In this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talks with Rian McCartan, CEO of the drive-thru only soda fountain chain Swig. This Utah based concept has 59 locations in seven states and hundreds more in the pipeline, and it’s preparing to conquer the U.S. as essentially a category of one. Rian joined the podcast to talk about how the brand plans to capitalize on essentially infinite runway and how it manages to do the unthinkable: work with both of the soda titans, Coca-Cola and Pepsi.    

In this conversation, you’ll find out why:

• The first rule of expansion is to remember your roots
• You can be highly technical and highly personable at the same time
• Scarcity marketing can be a successful growth strategy
• Beverage concepts will always find an audience, but they must be unique and relevant to survive
• By tapping into customers’ emotional relationship to products, you build trust and show those customers that you’re listening to them

Have feedback or ideas for Take-Away? Email Sam at [email protected].

In this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talks with Lauren Coulter, cofounder of Biscuit Belly, a breakfast concept out of Louisville, Ky., that has grown to nine locations serving a high-quality menu of biscuit sandwiches and other morning staples out of a fast-casual setting. Lauren joined the podcast to talk about the entrepreneurial spirit underlying everything she and cofounder husband Chad Coulter do with the business, and how the brand’s catering program in particular is helping Biscuit Belly connect with new consumers.

In this conversation, you’ll find out why:

• Consistency across your system begins with training 
• To give your new concept it’s best chance for success, incorporate more than one trend
• Your franchise partners are great sounding boards
• Your customers’ social media content is a cheap and effective marketing strategy 
• Local store marketing is a great compliment to digital efforts in maximizing your reach
• A successful catering program must have a “say yes” mentality

Have feedback or ideas for Take-Away? Email Sam at [email protected].

In this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talks with Thomas McNaughton and Ryan Pollnow, co-executive chefs and partners at Flour + Water Hospitality Group, a San Francisco-based operation dishing upscale pizzas and pastas across multiple concepts and even a CPG line. Their newest venture, Flour + Water Pizzeria, is a 4,000 square foot space with a full-service pizzeria, a dough production facility, and a quick-service pizza shop slinging pies through takeout and delivery — a model that the pair hope to scale through a hub-and-spoke expansion model. Thomas and Ryan joined the podcast to talk about how they’re planning to maintain quality and integrity as they scale.

In this conversation, you’ll find out why:

• Sometimes simpler is better
• Restaurants are vital to community ecosystems 
• Don’t be afraid to hit the reset button
• You can grow your business without being a sell-out
• A hub-and-spoke model is perfect for scaling scratch-made menus
• Your flagship location should set the vibe and atmosphere for your brand 

Have feedback or ideas for Take-Away? Email Sam at [email protected].

In this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talks with Mike Cunningham, founder and CEO of Cunningham Restaurant Group. This group is based in Indianapolis and has 42 locations across Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, making it one of the top 10 biggest independent restaurant groups in the country. Mike joined the podcast to talk about how his knack for creativity drove him to scaling across so many different concepts and how he’s designing an infrastructure that ensures consistency across the group.

In this conversation, you’ll find out why:

• Your first step toward growth is surrounding yourself with people who can help
• How much you like airplanes may determine your growth strategy 
• The joy of discovery shouldn’t be underestimated in your marketing efforts 
• Simple loyalty programs are not dead
• Bedroom communities often offer more stable business than city centers
• Your growth strategy should allow for some flexibility around unique opportunities  

Have feedback or ideas for Take-Away? Email Sam at [email protected].

In this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talks with Mike Cunningham, founder and CEO of Cunningham Restaurant Group. This group is based in Indianapolis and has 42 locations across Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, making it one of the top 10 biggest independent restaurant groups in the country. Mike joined the podcast to talk about how his knack for creativity drove him to scaling across so many different concepts and how he’s designing an infrastructure that ensures consistency across the group.

In this conversation, you’ll find out why:

• Your first step toward growth is surrounding yourself with people who can help
• How much you like airplanes may determine your growth strategy 
• The joy of discovery shouldn’t be underestimated in your marketing efforts 
• Simple loyalty programs are not dead
• Bedroom communities often offer more stable business than city centers
• Your growth strategy should allow for some flexibility around unique opportunities 

 Have feedback or ideas for Take-Away? Email Sam at [email protected].

In this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talks with Chris Westcott, CEO of Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant, a full-service operation with 21 locations across five states. Iron Hill has been offering craft beers and scratch cooking now for 27 years, but recently overhauled its menu with 30 new dishes as it refines its post-pandemic operation to better create a high-quality experience. Chris joined the podcast to talk about how Iron Hill is tapping into the potential of both its brewery and restaurant businesses and how it’s building a base of loyal customers in each community it moves into.

 In this conversation, you’ll find out why:

• Some of the most successful bar businesses are the ones that pair food and drink 
• To combat the negative perception around chains, companies should give each location a distinct personality 
• An executive’s hands-on experience brings credibility to innovation
• Your menu shouldn’t just meet the low bar set by your competitors 
• Kids shouldn’t be forgotten in your loyalty efforts 
• By educating your guests on flavors and products, you can build trust and loyalty 
• Your VIP guests should be able to take the brand home with them
• Consumers want hospitality, not service — don’t confuse the two 

Have feedback or ideas for Take-Away? Email Sam at [email protected].

In this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talks with Stephen Loftis and Christine Lorusso, the chief brand officer and senior director of digital marketing, respectively, of Firebirds Wood Fired Grill, a polished casual concept based in Charlotte, N.C., with 56 units across 20 states. Firebirds is in the midst of a major digital transformation as it looks to appeal to all generations and develop stronger customer loyalty, and Stephen and Christine joined the podcast to offer a peek behind the curtain of their budding digital marketing strategy and how it is helping them reach a broader consumer set.

In this conversation, you’ll find out why:

• All of the senses are in play when developing a unique experience 
• Your website is the entry point to your restaurant for many consumers and should effectively communicate your brand and experience
• If you haven’t changed your website since the pandemic, you probably should build it again from scratch
• First-party data is the most important goal with your digital marketing strategy
• Your loyalty program should feature some more subtle perks along with deals
• More upscale chains have to get creative in appealing to younger generations

Have feedback or ideas for Take-Away? Email Sam at [email protected].

In this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talks with Jason Berry, co-owner alongside his husband Michael Reginbogin of the Washington D.C. based restaurant group KNEAD Hospitality + Design, which today has 20 locations across 10 concepts, including Succotash and Mi Vida. KNEAD is another group finding incredible efficiencies and economies of scale through a broad portfolio of restaurant concepts, but part of the secret to its success is the attention to detail it gives each one of its brands, as well as the robust benefits it offers its team members. Jason joined the podcast to talk about how that creativity and attention to detail come to life in KNEAD’s restaurants, plus how the group is strategically growing its teams alongside its geographic footprint.

In this conversation, you’ll find out why:

• Developing a new concept is much harder than replicating an existing one, but might be the right decision based on your available space 
• The intersection of dining and eating is a tough but rewarding category
• Concept diversification provides a more stable business model
• Customers eat with their eyes, and the visual details besides the food matter
• It’s hard to have economies of scale when you’re spread out geographically
• Paying for extra team benefits up front has a big payout later on

Have feedback or ideas for Take-Away? Email Samat [email protected].

In this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talks with Claudia Lezcano, CEO of Fuku, the chicken-sandwich fast casual founded by chef David Chang that is now expanding primarily through sporting venues. Fuku about 30 stadium and arena locations across the country, including at Madison Square Garden in New York, Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, and T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Claudia, whose past experience includes marketing roles with Burger King and Church’s Chicken, as well as with the Miami Dolphins and Marlins, joined Fuku about a year ago and she joined the podcast to talk about why Fuku is all in on this nontraditional growth strategy and how the company is improving its operations, branding, and service to maximize its stadium potential. 

In this conversation, you’ll find out why:

• There is an opportunity to change the narrative around bad stadium food
• Forecasts are critical to capitalizing on your potential in a stadium or arena 
• Unleashing the power of your brand begins with consistency 
• The key to thriving in a sports venue is excellent operations
• Your brand should be the icing on the cake of the guest’s stadium experience

Have feedback or ideas for Take-Away? Email Sam at [email protected].

In this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talks with Michael Osanloo, the CEO of Portillo’s. Michael has been with the iconic Chicago-based Italian beef brand for five years now, and Portillo’s remarkable success in the past few years can be largely credited to the work he and his team have done in building efficient systems and a people infrastructure that can sustain the brand’s growth momentum. Today, Portillo’s does a staggering $8.5 million-plus average unit volume at roughly 80 locations and it’s on track in its evolution from a Chicago brand to a national brand. Michael joined the podcast to talk about how a servant leadership mentality is behind that success and how Portillo’s maintains such a massive operation without the wheels coming off.  

In this conversation, you’ll find out why:

• You should provide white-glove service to your most loyal guests
• Strive for frictionless service in every channel you serve
• Efficiencies can be achieved by breaking your operation down into individual parts with dedicated employees
• Don’t move into a new market without team members who know the business inside and out
• Have a development plan for everyone
• Your job as a leader of a brand is to put your team in a position to succeed

Have feedback or ideas for Take-Away? Email Sam at [email protected].