Extra Serving: A restaurant industry podcast Nation's Restaurant News

This week on the Extra Serving podcast, a product of Nation’s Restaurant News, editors Leigh Anne Zinsmeister and Sam Oches do a deep dive into the 2024 Technomic Top 500 data.
Last week, we had a downer of a conversation about casual-dining unit retrenchment, so today we mixed it up by highlight some positive unit growth data. You might expect the largest chains to have an advantage when it comes to opening new locations, but unit growth was robust at the opposite end of the Top 500. Small chains saw truly massive expansion, so we talk about why that is and how you can harness it for yourself.
Then, we talked about the pizza players battling for share in a stagnant segment. Growth was minimal for the biggest restaurants, with clear winners and losers among smaller brands. And finally, we set out to answer a question posed by senior editor Joanna Fantozzi: Is there a dessert bubble? Nearly one-third of dessert concepts had negative unit growth last year.
Stick around for a conversation between executive editor Alicia Kelso and Dine Brands CEO John Peyton from when Kelso recently visited the Dine headquarters in Pasadena, Calif.

You may recall that back in April, we here at NRN published our annual Power List, highlighting 25 restaurant marketers who are creatively reaching guests leveraging the creator economy, and 25 social-media influencers creating innovative food content. 
This week and next, we’re bringing you conversations with those marketers as they share their stories and tips.
Today, we’re highlighting Kristin Tormey, global director of social media and digital engagement at Wendy’s, who chatted with our senior editor Ron Ruggles. They talk about Wendy’s classic “Where’s the Beef” campaign, friendships versus sponsorships, the brand’s Roast Day, and how to truly understand your consumer.
Enjoy the conversation, and come back next week to hear from another member of the 2024 Nation’s Restaurant News Power List.

This week on Extra Serving, a podcast from Nation’s Restaurant News, NRN editors Leigh Anne Zinsmeister and Sam Oches talk all things menu innovation. The week saw a new sauce at KFC, doughnut holes at Krispy Kreme, and Limonada Freeze at Taco Bell. The editors talk through why all of these updates make sense, and how restaurant operators can make menu changes with big operational shifts.
Then, the editors pivot to something more depressing: restaurant closures. The Technomic Top 500 revealed some depressing data, with 33% of ranked chains closing net units in 2023, and the onslaught doesn’t seem to have slowed. Everyone in the industry has heard some loud opinions about restaurants’ “death knell” and “apocalypse.” Are these declarations overblown?
Stick around to hear a recent conversation between senior food and beverage editor Bret Thorn and Ascent Hospitality’s VP of menu innovation Mindy Armstrong. They talk about menus at the company’s two family-dining chains — Perkins and Huddle House — including some “crazy” updates to cinnamon rolls.

This week on the Extra Serving podcast, a product of Nation’s Restaurant News, NRN editors Holly Petre, Leigh Anne Zinsmeister, and Alicia Kelso discussed the Top 500 chains in the country.
This week, NRN released its Top 500 report and the editors got into some of the nitty gritty from the past year’s financials and some trends they have noticed.
The editors also talked about Rubio’s, which declared bankruptcy for the second time in four years this week. The fast-casual Mexican chain has been struggling for years but closed almost 50 stores late last week in California, blaming the new minimum wage in the state. Rubio’s, alongside fellow bankrupt restaurant Red Lobster, has been struggling for years. This bankruptcy was not surprising, but what does this mean for the future of restaurant finance? Should the industry expect more bankruptcies this year?
Also, the editors talked about another struggling brand: Cracker Barrel. The casual-dining chain has been struggling and its financial struggles haven’t been helped by the impact of the pandemic and now inflation. Cracker Barrel brought on a new CEO in Julie Felss Masino in 2023, and many are hoping the Taco Bell veteran will have a part in turning around the traditional American restaurant. But is it too hard to operate a traditional American restaurant in the modern era?
This week’s interview is Ingrid Martinez, VP of marketing at Norms Restaurants.

This week on the Extra Serving podcast, a product of Nation’s Restaurant News, NRN editors Holly Petre, Alicia Kelso, and Joanna Fantozzi discussed the state of the consumer.
There have been many conversations over the past few months about what consumers wants, what they consider “value” in an industry that’s seen prices rise substantially over the past five years.
Quick-service brands like McDonald’s and Burger King have announced plans for $5 meals. Jack in the Box is planning a $4 menu.
Meanwhile, casual-dining brands like Chili’s and Applebee’s are emphasizing their value propositions in advertisements.
Amid these changes, there have been multiple studies that show consumers are not only noticing the changes but are turning away from QSRs all together. Some consider fast food a luxury, while others are trading up to fast casual as the price difference closes.
So, how can restaurants address this consumer’s needs?

This week on the Extra Serving podcast, a product of Nation’s Restaurant News, NRN editors Holly Petre, Sam Oches, and Leigh Anne Zinsmeister spoke about Red Lobster’s bankruptcy.
It may be the biggest news of the week, but it’s also the least surprising: Red Lobster has declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy. In court documents, Red Lobster CEO Jonathan Tibus said that Red Lobster’s seafood supplier, Thai Union, which is also its largest shareholder, may have had corporate mismanagement and possible shady dealings. A filled with rumor and speculation has, as we found out through court documents, become quite complicated and dramatic.
Read more about Red Lobster’s demise from Bret Thorn:
·     It wasn’t just ‘Ultimate Endless Shrimp’ that drove Red Lobster to bankruptcy
Also, the NRN editors once again spoke about marketing. Reminiscent of IHOP’s IHOb move a few years ago, BurgerFi changed its name to ChickenFi this week to promote its new chicken sandwiches. While it may seem silly, the name change worked for IHOP and led them to sell four times as many burgers. Will it work for BurgerFi and chicken sandwiches?
For some of our editors’ thoughts on the National Restaurant Association Show, check out these episodes of First Bite:
·     Joanna Fantozzi on the tech scene
·     Alicia Kelso on the labor picture
This week’s guest is Sherif Mityas, CEO of Brix Holdings.