Extra Serving: A restaurant industry podcast

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

Extra Serving is a series of weekly podcasts hosted by the editorial team at Nation’s Restaurant News, the leading source for information and insights on the American restaurant industry. Covering the latest and most relevant topics in foodservice — including emerging chains, food trends, technology, and more — Extra Serving features a recap of the week’s biggest headlines, plus guests ranging from restaurant owners and operators to CEOs, founders, chefs, and other experts.

  1. 1 DAY AGO

    Chipotle’s global plans, Chili’s shocking success, and a chat with the founder of a surging BBQ chain

    On this week’s Extra Serving, NRN editor in chief Sam Oches and executive editor Alicia Kelso discuss third-quarter earnings reports from some of the biggest restaurant chains in America. Learn more about how McDonald’s is faring in the midst of an E. coli outbreak, why Wendy’s is closing 140 locations, how Chipotle plans to become a global powerhouse, how Chili’s is bucking the trend among its full-service peers, and more. Plus, Sam has a conversation with City Barbeque founder Rick Malir, who shares some of the valuable lessons he’s picked up over the chain’s 25 years.

    1h 15m

  2. OCT 28

    McDonald’s E. coli outbreak, Starbucks’ performance woes, and Mo’Bettahs acquisition

    On this week’s Extra Serving, NRN editor in chief Sam Oches and executive editor Alicia Kelso discuss the E. coli outbreak at McDonald’s, which was traced to the onions on its Quarter Pounders. As the fallout reverberates around the restaurant industry, Sam and Alicia recount how past food-borne illnesses have affected companies like Jack in the Box, Chipotle, and Chi-Chi’s. Plus, they talk about the acquisition of Mo’Bettahs by a partnership between two separate private equity groups — and what it says about how emerging brands can leverage private equity for growth. And senior editor Joanna Fantozzi joins for this week’s extra serving to discuss Starbucks’ announcement ahead of its earnings report that both same-store sales and traffic are down significantly. How will CEO Brian Niccol get the company back on track?

    46 min

  3. OCT 21

    Chipotle’s latest investments, KFC’s tenders, and Red Robin’s activist investor

    In this week’s episode of Extra Serving, NRN editor in chief Sam Oches and executive editor Alicia Kelso discuss Chipotle’s latest investments from its $100 million Cultivate Next fund, which included an AI supply chain firm as well as the fast-casual Mediterranean concept Brassica. Find out why they’re bullish on the Brassica investment despite Chipotle’s spotty history developing other concepts. Plus, KFC debuted new Original Recipe Tenders in a bid to compete with rising chicken competitors like Raising Cane’s, and Sam and Alicia talk about whether this will help KFC or if there are bigger issues that are hurting the company’s performance. Finally, managing editor Leigh Anne Zinsmeister joins for this week’s extra serving to discuss the two activist investors who recently bought into Red Robin, and how they might influence the company that is in the midst of a comeback plan.

    1h 11m

  4. OCT 14

    Reflecting on CREATE, the McDonald’s/Krispy Kreme expansion, and SpongeBob SquarePants taking over menus

    In this week’s episode of Extra Serving, NRN editor in chief Sam and executive editor Alicia Kelso recap the CREATE and Investment Summit events, which brought emerging restaurateurs together in Nashville to network, exchange ideas, and explore financing opportunities. Plus, the McDonald’s/Krispy Kreme partnership is expanding to Chicago this week with a goal of becoming nationwide by the end of 2026. The partnership began in Alicia’s home market of Louisville, Ky., and she has thoughts on the bigger rollout. The two editors discuss some silver linings appearing in the restaurant industry amid an otherwise challenging year, including the pricing gap between grocery stores and restaurant menus shrinking a bit and a robust jobs report. Finally, senior food and beverage editor Bret Thorn joins the discussion to explain why there are suddenly so many restaurants featuring SpongeBob SquarePants-themed menu items.    For more on the Investment Summit, check out this recap. For more on the Krispy Kreme and McDonald’s partnership, click here. And to understand the SpongeBob menu proliferation, click here.

    44 min

  5. OCT 7

    McDonald’s Chicken Big Mac, Subway’s new unit goal, and who’s winning the value wars

    On this week’s Extra Serving, NRN editor in chief Sam Oches and executive editor Alicia Kelso discuss McDonald’s announcement that it would offer the Chicken Big Mac for a limited time. Will it resonate with younger guests and find a place on the permanent menu? They also dig into Subway’s goal to open 10,000 locations internationally and whether a company that has closed thousands of locations in just a few years domestically can successfully reverse its fortunes and build momentum overseas. And managing editor Leigh Anne Zinsmeister joins for this week’s extra serving to discuss value meals, how fast-casual and casual chains may be winning the value wars, and whether slashing prices can successfully kick-start traffic and revenue growth.

    56 min

  6. SEP 30

    Raising Cane’s big goal, Texas Roadhouse’s culture, and third-party delivery performance

    In this week’s episode of Extra Serving, NRN editor in chief Sam and executive editor Alicia Kelso discuss Raising Cane’s recent team event in Cancun, Mexico, where founder Todd Graves outlined his goal for Raising Cane’s to become a top 10 restaurant chain with more than $10 billion in sales. Plus, Sam and Alicia discuss their visit to Texas Roadhouse’s support center in Louisville, Ky., where they were reporting for the upcoming Brand Icon story. Then senior editor Joanna Fantozzi joins for this week’s extra serving to dive deeper into the recent Third-Party Delivery Study, discussing the difference in performance among the third-party platforms, the opportunity for the platforms to improve, and how chains, independents, and c-stores compare in delivery speed of service, order accuracy, and more.    For more on the Third-Party Delivery Study, check out Joanna’s story on the report’s clear winner and Alicia’s feature on the difference in experience among chains, indies, and c-stores.    If you want attend the CREATE event for emerging restaurateurs in Nashville for free, click here.

    34 min

  7. SEP 23

    Chipotle’s automation, Olive Garden delivers, and insights from a food tech conference

    On this week’s Extra Serving, NRN editor in chief Sam Oches and executive editor Alicia Kelso discuss Chipotle’s investment in automated kitchen equipment, including the Autocado and Augmented Makeline. How does this equipment improve the Chipotle operation and help it achieve its goal of 7,000 restaurants? Plus, they discuss Olive Garden’s decision to finally use third-party delivery and the results of Intouch Insight’s Third-Party Delivery Study. Then senior editor Joanna Fantozzi joins for this week’s extra serving to discuss her insights from the FSTEC conference in Dallas. Finally, senior editor Bret Thorn interviews Carissa Newton, vice president of marketing at Cunningham Restaurant Group, one of the 125 groups recently featured on NRN’s Top Restaurant Groups report.

    38 min

  8. SEP 16

    McDonald’s value menu, Brian Niccol’s letter, and plant-based goes bust

    On this week’s Extra Serving, NRN editor in chief Sam Oches and executive editor Alicia Kelso discuss the fact that restaurant menu prices are still inching upward even as supermarket prices are essentially flat. That leads them to discuss McDonald’s $5 meal deal and the risk that major chains take when discounting their way out of negative traffic trends. Plus, Brian Niccol is officially the CEO of Starbucks and he outlined his first priorities in an open letter. Will this blueprint work for the coffee giant? And senior editor Ron Ruggless joins for this week’s extra serving to discuss the recent news that Kevin Hart’s plant-based concept, Hart House, has closed up shop.

    1h 9m
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4
out of 5
27 Ratings

About

Extra Serving is a series of weekly podcasts hosted by the editorial team at Nation’s Restaurant News, the leading source for information and insights on the American restaurant industry. Covering the latest and most relevant topics in foodservice — including emerging chains, food trends, technology, and more — Extra Serving features a recap of the week’s biggest headlines, plus guests ranging from restaurant owners and operators to CEOs, founders, chefs, and other experts.

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