In the final episode of In the Fold, Ben and Evan wrap up their discussion of Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara with one of its most memorable stories about a “dirty water dog.”

What does a $4 hot dog have to do with world-class hospitality? More than you'd think. This story illustrates the power of listening, taking action, and creating meaningful moments that don’t require big budgets. Ben and Evan explore how intention and care can be applied in every aspect of our company, with clients, trade partners, and teammates.

As we close out the season, Ben challenges listeners to pick one idea from the book that stuck with you and double down on it. You can’t apply everything at once, but you can start with one thing.

Thank you for joining us on this journey! We’d love your feedback on the book and the podcast format—drop your thoughts in the comments below or email Evan at [email protected].

In the second-to-last episode of this season of In the Fold, Ben and Evan unpack chapters 13–16 of Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara. They explore how excellence in the basics — safety, quality, budgets, and client care — creates the margin to innovate and surprise. The conversation also dives into the idea of “touching the lapel”: how asking for help can be a sign of strength, not weakness, and how our response to those moments shapes the culture we’re building.

Read chapters 17–20 before the the final episode drops in two weeks!

What does it mean to lead with humility — and how does that shape a culture of hospitality?
In this episode of In the Fold, Ben and Evan dive into chapters 9–12 of Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara. They explore the idea that no task is beneath anyone when you're building something great — and how that mindset can transform teams, client relationships, and company culture.

Read chapters 13–16 before the next episode drops in two weeks!

In most of our job roles, success depends on striking the right balance between being “corporate smart” and “restaurant smart.” 

What does this mean? Sometimes there’s a correct “corporate” decision to be made — the financially responsible, strategically sound move. But other times, the best choice is the one that makes someone feel seen, valued, and cared for — "Restaurant smart." 

In this episode, we unpack this idea and more from chapters 5-8 of Will Guidara's Unreasonable Hospitality, and we explore how it applies to everyday office life — from meetings to client calls to hallway conversations.

Service is black and white, and hospitality is in color. In this episode of In the Fold, Ben and Evan review the first four chapters of Unreasonable Hospitality. Here we process what hospitality looks like for Hutton. Can we find ways to practice hospitality for our clients, even though we don't work in a commercial kitchen? 

Follow along, and read the next four chapters before next episode of In the Fold - out in two weeks.  

Read along with us! Get your own copy of the book by contacting Roxanne McFarland at [email protected]. 

In the Wichita HQW office? Stop by Ben’s desk for a copy. Prefer audio or eBook? Use your Hutton credit card (or ask your manager to use theirs). 

Pro tip: Anyone with Spotify Premium can listen to the book for free.