:33): more technology

Jimbo (14:34): and just have the tech that I have just use AI and become better and I can eliminate some people. Absolutely. I

Unknown Speaker (14:42): agree. But before we eliminate people, let's talk about people. I want to pull back the curtain on the No. Yeah. We need people.

Unknown Speaker (14:48): I want

MJ Worsham (14:48): we need I I want to pull back the curtain on the tech stack and talk a little more about every piece of software, every tech you have. It ultimately is gonna touch people. Right. It's gonna touch your employees. It may it touch your guests.

MJ Worsham (15:04): So how do you think about the human side of technology as you look at as you as you look at, you know, kind of how you're adopting tech for your business? You know, how do you roll out tech in a way that doesn't forget that you've got key team members that are juggling a lot of different things, and now they also have to get up to speed on using the tech to effectuate the very reason you brought it in house. So connect the tech to the human side.

James Frischling (15:29): It has to make their lives better. Right? That's just like that's the easy answer. Right? But, like, I mean, I think everyone has to or has to understand that there will be a learning curve.

James Frischling (15:39): Right? It just has to be a tolerable learning curve. Right? How quickly can they both get back? You know, if if they're putting in a couple extra hours of their bandwidth per week to kind of learn something, how quickly do they get back to baseline and B do they, you start to recognize that they're able to save time and be more efficient.

James Frischling (15:54): Right. That's a huge piece of it as well. Like it can't be another login or another platform that, you know, the friction points, right? Like, and I think the problem that I see is that we have to kind of right now solve for ourselves. We have to kind of look at piece these things together.

James Frischling (16:11): Whereas it'd be a lot better for the salespeople out there. If you're listening, right. Just assume we're going to ask these questions. And I'm sure you've been asked them by a bunch of people and just build it that way. Right.

James Frischling (16:22): Build your, your presentation and your pitches that way. So that way you've basically already solved for part of it. You've, you've solved for all the things that are typically going to keep you from getting in the door. Just say, well, here's, here's how we're going to do this. This is what we've done before.

James Frischling (16:34): This is we've measured the amount of time it's going to take to implement so on and so forth. And and this is where you're get to, right? Because that the clock starts as soon as you start implementing it.

Jimbo (16:43): Are we headed to us to a place where mean, you worked at micros, which is I mean, that's like I mean, today it's owned by Oracle. I don't know when you were there, if it was Oracle already.

James Frischling (16:52): Right before the acquisition.

Jimbo (16:53): Mean, I was like the OG. And then you worked at NCR, which was like between the two of them, I think they owned like literally the entire point of sale market, certainly in hospitality. Right? Am I right? For a long time,

Unknown Speaker (17:06): was the two biggest.

Jimbo (17:07): It was the two biggest, right? Are we at the point now because now I see some new tech, new point of sale companies popping up, and they're like built today and they're built now. And they're like, we are a platform. And I'm not the point of sale. Every single vendor that you have in your tech stack, we have.

Jimbo (17:29): So marketing, scheduling, HR, workforce, you know, the whole point of sale, everything. Are we at a at a place because of AI that literally had the point of sale becomes everything, and you don't need any other vendor. It's just I have a point of sale. It has every single bell and whistle I could have because they added it with with these AI agents and things like that.

James Frischling (17:54): I would think of it the opposite. You have a system and the POS is is just an agent within that system. Right? I think that the point of sales, the point of sale is basically the, as days go by the value that it can derive to operations just gets more and more diminished. The decisions are happening above that system.

James Frischling (18:14): Right? I'm just taking it's, it's taking orders it's, it's outputting time punches and sales data. Right. And then all the intelligence is elsewhere. So I look at it almost on the flip side, like we have a system to manage your business and it can, and it can also be your point of sale.

James Frischling (18:29): Right. Versus the like, think of it this way, right? Yeah. I know. Controversial hot take, but think it this way, right?

James Frischling (18:35): I think Aloha still has a ton of market share and it's a great platform and it, but it's been around for probably longer than I've been alive. Right. What that means is that it says, had more time to mature people to build reports, make requests, have features. Right. And for the longest time it was like, have to manually build that, go through sprint cycles.

James Frischling (18:53): And then finally the cloud will get to the point where it says robust. Or now AI will just basically take that timeline and shrink it by 95%. And so you can catch up to that. You are

Jimbo (19:04): saying that there won't even be a point of sale.

James Frischling (19:06): There will be a point of sale, but the point of sale will be part of like a larger restaurant operations tool.

Jimbo (19:14): Restaurants be controlled by Hal 2,000? Will Hal just be every restaurant just be a non zero chance. Dave, why

Unknown Speaker (19:24): are you

Unknown Speaker (19:24): doing that, Dave? There is

Unknown Speaker (19:25): a nonzero chance.

James Frischling (19:26): I'm never gonna say that.

Jimbo (19:27): But Please don't do that. Dave, why are you doing that? Right? Wasn't it Dave? Dave.

Jimbo (19:33): Two thousand one space odyssey. You guys are looking at me like I'm crazy. I'm giving you great that's I'm just doing a great impression there.

James Frischling (19:40): It's a

Unknown Speaker (19:41): great, great call out. It was a great impression, Jimmy. I'm like a little upset. I have

James Frischling (19:44): to rewatch that movie now.

Jimbo (19:45): Listen. Let me get into a little quick fire. Okay? Because Jimmy needs something to no. I'm sorry.

Jimbo (19:49): Little hot or not. A little hot or not. Hot or Not. A little Hot or Not. Okay.

Jimbo (19:52): Little Hot or Not with MJ. Alright. Hot or Not, MJ. Do know what MJ stands for?

Unknown Speaker (19:58): Yes. What? Martin Johnson.

Unknown Speaker (20:03): Even even our producer's laughing. Martin Joseph. Martin Joseph.

Unknown Speaker (20:07): Damn it. Martin Joseph. I should remember that because my brother's been living

Unknown Speaker (20:10): with Joseph.

James Frischling (20:11): Fun fact. Michael Jackson did die on my twentieth birthday. Anything, we're done.

Unknown Speaker (20:17): Michael Jackson. I just need Martin Johnson. I got the Martin right. I thought it was Johnson. I forgot.

Unknown Speaker (20:22): Johnson could have

Unknown Speaker (20:23): been a family name.

Jimbo (20:24): Yes. Usually, it's Michael Jordan, Michael Jackson. You're like, Martin Johnson. Martin Johnson. It's not Martin Johnson.

Unknown Speaker (20:31): It's Martin Joseph. Martin Joseph.

Unknown Speaker (20:32): Alright. Listen. Martin Joseph. Alright, bro. It's James Frischling.

Jimbo (20:35): Alright. What's your middle name? Joseph. What's your middle name? I forget.

Unknown Speaker (20:39): Lawrence. Lawrence. Oh, James Lawrence. Alright. Take back the time.

Jimbo (20:42): Listen. MJ and JL. JL. Alright. You know what the, JL stands for?

Unknown Speaker (20:48): James Larry. To I was trying to be funny,

Unknown Speaker (20:53): but I didn't come off the same way

James Frischling (20:55): that Johnson comes off and just

Unknown Speaker (20:56): makes you laugh.

Jimbo (20:57): Johnson was great. Alright. Hot or not. Hey, everybody. I gotta tell you.

Jimbo (21:01): We're gonna talk about BUILT. BUILT hospitality. Millions of people use BUILT every day. That's right. Every day to earn awards on housing and in their neighborhood.

Jimbo (21:11): But now now it extends to your restaurant. That's where Built Hospitality comes in. Built Hospitality shapes how guests are recognized and taken care of. Built's restaurant facing platform is designed specifically for dining operators to drive loyalty with their guests. It combines reservations, guest preferences, VIP management, and payments all into one platform alongside an agentic concierge.

Jimbo (21:39): That's right. An AI concierge that thoughtfully designs and executes experiences around your guest tastes using the latest and greatest in AI technology. When a guest walks in, your team already knows what they like without digging through notes. Built Hospitality works across the entire guest journey. That's right.

Jimbo (22:00): The entire guest journey from delivering a complimentary course at the right moment, just the right moment, sending a personalized offer that brings them coming back again and again and again. That's right. That's what Built Hospitality is doing. It is allowing you to communicate with your guests and keep them coming back over and over. Make every guest feel like a regular every time, not just their first time every time They're a regular.

Jimbo (22:25): Built Hospitality is available now for restaurant groups everywhere. Learn more at builtdining.com backslash hangout. That's builtdining.com backslash Hangout, and check out what Built Hospitality is gonna do for you and your restaurant. Here it is. Is a private dining membership, private clubs, membership clubs.

Jimbo (22:45): Is that a hot thing right now in restaurants?

James Frischling (22:47): Yes. Would say, yeah, I I think that like the way I look at it, there's always a case to be made that like people don't want, like loyal guests don't want points or rewards. They want exclusivity. And that just lends itself to that being a viable business model. I personally like would love more of that.

Jimbo (23:06): What about robots? Like robot cooks robots in the kitchen. Is that hot?

James Frischling (23:12): It's it's hot if you're building a brand and you can start with that from day one. It's not if you have to rebuild your operation around robots.

Jimbo (23:19): Right. So what about mocktails? Are mocktails hot right now?

Unknown Speaker (23:24): Very hot.

Unknown Speaker (23:25): Very hot. Mocktails are very

Unknown Speaker (23:27): hot.

Jimbo (23:27): Very hot. Pickle flavored everything. What do you think about that?

James Frischling (23:32): Oh, there are limitations. Limitations? There are limitations. I I think it's closer to hot than not, but I've seen some things that I'm like that. I don't see a world where that makes sense.

James Frischling (23:42): Like pickle flavored mints.

Jimbo (23:44): Pickle flavor, everything. You see a world that doesn't make sense.

James Frischling (23:46): There are things that there are things that are good. Like, there's, a beer like, a PBR and Grillo. Is it a beer? I think it was. Love that.

James Frischling (23:52): Right? A pickle ice cream. I did enjoy that.

Unknown Speaker (23:54): I think was a pickle pickle barrel.

Unknown Speaker (23:56): But a pickle mint.

Unknown Speaker (23:57): No. A a pickle back.

Unknown Speaker (23:58): The pickle back.

Unknown Speaker (23:59): Pickle back. That shot. Classic shot.

Jimbo (24:00): What about daily payments for restaurant workers? Is that hot or not? Very hot. Hot.

Unknown Speaker (24:05): Very hot.

Unknown Speaker (24:06): Very hot.

Unknown Speaker (24:07): Very hot.

Unknown Speaker (24:07): Very hot.

Jimbo (24:08): It's protein everything. Is protein hot right now? Unfortunately. Why is it unfortunate? What do you what do you have against protein?

Unknown Speaker (24:15): What what love protein. With you and protein?

Unknown Speaker (24:17): I love pro well

Unknown Speaker (24:18): You love protein?

Unknown Speaker (24:19): We got no fight at a bar.

Jimbo (24:20): Die without protein too?

James Frischling (24:21): I I love protein. I just think that it's just like the flavor of the day. It's like keto, not keto, whole plants. Just balance. Eat less, balance it out, workout.

James Frischling (24:30): I'm not obviously doing any of those things, but but but it is calories and calories out. Spokesperson for Plenefit. If this isn't if if if you're listening to this and not watching it I'm James. I'm a model of model of

Jimbo (24:45): I just think what you need to do is you should be running 25 miles a day, eating less. I am not doing this. You should. Jimmy, what do you want

Unknown Speaker (24:55): to talk about? Do as I say, not as I do.

Jimbo (24:57): Exactly. I'm a big fan of that. What are you going to what do you want to talk about?

MJ Worsham (25:02): I like all this stuff. I want to dive into, again, I've been talking a lot about the private dining, but specifically for for Five Guys. I imagine it's a very that's a variation of the guests your guests becoming a super fan and feeling a a a level of connectivity with your brand. So for some people, private dining and and that that exclusivity is what they want. But I imagine for your brand, it's really important that your guests feel a certain connection.

MJ Worsham (25:31): And is that something that you think about? And and are there is there tech that is kind of helping you, engage in such a way? Because, ultimately, I think you want you want a greater share of the guest wallet, and that that makes everyone wants a greater share of the guest wallet. You've got you've got a fabulous brand. You've got a lot of fans.

MJ Worsham (25:48): How do you leverage tech to engage with them in a way that makes, you know, just earns that greater share of wallet?

James Frischling (25:54): Yeah. I think that as a premium brand with a price point, you know, we see that we don't have the same frequency of visits that a lot of people do and that, and that's fine. Right. But we also just, I think needed maybe do, you know, do more to kind of educate the consumer on why it is the way it is. Right.

James Frischling (26:17): We don't have freezers. We prep everything twice a day. We don't have. When I learned that we don't use timers to cook our fries, it's calibrated three times a day. I was shocked, right?

James Frischling (26:28): Cause everything's three fifty for four minutes, or you do a double fry and it's another two minutes. Right. It's just like, Nope, three times a day. We're going just figure out what that sweet spot is. That attention to detail people don't know, but I think that they would appreciate and understand it.

James Frischling (26:40): It would justify a lot of that. So I think that, you know, honestly, like we're, we're just getting into the world of, you know, direct to consumer marketing, right? We, we had our fortieth anniversary in February. We had a great promo. It went viral to a level we did not expect.

James Frischling (26:56): So we did a follow-up after party as a, as a make good on, on, on what happened for four days. It was, it was awesome. And, and I think that, you know, that hopefully helps and we'll, we'll start to piggyback on some things. You'll see a docu series on Amazon around the five guys games coming out in the fall, our annual comp or buy semiannual biennial competition around, you know I don't even

Jimbo (27:21): remember what the question was, Jimmy.

Unknown Speaker (27:23): What was I'm Ram. I'm only Tom Ram. No. I But, like, I just What are you talking about? Talking about?

Unknown Speaker (27:27): We're just talking about the engagement. Like, they had this they had this whole forty years 48 out of 40 anniversary.

Unknown Speaker (27:32): Come from? You didn't ask that.

Unknown Speaker (27:33): No. But we're talking about the guests. We're talking about how he can creates a relationship where his guests feel part of a community.

Unknown Speaker (27:39): Right.

MJ Worsham (27:40): And one of the things MJ said was that as a premium burger, a you know, it's not the everyday experience. It is a little bit more selective. So therefore he has to lean into this connectivity a little with greater intentionality.

Unknown Speaker (27:52): Not getting any burger every day.

Unknown Speaker (27:54): I can eat a burger every day.

Jimbo (27:55): Could you get a burger every day?

Unknown Speaker (27:58): I could. Yeah. Yeah.

Unknown Speaker (28:00): I have

James Frischling (28:00): to up my Crestor, but yeah, I probably You do who? My statin.

MJ Worsham (28:04): My statin. Was gonna think By the way, I wanna you you were on on protein, you were, let's say, less enthusiastic. And I think part of that is you kind of been doing protein since day one. It's a burger. So you, like, you feel and I and I respect this.

MJ Worsham (28:19): A lot of folks have been trying to find ways to lean into this trend and and and kinda yeah. I mean, this craze, but it's not as authentic to me as Five Guys. You guys have been serving a quality burger since day one. You're given the protein. Yeah.

James Frischling (28:36): So here's the two things I'll say about that. One, we we've been known actually to be really keto friendly with our bowls and our lettuce wraps. Right? So like you just go in, you get a bunch of veggies, you get two patties, you get eight slices of bacon and hit your macros and call it a day. Or like, what I like to do is like, if I'm like in a, at a point where I'm trying to like, you know, cut back on things, I just will have a burger less frequently.

James Frischling (28:56): I can't eat a burger in a bowl. I need that bun. Right. Need the full experience. I'd rather eat it less frequently and have it be authentic.

James Frischling (29:02): Right. So you can kind of have the best of both worlds. You get people. I have friends that three days a week are eating Five Guys because it's consistent and it checks all the boxes.

Unknown Speaker (29:12): I've heard the naked burger. It's the, like the burger.

Unknown Speaker (29:15): Is it the lettuce wrapped?

MJ Worsham (29:16): No. It's like, they want nothing on just, they want the, like the burger and the cheese, no bun, no, no lettuce, no tomato. By the way, anyone can do it any way they want. I'm libertarian in that sense. Eat the burger the way you want it.

Unknown Speaker (29:26): But I agree with you. I want the bun. I would rather have it less frequently. Yeah. But when I have a burger, I want that whole experience.

MJ Worsham (29:33): Yeah. You But, you know, in my hand, should I say like this? Yeah. Yeah. Know?

Unknown Speaker (29:36): It's not a but it's not a sandwich.

Unknown Speaker (29:37): Not like this.

Unknown Speaker (29:37): Not a sandwich.

Unknown Speaker (29:38): But if you eat it like that, it's a sandwich. Is a sandwich.

Unknown Speaker (29:40): Oh. I said this yesterday.

Unknown Speaker (29:42): That's a sandwich.

Unknown Speaker (29:43): There you go.

James Frischling (29:44): What's your burger what's your burger order? Your ideal toppings. Cheese.

Unknown Speaker (29:49): That's it? Meat, cheese, bun.

Unknown Speaker (29:51): No condiments?

MJ Worsham (29:51): No condiments anymore. I'm a non I'm like, I'm like Paul Rudd now. No condiments. I used to be ketchup, mayo. I used to be all now it's, I just want the meat cheese bun.

James Frischling (29:59): I saw a guy in criminal minds that had that same exact answer on us. That's a little terrifying.

Unknown Speaker (30:04): Yes. No condiments. Yeah. No. No.

Unknown Speaker (30:05): I

Unknown Speaker (30:05): love sauces.

Unknown Speaker (30:06): Don't put you. You don't put ketchup? No. You don't ketchup on a burger?

Unknown Speaker (30:10): No. Not

Unknown Speaker (30:10): anymore. What do mean? Not anymore.

Unknown Speaker (30:12): I stopped using. I stopped. When?

Jimbo (30:13): Was this the same time you started drinking Guinness?

MJ Worsham (30:15): No. That that was a the ketchup's been longer. The Guinness is now in a current infatuation. My wife changing. Barb Rubber's a no condiment person.

Unknown Speaker (30:22): She doesn't like vinegar. And I started to

Unknown Speaker (30:25): eat some of her burger.

MJ Worsham (30:26): By way, it's not because I could do whatever I want. My kid eats ketchup on her burger, but I tried the burger without the ketchup. And I have to say, I feel like I'm getting the bur the true essence of the burger experience. The ketchup I find has become, for me, distracting. Don't get me wrong.

Unknown Speaker (30:41): I love ketchup. I love mayo, But the burger without the condiment.

Jimbo (30:45): Alright. I gotta jump into a little branded quick fire, Jimmy, because we're running low on time. Yeah. And and that's really it. It's just low on time.

Jimbo (30:52): Alright. What is MJ, what do you get at at Five Guys? What's your order? What is the vice president of technology from Five Guys order when he goes to Five Guys?

James Frischling (31:02): I get the patty melt, the grilled cheese cheeseburger with bacon, grilled onions, grilled mushrooms, mustard, mayonnaise, and pickles.

Jimbo (31:10): Yeah. I gotta be honest. I don't see any reason why you should be working out.

Unknown Speaker (31:14): That's Our orders are very different.

Unknown Speaker (31:15): I mean, that's

Unknown Speaker (31:16): a great order.

Unknown Speaker (31:17): GLP one or bust. That's the that's the

Jimbo (31:19): name of the game. Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. If someone has never been to Five Guys before, right, and you're there now seven years, right, What, what do you recommend?

Jimbo (31:28): What's their order? What do you tell them to get?

James Frischling (31:30): You know, honestly, I think if it's your first time, you get something simple, like just like ketchup or mustard and cheese and a, and maybe like a single patty. Cause like, maybe I would, like, taste the beef beef and, like, get, like, y'all

Jimbo (31:42): Jimmy was going. You were yucking it. Yep.

James Frischling (31:44): No. No. I'm getting I'm I like the I can understand the the aversion of vinegar, but, like, the mustard really cuts, like, the the richness of the the meat well. And then you get basic fries. Maybe get the Cajun on the side to try it.

Unknown Speaker (31:55): Guys You got the oil over there? Yep.

Jimbo (31:58): Okay. Listen, MJ. It was great having you on the show. We're here. We're running out of time.

Unknown Speaker (32:02): Jimbo, wrap it wrap it up. No, MJ. Thank you so much. Martin Joseph. That's Michael Jax.

Unknown Speaker (32:10): Martin Joseph.

Unknown Speaker (32:11): Thank you

Unknown Speaker (32:12): so much for

Unknown Speaker (32:12): being so much. Cash with us.

Unknown Speaker (32:13): Cheers, everybody.

Unknown Speaker (32:14): What you're doing. Cheers, everyone. Thank you.