Give an Ovation: The Restaurant Guest Experience Podcast with Zack Oates

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Andy Rebhun is an accomplished Global Marketing Executive, who delivers first-to-market products and profitable growth for billion-dollar brands across Fortune 50 companies.  Andy Rebhun currently works his magic as the senior vice president of marketing and digital office of El Pollo Loco. Rebhun has a sharp eye for digital transformation and customer service; tune in to learn how he uses this expertise to take El Pollo Loco to the next level!

On this episode, Andy and host Zack Oates discuss: 

• Digital marketing strategies
• What a seamless customer experience looks like
• The benefits of a third party (UberEATS, Postmates, etc.)
• Drone delivery
• More

Thanks, Andy! 

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Zach Goldstein, CEO and founder of Thanx, is an expert in retail, customer satisfaction, retention, and loyalty.  Thanx enables customers to automatically earn rewards at your favorite merchants - no plastic cards necessary. Zach's cutting edge innovation  grows customer lifetime value through data-driven engagement and a modern digital experience.

On this episode, Zach Goldstein and Host Zack Oates discuss: 

• Loyalty systems
• Digital revolution
• Customer data collection
• Customer Lifetime Value
• More

Thanks Zach!

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Josh Sharkey is the Founder and CEO of Meez, a software that organizes your recipes so you can document, cost, scale, train, collaborate and prep like never before. Josh has touched every part of restaurant business in his career, as he's been a line cook, a restaurant owner, and a COO among other positions. He dropped some wisdom on this episode!

On this episode, Josh and host Zack Oates discuss: 

• The importance of recipe costing
• How to recipe cost even when prices are fluctuating
• What Josh wish he knew when he started a restaurant
• The most important aspects of guest experience
• More

Thanks, Josh! 

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Dave Dittenber is the CEO and Founder of BYOD (Bring Your Own Data), a restaurant solution that helps operators in real-time by using AI. He is also the owner of DRI, a restaurant group based in Michigan. With over 24 years in the restaurant industry and plenty of other successful ventures, it's clear that there's nothing artificial about this guy's intelligence. 

On this episode, Dave and Host Zack Oates discuss: 

• Dave's advice for his former self, including mentorship and listening
• Off-premise dining
• Does technology help or hurt the labor shortage? 
• The most important aspect of the guest experience
• QR codes
• Dave gives Ovations to front line workers and restaurant associations
• More

Thanks, Dave! 

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Get ready for a knowledge-packed episode! Kelley Jones is the Principal of Kelley Jones Hospitality and a sought after speaker who has spoken at the world's largest conferences. He also works as the President & COO of Hospitality Alliance, and has developed several other successful restaurant organizations. 

On this episode, Kelley and host Zack Oates discuss: 

• Interactive dining experiences
• Why service is more important than food
• The importance of recipe costing
• Making the guest feel important
• Delivery
• More

Thanks, Kelley!

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• How restaurants can win in the coming years
• How societal changes affect restaurants
• Consumers are driving change, not VC/tech
• What it's like to co-author a book during a pandemic
• More

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Lindsey Hoell is the CEO of Dispatch Goods, a reusable container marketplace that partners with restaurants, businesses, and consumers to provide reusable container options to enable brick-and-mortar businesses to enable reuse. 

On this episode, Lindsey and host Zack Oates discuss: 

• How Dispatch Goods works
• The surprising premium customers are willing to pay for reusables
• Sustainable choices even if Dispatch Goods isn't near you
• Plant-based options
• Zuni Café
• More

Thanks, Lindsey!

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Justin Bartek is the Chief Marketing Officer of JINYA Holdings Inc., a group consisting of JINYA Ramen Bar and 3 other world-class ramen brands. Justin is a master marketer with experience as the Marketing Director at the Halal Guys, Veggie Grill, Qdoba, and others. He has also executed over 5000 campaigns for brands such as Domino's and Ace Hardware. 

On this episode, Justin and host, Zack Oates discuss:

• The number one goal of restaurant marketers
• What to do with customer data (e.g., send new chicken dishes to chicken lovers)
• Omni-channel
• Where you should start with restaurant marketing
• Is location that important? (Yes)
• The importance of convenience
• More

Thanks, Justin!

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Olga Lopategui is a restaurant marketing expert with experience as a Marketing Manager at Pizza Hut International and as the Director of Marketing for TGI Fridays. She also holds degrees from Harvard Business School and Georgetown University Law. Olga now works as a restaurant consultant, helping restaurants make data-driven decisions to improve loyalty and online ordering. 

On this episode, Olga and host Zack Oates discuss: 

• The biggest mistakes restaurants make with loyalty programs
• The most important loyalty metrics
• Making online ordering frictionless
• Testing email subject lines
• Whether Harvard or Georgetown is harder
• More

Thanks, Olga! 

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Andy Pforzheimer is the CEO of Tastemaker Acquisition Corp, a hospitality-focused special purpose acquisition company (SPAC). Andrew holds board seats at many institutions, including at US Foods and Upward Projects Restaurant Group, and has filled just about every role in the restaurant industry.

On this episode, Andy and host Zack Oates discuss: 

• What is a SPAC
• What types of restaurants SPAC's look for
• Best practices for smaller, private restaurants
• Creativity in the restaurant industry
• Most important aspects of the guest experience
• More

Thanks, Andy!