Extra Serving: A restaurant industry podcast

Chef Matt Harding has been working with Italian food for more than 30 years, first as corporate executive chef at Bravo Brio Restaurant Group, and later at Piada Italian Street Food, the fast-casual Italian chain started by Bravo Brio cofounder Chris Doody.

Piada opened its first location in Columbus, Ohio, in 2010, and has since grown to more than 60 locations in seven states. Originally, Harding designed Piada’s menu to focus on customization, with guests designing their own piadas (flatbread sandwiches) or pasta bowls, choosing from among a variety of high-quality Italian ingredients.

Eventually Piada shifted more to signature menu items, and that pivot earned the chain the MenuMasters Award for Best Menu Revamp in 2019.

In this episode of the MenuMasters Spotlight podcast series, from Nation’s Restaurant News and sponsor Ventura Foods, Harding sits down with NRN editor in chief Sam Oches in Columbus to talk about Piada’s ongoing evolution, how the MenuMasters Award validated the company’s unique menu, and where he looks for R&D inspiration.

On this week's Extra Serving, NRN editor in chief Sam Oches and executive editor Alicia Kelso discuss the latest restaurant industry news, including Taco Bell’s renewal of its partnership with Pepsi, the QSR pizza category’s market share gains against retail, and Wendy’s efforts to win back customers.

First up is the news that Taco Bell renewed its contract with Pepsi through 2036. This came in the wake of Yum sister chain KFC making the switch to Coca-Cola, a move that prompted many to wonder if Taco Bell would follow suit. Sam and Alicia discuss Taco Bell’s decision and why it made a lot of sense even beyond the implications of the Baja Blast.

Speaking of beverages, Sweetgreen announced that it was rolling out new and improved drinks, including Tropical Black Tea and Fresh Blackberry Basil options. The fast-casual brand’s sales have been plummeting, and it’s tried to drive excitement with new products like Ripple Fries and Wraps. Could more attention toward beverages re-energize the chain? Sam and Alicia aren’t so sure, but they talk about how healthier, functional, and house-made beverages could be a good lane for fast casuals like Sweetgreen.

They then turn their attention to the pizza category, which was the only menu category last year to suffer sales declines, according to Technomic. But new data suggests there’s at least one thing the category can brag about: According to Numerator, QSR pizza now accounts for 45% of total pizza spending, which is a 3.1% increase compared to 2019. Sam and Alicia discuss the data and why pizza has ended up in a war for convenience, leading to issues among the bigger chains.

Finally, Sam and Alicia discuss Wendy’s, the national burger chain whose sales fell by 12% last quarter as it looks to solve operational, product, and marketing issues. The company recently brought back yellow packaging — a throwback to branding that was discontinued in 2012 — and also introduced a new Dave’s Single combo meal for $7.99. Are these silver bullets for Wendy’s? Hardly. But Sam and Alicia talk about why they could be steps in the right direction.

For more on these stories:

Sweetgreen beefs up beverage offerings

QSR pizza is stealing share from the freezer aisle

Wendy’s turns its attention to value

On this week's Extra Serving, NRN editor in chief Sam Oches and executive editor Alicia Kelso discuss the latest restaurant industry news, including KFC U.S.’s switch from Pepsi to Coca-Cola products, Taco Bell’s expansion of its Live Mas Cafe concept, and Domino’s underwhelming sales results.

First up is the news that KFC U.S. was switching from Pepsi products to Coca-Cola after 40 years. It’s unusual for such a massive chain to switch beverage providers, and Sam and Alicia discuss the ramifications of such a big pivot from KFC, plus what it signals about the future of beverage innovation.

Speaking of Yum Brands and beverages, Sam and Alicia next tackle Taco Bell, which announced that it would expand its beverage-forward Live Mas Cafe to the Midwest — while also announcing that it was launching four new horchata products. They discuss Taco Bell’s approach to beverages and why the brand is so well positioned to capitalize consumer demand for new drinks.

They then turn their attention to Domino’s Pizza, which reported that its same-store sales grew only 0.3% in Q3. That was despite the launch of the Domino, a single-serve pizza product that the company considered one of the biggest innovations in its history. Sam and Alicia discuss Domino’s recent performance and why the company’s reliance on promotions and discounts could hurt the brand in the long term.

Finally, we share a conversation between senior food and beverage editor Bret Thorn and Courtney Bufford-Hughes, director of culinary innovation for Edible Brands, owner of Rōti Mediterranean Grill and Edible Arrangements.

For more on these stories:

KFC U.S. switches from Pepsi to Coke

Taco Bell’s Live Más Café debuts in the Midwest

Domino’s sales impacted by pressured consumers

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For more than 30 years, Amy Alarcon has served as a chef at some of America’s favorite restaurant chains, from Church’s Chicken to Taco Cabana and Arby’s. But it was at Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen that Alarcon established herself as a major influence on the way Americans eat, overseeing for 18 years the development of some of that chain’s most popular menu items, including its iconic Chicken Sandwich.

Alarcon’s time at Popeyes included three wins at the restaurant industry’s premier MenuMasters Awards, which recognize culinary excellence.

Today, Alarcon is vice president of culinary for Burger King, where she’s helping the nation’s eighth-largest restaurant chain reestablish itself as a leader in menu innovation.

In the first ever episode of the MenuMasters Spotlight podcast series, powered by Nation’s Restaurant News and sponsored by Ventura Foods, Alarcon joins NRN editor in chief Sam Oches for an in-depth conversation on her career and her approach to menu innovation, and to reflect on the ways in which her MenuMasters Awards wins have supercharged her role as a corporate chef.

On this week's Extra Serving, NRN editor in chief Sam Oches and executive editor Alicia Kelso discuss the latest restaurant industry news, including the rumor that Starbucks was exploring an acquisition of Chipotle, True Food Kitchen’s bankruptcy filing, and a class-action lawsuit against McDonald’s.

First up is the news that Starbucks had explored acquiring Chipotle. While the connective tissue is obvious — Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol was previously chief executive at Chipotle — Sam and Alicia aren’t so sure the deal would make sense, especially at a time when it could be a distraction from Starbucks’ ongoing efforts to build momentum. They discuss the pros and cons of a potential merger between the two companies and why they think it ultimately won’t happen.

Next, they unpack True Food Kitchen’s Ch. 11 bankruptcy filing, which comes on the heels of one of its worst years in company history; according to the Technomic Top 500, True Food Kitchen’s sales fell by nearly a percentage point in 2025, while its unit count contracted by 2%. Sam and Alicia talk about the challenges the company has faced, why some of its choices to navigate the Covid-19 pandemic came back to hurt the company, and whether this emblematic of a broader issue with health-minded restaurant concepts.

They then turn their attention to Uber’s acquisition of ezCater, the latest salvo in the third-party delivery wars. The $2.3 billion acquisition is a massive flex for Uber, which will bring ezCater’s 140,000 restaurants and $400 average catering order into the Uber Eats marketplace. Sam and Alicia discuss the ongoing consolidation among the digital ordering platforms and why this could be a good opportunity for more restaurants to explore the catering channel.

Next up is the class-action lawsuit filed in Illinois against McDonald’s. The lawsuit claims that McDonald’s has leveraged pricing technology to force franchisees into higher prices, which it alleges would be a violation of antitrust laws. Sam and Alicia discuss the lawsuit and why it will likely be unsuccessful, but also use the opportunity to look at pricing in general and why this lawsuit signals a broader push back by consumers against rising prices.

Finally, in the Quick Fire portion of the episode, they tackle other headlines from the week in restaurant news, including KFC’s new snackable Go Buckets and Chipotle’s new jingle recorded with the London Vegetable Orchestra.

For more on these stories:

Starbucks is reportedly eyeing a Chipotle acquisition

True Food Kitchen files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy

Uber to acquire ezCater for $2.3B

On this week's Extra Serving, NRN editor in chief Sam Oches and executive editor Alicia Kelso discuss the latest restaurant industry news, including El Pollo Loco’s plans for growth in New York, Chipotle’s drive-thru milestone, and a new report that details major struggles at Crumbl Cookies.

First up is the chicken category, starting with El Pollo Loco, which announced that it had signed three development agreements that will bring 15 locations to the New York City area over the coming years. Alicia shares why El Pollo Loco is well prepared for this growth today despite two failed attempts in the past, and she and Sam break down what’s possible for the brand as it grows eastward. They also discuss the news that Popeyes is launching a Honey Chicken Biscuit Sandwich, which Sam believes could be a winner against competitors like Bojangles.

Next, they turn to the Mexican category, starting with Chipotle, which celebrated its 1,500th Chipotlane location last week. It’s a milestone for a company that once resisted drive thru, and Sam and Alicia discuss the importance of the Chipotlane to Chipotle’s overall strategy — particularly as digital sales become more important to its success. They also discuss Chipotle’s latest margarita promotion, which might suggest the company is exploring more growth in the alcoholic beverage channel, before turning their attention to Taco Bell and its new Global Taco Day promotion with Duolingo.

Finally, for the extra serving portion of the episode, Sam and Alicia welcome their colleague, Restaurant Business editor in chief Jonathan Maze, to talk about his reporting on Crumbl Cookies. According to Jonathan’s exclusive report, Crumbl — which was once the fastest-growing brand in the industry — has closed dozens of locations while tightening the screws on franchisees who are under more pressure than ever.

For more on these stories:

El Pollo Loco sets its sights on New York

Chipotle is bringing its Margaritas back to select cities

A cookie empire is starting to crumble

On this week's Extra Serving, NRN editor in chief Sam Oches and executive editor Alicia Kelso discuss the latest restaurant industry news, including KFC’s new Open House prototype, McDonald’s massive NEXT initiative, and Darden’s impressive results across its portfolio.

First up is KFC, which introduced its Open House prototype at a new location outside Dallas last week. Alicia toured the new location and reported on how the prototype enhances everything from hospitality and menu innovation to operations and the digital experience, and she and Sam discuss how this could be transformative for the fried chicken chain.

Next they turn to McDonald’s, which unveiled details around its $8.5 billion NEXT initiative. Not unlike KFC’s prototype, the NEXT initiative is a comprehensive retooling of the McDonald’s operation, just at a much more massive scale. Sam and Alicia explore the various components of NEXT and what’s at stake for McDonald’s in its transformation.

They then shift to the full-service world, where they unpack recent performance from Darden Restaurants and Cracker Barrel. For its part, Darden reported growth across all of its portfolio brands, while Cracker Barrel is still negative despite new CEO David Deno saying it’s “on the right track." Sam and Alicia dive into the results and what they mean for both companies and the broader full-service landscape.

For more on these stories:

KFC unveils 'Open House' prototype as a centerpiece of its U.S. comeback plan

Inside McDonald's massive 'Next' evolution strategy

Cyclospora outbreak put a damper on Olive Garden’s summer

On this week's Extra Serving, NRN editor in chief Sam Oches and managing editor Leigh Anne Zinsmeister discuss the latest restaurant industry news, including Wonder’s investment from DoorDash, Chili’s intentions to grab market share from Taco Bell, and Dave & Buster’s confession that the economy was not solely to blame for its misfortunes.

First up is Wonder, which had a big week: The ghost-kitchen business received a $125 million investment from DoorDash while also introducing its Infinite Makeline kitchen, an automated system it acquired from Sweetgreen that helps make food prep faster and more efficient. It also announced a round of layoffs following the closure of two production facilities. Sam and Leigh Anne unpack all of the news and what it means for the future of Wonder, a company that aims to shake up the off-premises competition by streamlining delivery orders through centralized facilities.

Next they talk about Chili’s, whose parent company Brinker International hosted an investor day last week to offer insights into the business and where executives expect to go in the future. At the event, CMO George Felix and CEO Kevin Hochman suggested that Chili’s had already competed directly with burger chains like McDonald’s and chicken chains like Chick-fil-A, and that now it planned to go after QSR Mexican chains. Sam and Leigh Anne discuss what this could mean for chains like Taco Bell, and whether some friendly competition might be a good thing for both businesses.

They then shift the conversation to Dave & Buster’s, an entertainment brand that has suffered from 14 straight quarters of same-store sales declines. New CEO Darin Harper claimed the brand’s back-to-basics strategy was working, but noted that the games business was struggling more than food and beverage. Sam and Leigh Anne talk about the issues Dave & Buster’s is facing, and use it to springboard into a bigger conversation on the broader eatertainment category.

They wrap their discussion with a quick look at other headlines from the week — including bankruptcy filings from Wendy’s and Domino’s franchisees, Tropical Smoothie’s new rebrand, and LeBron James’s investment in Mike’s Red Tacos — before rolling to a conversation between NRN senior food and beverage editor Bret Thorn and Jimmy Wang, executive director of product innovation for Panda Restaurant Group.

For more on these stories:

DoorDash invests $125M in Wonder as part of strategic partnership

Chili’s is taking on the fast-food giants, and Taco Bell could be next

Dave & Buster’s bets on simpler marketing to boost visits

Sarah Thompson came up in NYC restaurants like Marea and Cosme that were run by strong female leaders. When she came to Las Vegas, though, things looked very different. But at Casa Playa, her fine dining Mexican restaurant at the Wynn Las Vegas, Thompson built a team that’s about 50% female, and she’s 100% helping to change the face of Las Vegas dining. Thompson spoke to guest host Gloria Dawson about the evolving Vegas dining scene and her historic James Beard Best Chef win.

On this week's Extra Serving, NRN editor in chief Sam Oches and executive editor Alicia Kelso discuss the latest restaurant industry news, including Yum Brands’ hint that it could acquire another brand, Jersey Mike’s attempts to attract younger consumers, and Walmart’s new deal to deliver Papa Johns pizzas.

First up is Yum Brands, which just offloaded Pizza Hut and yet is already teasing about a potential future restaurant chain acquisition: CFO Ranjith Roy said at the recent Barclays Global Consumer Staples Conference that the company is “prepared to make bold moves around its portfolio.” Sam and Alicia discuss what that could mean for the global restaurant company, which also owns Taco Bell, KFC, and Habit Burger, and they also share some thoughts on which brands might make good targets for Yum.

Next they talk about Jersey Mike’s, which reported that same-store sales were tracking higher than 3% in the third quarter, and which noted that it plans to invest more in digital marketing initiatives to reach younger consumers. Sam and Alicia talk about the sandwich chain’s recent success but also its perplexing weakness around Gen Z in particular. What could be to blame? And will a digital marketing push help to boost business with young customers?

They then shift to the retail industry, where Walmart is making waves as a new delivery partner for restaurant chains. First the retail giant announced that it would deliver for Subway and Dunkin’ locations based inside Walmarts. Now it’s going to deliver pizzas from standalone Papa Johns. Sam and Alicia unpack this news and highlight why it makes sense from a logistics standpoint, but why there are natural challenges that could prevent it from being a massive success.

They wrap the podcast with a review of new marketing campaigns from across the restaurant industry, including Wingstop’s Wing Pass program, Dunkin’s ad with Rachel Dratch and two Spice Girls, and Taco Bell’s partnership with Topgolf to supports its upcoming Live Map Open golf tournament.

For more on these stories:

Yum Brands is ‘prepared to make bold moves around its portfolio'

Jersey Mike’s turns to digital media to reach broader audience

Walmart adds Papa Johns to its growing delivery business