We're continuing with our series of mini episodes helping restaurants through the coronavirus pandemic. With input from operators, vendors, consultants, data analysts, and more, these mini episodes will facilitate incredibly important conversation on how we can collectively survive the coronavirus scare.
Next up: Don Fox is CEO of Firehouse Subs, a national sandwich franchise with more than 1,100 locations across the U.S. Fox weighs in on how he's communicating with his franchisees and what levers he can pull as a franchisor, and he even offers a few silver linings for operators struggling through this season.

For more of QSR's coronavirus coverage, visit QSRmagazine.com/coronavirus

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We're a week and a half into the coronavirus outbreak, and the restaurant industry is reeling. Sales have taken a dive off a cliff as dining rooms close and operations resort to carryout, delivery, and drive thru only. There is no certain timetable for when the threat of coronavirus fades, and when restaurants can return to some sense of normal.
To help the industry through this challenging time, we're going to publish several mini episodes featuring industry leaders discussing their creative solutions to conquering this difficult season. With input from operators, vendors, consultants, data analysts, and more, these mini episodes will facilitate incredibly important conversation on how we can collectively survive the coronavirus scare.
First up is Stephan Harman, cofounder of FUSIAN, a sushi roll and bowl concept based in Columbus, Ohio. Harman explains how his 10-unit fast casual is helping its communities by adapting its online ordering platform to sell fresh produce and other foods that are sitting in restaurant supply warehouses.

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When Kat and Landon Eckles opened the first Clean Juice outside Charlotte, North Carolina, in 2015, the intention wasn't necessarily to build a thriving franchise. Passionate about healthy, organic foods and with several years of experience serving them to their kids, the husband-and-wife duo were just looking for a change after a season with Landon often on the road and Kat as a stay-at-home mom. But the concept quickly took off, and through franchising has grown to nearly 100 locations serving juices, smoothies, bowls, and foods—all of it 100 percent organic. 
In this conversation with QSR editor Sam Oches, the Eckleses discuss how they've positioned Clean Juice to be a wellness-oriented brand, how their faith has informed the core values behind the company, and how they've overcome the challenges of maintaining a completely organic menu.

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Paul Damico originally made a name for himself as the president of Moe's Southwest Grill, scaling the fast-casual Mexican brand from 200 units to around 700 in his eight years with FOCUS Brands. But in 2017, Roark Capital Group—majority owner of FOCUS—asked Damico if he'd be interested in serving as CEO of one of the group's much smaller investments, Naf Naf Grill. Springing at the chance to build something nearly from the ground up, Damico moved to Chicago and took the helm at the fast-casual Middle Eastern concept.
In this conversation with QSR editor Sam Oches, Damico shares why he left FOCUS Brands to lead a startup, why he thinks Naf Naf has the potential to become a booming franchise, and how he thinks restaurant brands should navigate the explosion in off-premises business.

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Aside from Krispy Kreme and Dunkin', doughnut brands have mostly failed to gain national notoriety in the U.S., instead remaining niche, regional favorites that stick closely to traditional formats and flavors. But Duck Donuts is looking to change the narrative around doughnuts, rocketing to nearly 100 locations around the country serving a wide variety of innovative flavors that can be customized by guests.
In this conversation with QSR editor Sam Oches, Duck Donuts founder Russ DiGilio explains why he left a long career in healthcare to open a doughnut shop in North Carolina's Outer Banks, why the experience of watching the doughnuts being made is critical to the Duck brand, and why he doesn't plan to add yeast doughnuts to the menu anytime soon.

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In just 13 years, Sweetgreen has become a foodservice darling with more than 100 locations. But the salad fast casual—which has leveraged a high-quality supply chain and bleeding-edge approach to restaurant technology to reach a valuation of $1.6 billion—is determined to create a legacy beyond the four walls of its restaurants. That's why it recently pledged $1 million (along with other resources) to the nonprofit FoodCorps, which is working to connect kids to healthy food in what's essentially the largest chain in America: school cafeterias.
In this exclusive Fast Forward feature, QSR editor Sam Oches goes behind the scenes of Sweetgreen's partnership with FoodCorps and how it's leveraging its expertise to enhance the food experience for America's 30 million K–12 students.

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When Jae Kim launched the Korean barbecue truck Chi'Lantro BBQ in Austin, Texas, in February 2010, he figured serving Korean-Mexican fusion tacos and burritos to the city's late-night crowd would be enough to build a buzz and lead him to his dream of opening a restaurant. But there was one piece missing, and it came to Kim one fateful night as he lamented disposing of an unused batch of kimchi. He heaped the kimchi on french fries and piled it with other ingredients, and the Original Kimchi Fries were born.
Armed with the massively popular Kimchi Fries and a growing national acclaim, Kim scaled Chi'Lantro as a brick-and-mortar concept and got an extra boost from a "Shark Tank" appearance in 2016. In this interview with QSR editor Sam Oches, Kim explains how he evolved the concept from a truck to brick and mortar, why he walked away from his "Shark Tank" investment, and why he's ready to grow Chi'Lantro through franchising.

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Take one look at a P. Terry's restaurant and you might think it's been around for generations. From the Googie architecture to the roadside burger-stand vibe, Austin, Texas–based P. Terry's has created a timeless experience dedicated to quality, value, and customer service. And that's exactly how founder Patrick Terry intended it when he opened the first P. Terry's—in 2005.
Terry sat down with QSR editor Sam Oches to discuss the chain's 15-year success story, how it gets away with selling Black Angus burgers for $4 or less, and why a deep commitment to both customers and employees has helped turn the brand into a cult favorite across Texas.

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Fast-casual chains that have been around for a decade or less have the luxury of easily adapting to new trends and technologies. Legacy chains that have been around for generations? Not so much. But Mark Parmerlee, owner of Dallas-based Golden Chick, a chicken quick serve with nearly 200 locations primarily in the South, has strived to keep the 50-year-old concept rooted in its homestyle authenticity while also keeping up with the times.
In this conversation with QSR editor Sam Oches, Parmerlee and Golden Chick president Jim Stevens detail their plan for getting Golden Chick to 500 units, and they discuss how they've evolved the brand over the years to remain competitive.

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Before the off-premises boom, before third-party delivery, and before meal kits, there was the home meal replacement movement. Restaurant concepts like Boston Market promoted the idea of feeding a whole family with freshly prepared, grab-and-go options, not just singular menu items. This was the environment in 1996 when Phil Romano launched Eatzi's in Dallas, and while the market concept's initial growth sputtered after just a few years, today it's enjoying a renaissance and growing once again.
CEO Adam Romo sat down with QSR editor Sam Oches to discuss Eatzi's unique business model, the lessons he and the team learned from their early struggles, and how the business is adapting to today's foodservice climate.

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