Why is La Madeleine adding more fireplaces? 

This week’s episode of the Restaurant Business podcast A Deeper Dive features John Dillon, CEO of the Dallas-based fast-casual chain La Madeleine. 

This is the last in our series of podcast episodes recorded during the National Restaurant Show in May. 

La Madeleine operates 91 locations, mostly across the South. Dillion was named CEO of the chain earlier this year.

He talks about the need for more hospitality and in-store business in the restaurants, which is increasingly vital these days. That’s why the company has decided to ensure all new restaurants have fireplaces. 

We talk about Dillon’s history with the brand, his reaction when he got the job, the music in the dining room and the French lessons in the bathroom. We also talk about value and numerous other topics.

We’re talking French lessons on A Deeper Dive so please check it out. 

How does a 106-year-old brand keep customers coming back? By tapping into nostalgia.

This week’s episode of the Restaurant Business podcast A Deeper Dive features A&W CEO Betsy Schmandt. 

This is the latest in our series of podcasts recorded during the National Restaurant show.

This is a great conversation. We wanted to get to know Betsy, who was named chief executive of the chain earlier this year.

A&W was founded in 1919, making it one of the oldest restaurant chains in the country. Betsy talks about that history and we talk about some of the memories we’ve had visiting the concept growing up. Schmandt discusses why that works for the brand and how the company plans to tap into consumer nostalgia.  

We also talk extensively about hospitality and why consumers today expect a lot more from their restaurants—and what A&W is doing about it. We also talk about the chain’s history of drive-ins and we talk about ways the company is adding technology into its restaurants. Betsy reveals a few things in that part of the conversation. 

We’re talking A&W on A Deeper Dive so please check it out. 

What’s the story behind the growth chain Mo’Bettahs?

This week’s episode of the Restaurant Business podcast A Deeper Dive features Rob Ertmann, the CEO of the fast-growing Hawaiian-style chain Mo’Bettahs.

This is the latest in our series of podcast episodes recorded at the National Restaurant Show in May. 

We wanted to talk with Ertmann to get the story behind Mo’Bettahs, which is one of the industry’s more fascinating growth concepts. The company grew system sales 30% last year, according to Technomic.

We talked about the chain’s history and how it’s been able to fund its growth. We talk about growth plans and what kind of barriers are standing in the way of that growth. We also touch on a variety of other topics, including tariffs, traffic, portion sizes and what’s popular today.

It’s a wide-ranging episode on the podcast this week so check it out.

How do you take a 56-year-old brand into the future?

This week’s episode of the Restaurant Business podcast A Deeper Dive features Heather Neary, the CEO of the fast-food Mexican chain Taco John’s.

This is our latest in a series of podcast episodes recorded from the National Restaurant Show in May.

Neary took over as CEO of Taco John’s last year. We speak with her about what she’s done over the past year-plus on the job.

We were particularly interested in the company’s technology initiatives, including its voice-activated drive-thru AI test. We talk with Neary about how well it works, how it benefits Taco John’s and what the company does with the labor that no longer has to take orders.

Neary discusses the company’s franchising strategy and its expansion plans. She also talks about the chain’s menu development efforts.

We’re talking tacos on A Deeper Dive so please check it out.

What’s the next step for the owner of Krystal?

This week’s episode of the Restaurant Business podcast A Deeper Dive features Josh Kern, the CEO of the multi-brand restaurant operator SPB Hospitality, which owns several different chains.

This is the latest in a series of podcast episodes that we recorded during the National Restaurant Association Show last month. 

SPB Hospitality owns and operates a wide range of restaurants, including the fast-food concept Krystal, the casual-dining brand Logan’s Roadhouse and the upscale casual brand J. Alexander’s. 

Kern talks about the brands and how they’re doing. He also talks about operating a multi-brand company and how it can run both full-service and limited-service concepts. 

He also talks about the company’s future strategy, and whether it plans to keep all these brands or whether it plans to put one or two of them on the market. 

How does Velvet Taco come up with its recipes?

This week’s episode of the Restaurant Business podcast A Deeper Dive features Clay Dover, CEO of the fast-casual taco chain.

This is the latest in a series of podcasts we recorded at the National Restaurant Show. 

Velvet Taco is a rapidly growing chain of taco shops. It finished 2024 with 49 locations and grew sales nearly 22%, according to data from Restaurant Business sister company Technomic.

The chain’s menu is more unique than a simple taco shop. You might go to one of the restaurants and be greeted with a Bacon Smashburger Taco or a Paneer Taco. And there are the WTF tacos, or weekly taco feature. We wanted to know how the brand develops these tacos and why that has helped the brand do things that perhaps other concepts cannot do.

We also talk about other issues, including the chain’s growth and its plans for international development and what Dover sees as the biggest barriers to growth right now.

We’re talking tacos on A Deeper Dive so please check it out.

How should marketing change in the era of AI?

This week’s episode of the Restaurant Business podcast A Deeper Dive features Kyle Drenon, the CEO and co-owner of Supper Co., a marketing firm that works with restaurants and other hospitality industries. 

This is part of a series of podcasts we recorded at the National Restaurant Show last month and it is a good one.

We wanted Kyle on the podcast to talk about AI, and specifically its impact on marketing and how people look for your restaurant. 

Kyle provides some sobering data on the impact AI is having on web traffic to normal, everyday websites.

We talk about what that actually means for restaurant companies. And then we talk about how those restaurant companies can adapt by marketing with short-form video.

We’re talking AI and marketing on A Deeper Dive so please check it out. 

Why are restaurant chains introducing so many limited-time offers?

This week’s episode of the restaurant finance podcast A Deeper Dive features Katie Belflower, manager of menu research and insights with Restaurant Business sister company Technomic. 

This is part of a series of podcasts we recorded during the recently concluded National Restaurant Association Show.

We wanted to talk with Belflower about the shocking number of limited-time offers, or LTOs, restaurant chains have been pushing recently. The industry introduced a record number of LTOs last year, and she helps explain why. 

We talk about the impact social media is having on restaurants’ need for more innovation and whether weak traffic is forcing more companies to push new items. But we also talk about the risks associated with so many LTOs.

And we also talk a bit about menu pricing.

We’re talking limited-time offers on A Deeper Dive so check it out.

How is the restaurant industry adjusting to the Trump administration?

This week’s episode of the weekly restaurant finance podcast A Deeper Dive features Michelle Korsmo, the CEO of the National Restaurant Association.

This is the first in a series of podcasts we recorded during the National Restaurant Association Show this week.

We wanted to get a pulse on the restaurant industry and on its dealings with Washington, given the number of monumental issues there are. 

We discuss the impact of tariffs on the industry, for instance, and how much import taxes are expected to cost operators. We also talk about immigration. Restrictions on immigration are expected to drive up labor costs by reducing the pool of workers. But Korsmo has perhaps some surprising news on the prospects of immigration reform.

It’s always an interesting conversation with the head of the industry’s biggest trade group so please check it out.

What does Culver’s new CEO have in mind for the chain?

This week’s episode of the Restaurant Business podcast A Deeper Dive features Julie Fussner, who was recently named chief executive of the 1,000-unit, Wisconsin-based burger chain. 

Culver’s is quietly one of the most consistent restaurant chains in the country and is one of a generation of high-growth burger concepts. Its system sales grew 16% last year. By contrast, fast-food burger chain sales last year grew just 1%.

Fussner came to the brand in 2017 and was later named chief marketing officer, the first CMO in that chain’s history. In April she was named just the fifth CEO in Culver’s history and the brand’s first woman CEO.

So we thought we’d bring her on and ask her a bunch of questions about plans for the company.