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

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 IPOs.
Two restaurant companies recently announced plans or filed for initial public offerings: Cava and Panera Brands. Panera has long been rumored to be filing for an IPO and they are one step closer now. Cava, on the other hand, officially filed for its IPO. Guesses to its valuation are all over the place. Are we entering another IPO frenzy like we saw a few years ago?
Also, the NRN editors talked about the NRA Show. The four-day-long show just wrapped, and our editors have combed through the show floor picking some of their highlights. What did our editors see and what were some of their favorite moments?
Finally, the editors talked about KFC and its chicken nuggets. Something that seemingly should have been at KFC all along and was long-awaited has already sold over 100 million in just under two months. Traffic for the chain is also up 8% over the same time period. Is it because of the nuggets?
This week’s guest is Tina Gantz, VP of franchise development for District Taco.

This week, on the Extra Serving podcast, a product of Nation’s Restaurant News, NRN editors Holly Petre, Sam Oches and Leigh Anne Zinsmeister talked about how off-premises locations can thrive.
The NRN editors talked about Jack in the Box’s drive-thru-only prototype. Considering the past three years, many brands have pivoted to off-premises-only units and this one by Jack in the Box has proven to work. The company said on its latest earnings call that the unit was performing better than expectations, with average weekly sales of about $43,000. What does this mean for the future of both the drive-thru and off-premises-only units in light of some casual dining chains closing their own prototypes?
Plus, the NRN editors talked about Taco Bell and Taco John’s. The two chains are in the news because Taco Bell wants to “liberate” Taco Tuesday. Taco John’s, a 400-unit chain, owns the rights to the term “Taco Tuesday” in 49 states, with a small chain owning the rights in New Jersey. Taco John’s thanked Taco Bell for the free press, as the larger company outranks its adversary in terms of units by the thousands. Was this just clever marketing, or real, and who truly came out on top here?
Finally, the editors talked about Starbucks — again. This time, the chain is in the news not for its alleged union-busting or more stores voting to unionize — it’s quite the opposite. Three Starbucks stores have filed for decertification with the National Labor Relations Board. What does this mean internally at Starbucks, and has the company recovered its image?
This week’s guest is Shane Schaibly, the corporate chef at First Watch.

2023 Restaurant Tech Outlook from Nation’s Restaurant News Intelligence reveals the tech strategies of nearly 400 restaurant operators.

This week on the Extra Serving podcast, NRN editors Holly Petre, Sam Oches and Leigh Anne Zinsmeister talked about restaurant earnings.
Since last week, another slew of brands have reported, and we have to talk about them. Wendy’s and Dutch Bros are both pushing their dayparts, Noodles & Company is lowering prices, Krispy Kreme is working on efficiencies and The Cheesecake Factory is debuting a rewards program. What is the main message of earnings?
Also, there’s a winner for our Taco Showdown! The NRN editors talked about the Columbus, Ohio-based brand that won our largest showdown yet, and its place in the industry.
Finally, the editors talked about Wendy’s new partnership with Google for its AI drive-thru. We’ve seen many iterations of AI at the drive-thru but partnering with Google is a step further into AI than we’ve seen before. What does it mean for Wendy’s that it’s so invested in tech? Is it another instance of jumping too far into a trend, like the Reef deal?
This week’s guest is Sherif Mityas, CEO of Brix Holdings.

This week on the Extra Serving podcast, a product of Nation’s Restaurant News, NRN editors Leigh Anne Zinsmeister, Sam Oches and Alicia Kelso talked about earnings.
More than a dozen restaurant companies have reported this week and there’s big news to be found everywhere.
It’s mostly good news. At Yum Brands, digital business has grown by over $1 billion in the past year. How did three of the company’s four brands generate positive same-store sales last quarter?
The NRN editors also talked about big traffic increases at many chains, such as First Watch, where sales and traffic are exceeding expectations even as off-premises is softening. How are they pulling it off, and what other chains are seeing similar trends?
Finally, the editors talked about virtual brands, and why some companies like Brinker International are pulling the plug while others like Dine Brands are going all in and continuing to add more.
This week’s guest is Doug Willmarth, president of MOOYAH Burgers, Fries & Shakes.

Today on the Extra Serving podcast, NRN editors Holly Petre, Sam Oches and Leigh Anne Zinsmeister talked about new merchandise lines at restaurants. Panera Bread, Chick-fil-A, and Sweetgreen have all recently launched merchandise lines. Do merchandise lines help with brand awareness and virality?
Next, the NRN editors talked about traffic. It seems to be turning around at several of the biggest brands including McDonald’s, Chipotle Mexican Grill, and Subway. After years of traffic declines, things seem to be turning around this quarterly earnings season.
Finally, the editors talked about Taco Bell. The brand is turning once again to Pete Davidson for its latest breakfast campaign. We’ve talked about using celebrities to promote your brand before, but this latest campaign begs the question, is breakfast back?
This week’s guest is AJ Kumaran, co-CEO of Raising Cane’s.