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

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Zack Oates sits down with Kyle and Maggie Gordon, founders of Dillas Quesadillas, to discuss how they built a fast growing restaurant brand rooted in operational excellence and consistency. From bootstrapping their first location in Dallas to expanding to multiple locations across Texas, the Gordons share lessons from more than a decade in the business.

They explain how focusing on execution, attention to detail, and a strong team culture helps create a reliable guest experience. The conversation also explores what it takes to run a restaurant business as a married couple and why persistence is essential in the restaurant industry.

Zack and Kyle and Maggie discuss:

•  Bootstrapping and launching their first Dillas location
•  Why consistency matters more than experience
•  The importance of operational discipline
•  Building a brand through trust and details
•  Using guest feedback to improve performance

Thanks, Kyle and Maggie!

Links:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-gordon-7a1ab852/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/maggiemcgordon/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/dillas-quesadillas/

https://dillas.com/

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Zack Oates sits down with Dylan McDonnell, founder and CEO of Foodini, to discuss how restaurants can better serve guests with food allergies and dietary needs. Inspired by his own experience living with celiac disease, Dylan built Foodini to bridge the communication gap between restaurants and guests who need accurate allergen information.

They explore how technology can simplify allergen management for operators while creating safer and more transparent dining experiences for guests. The conversation also dives into upcoming allergen labeling regulations and why operators should start preparing now.

Zack and Dylan discuss:

•  The growing scale of food allergies in the U.S.
•  Why allergen transparency builds guest trust
•  New regulations impacting restaurant menus
•  How personalized digital menus improve ordering
•  Risk mitigation and operational efficiency

Thanks, Dylan!

Links:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dylan-mcdonnell-a5787574/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/getfoodini/about/

https://foodini.co/

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Zack Oates sits down with John F. Maggio of JM Enterprises to explore what it really takes to build enduring consumer brands. From co-founding Boulder Canyon Chips to working with brands like Justin’s, Duke’s Smoked Meats, Bigs Seeds, Jackson’s, Good Day Chocolate, and Cocktail Squad, John shares lessons from decades in CPG.

They discuss how restaurant brands should evaluate entering retail, why timing and category momentum matter, and the four pillars John uses to determine whether a brand is truly investable. He also explains why flavor ultimately wins and how “return on luck” plays a role in long term success.

Zack and John discuss:

•  What makes a CPG brand scalable
•  When restaurants should enter retail
•  The role of timing and luck
•  Why flavor always matters
•  Brand, market, team, and capital alignment

Thanks, John!

Links:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-f-maggio-b98b593/
https://www.instagram.com/cocktailsquad/?hl=en

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Brandon Batt, Founder and CEO of The Tabletop Group, joins Zack Oates to break down why guest experience always starts with people. After spending more than a decade leading people strategy at Savory Fund, Brandon shares what he has learned about hiring leaders, investing time in the right team members, and building consistency that guests trust.

Zack and Brandon discuss:

•  Why guest experience is the employee experience in public
•  Where leaders should invest their time
•  How consistency builds trust with guests
•  Focusing on strengths instead of only fixing problems
•  Why people drive the last foot of the guest experience

Thanks, Brandon!

Links:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandon-c-batt/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-tabletop-group/
https://thetabletopgroup.com/

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Zack Oates sits down with Dan Simpson, CEO of Taziki’s Mediterranean Cafe, for a wide ranging conversation on leadership, fear, and building a truly people centered restaurant brand. Dan shares his unconventional path from founding a tech company to leading a growing hospitality brand and explains why technology should exist to remove friction, not replace human connection.

They discuss how fear can serve as a signal instead of a blocker, why consistency has become the new luxury for guests, and how listening to feedback at scale helps operators fix broken processes instead of blaming people.

Zack and Dan discuss:

•  Fear as a leadership signal
•  Why consistency builds trust
•  Using technology to amplify hospitality
•  Listening to every guest
•  Fixing systems instead of people

Thanks, Dan!

Links:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-simpson-8aa1bb3/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/taziki's-mediterranean-cafe/
https://www.tazikis.com/

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Fred LeFranc and Kristina Wiltsee join Zack Oates to discuss leadership, decision making, and alignment in today’s restaurant and hospitality environment. As co hosts of The Executive and the Mystic podcast, they share how leaders can balance execution with intuition while building clarity, confidence, and stronger teams. 

 Zack, Fred and Kristina discuss: 

•  Why intuition is already driving executive decisions
•  How leaders break out of analysis paralysis
•  The role of alignment in high pressure leadership
•  Why self awareness is the foundation of emotional intelligence
•  How leaders create clarity for their teams during uncertainty

Thanks Fred and Kristina!

Links:
https://www.theexecutiveandthemystic.com/
https://www.instagram.com/theexecutiveandthemystic/
https://www.youtube.com/@ExecutiveandMysticPodcast
https://open.spotify.com/show/2JFumYZRzULtYveqUzN4e5
https://www.linkedin.com/in/fredlefranc/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristinawiltsee/

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Chris Stevenson, Founder of The Empower Group, joins Zack Oates to explore what it really takes to create guest experiences people remember. Drawing from his background in fitness, hospitality, and live entertainment, Chris shares why empowering teams, simplifying processes, and focusing on service recovery can dramatically improve loyalty and engagement.

Zack and Chris discuss:

•  Why memorable experiences matter more than perfection
•  How empowerment improves both employee and guest satisfaction
•  What easy, effective, and enjoyable really looks like in practice
•  Why service recovery creates stronger loyalty than flawless service
•  How data helps brands move from feel to real decisions

Thanks, Chris!

Links:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevensonempowers/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/theempowergroup/about/
https://www.youtube.com/@theempowergroup

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Carl Orsbourn of Invisible joins Zack Oates to unpack what AI really means for restaurant operators and guest experience. Rather than chasing hype, Carl explains how AI can be used practically to support teams, reduce friction, and create better outcomes for both guests and employees.

Zack and Carl discuss:

•  Why AI should support people instead of replacing them
•  How operators can use AI to remove busywork from teams
•  Where AI can improve consistency and execution
•  What restaurant leaders often misunderstand about automation
•  How thoughtful AI adoption can elevate the guest experience

Thanks, Carl!

Links:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlorsbourn/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/invisible-technologies-inc-/about/
https://invisibletech.ai/

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Brian Fauver, Partner at Hargett Hunter Capital Management, joins Zack Oates to share how investors evaluate restaurant brands through the lens of guest experience. With nearly two decades of experience investing in hospitality, Brian explains why authenticity, hospitality, and emotional connection matter just as much as unit economics when building brands that last.

Zack and Brian discuss:

•  Why restaurants create powerful guest loyalty
•  What investors look for beyond unit economics
•  The difference between service and true hospitality
•  Why authenticity cannot be manufactured
•  How guest feedback protects brand trust as concepts scale

Thanks, Brian!

Links:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-fauver-1639471/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/hargett-hunter/about/
https://hargetthunter.com/

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Zack Oates sits down with Geoff Henry, President of the Americas at Gong cha, to talk about what it takes to build and scale a global beverage brand. With leadership experience at Coca Cola, Jamba Juice, and now Gong cha, Geoff shares how personalization, quality, and data shape the modern guest experience in beverage concepts. The conversation explores why bubble tea has become a defining category for younger consumers, how kiosks and digital ordering impact satisfaction, and what brands must do to stay relevant as guest expectations evolve.

Zack and Geoff discuss:

•  Personalization and customization at scale
•  Why bubble tea resonates with Gen Z consumers
•  The role of kiosks and digital ordering
•  Using guest feedback to guide decisions
•  Brands that are getting guest experience right

Thanks, Geoff!

Links:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/geoff-henry/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/gongchagloballtd/about/

https://www.gong-cha.com/

https://www.instagram.com/gongchatea/