On this week’s Extra Serving, NRN editor in chief Sam Oches and executive editor Alicia Kelso discuss how pizza chains like Domino’s, Little Caesars, and Pizza Hut are increasingly turning to value deals to get customers’ attention. It’s no surprise in a year when so many other restaurant chains are leveraging value, but what does it signify about where pizza is headed — especially now that virtually all other restaurants are offering delivery? Next they talk about Burger King’s Whopper by You platform, which invites guests to suggest Whopper builds. Sam and Alicia think it’s a smart campaign; not only can Burger King learn plenty about its customers, but it can also engage them in fun ways that lean into the chain’s “Have It Your Way” slogan. Learn more about the program and how Sam and Alicia think it could give a boost to a lethargic burger category. Next they discuss new data that shows how Red Lobster and Taco Bell are two chains with the most effective TV ad campaigns. What does this suggest about the future of restaurant marketing and how restaurants can get in front of potential guests? Finally, tune in to a conversation between managing editor Leigh Anne Zinsmeister and South Block founder and CEO Amir Mostafavi, held in person at the recent National Restaurant Association Show.

Oh, and you can see Kevin Bacon live this year at CREATE: The Event for Emerging Restaurateurs. 

For more on these stories:  

Pizza industry bets on value meals and promotions to win back customers

Burger King will launch a ‘Whopper by You’ platform

Red Lobster and Taco Bell had the most effective TV ads in the first half of 2025