# episode restaurant (podcasts) — RSS Amplifier Recent posts from the 2 feeds in the RSS Amplifier directory that cover episode restaurant. Page: Feed: --- ## [500. 10 Restaurant Profit Strategies Every Operator Should Know - Roger Beaudoin](https://soundcloud.com/restaurant-rockstar/500-10-restaurant-profit) _2026-08-17 · Restaurant Rockstars Podcast_ It’s our 500th episode, and I’m sharing 10 proven ways to make your restaurant more profitable. These aren’t theories. They’re strategies I used in my own restaurants to increase sales, control costs, build stronger teams and create extraordinary guest experiences. In this episode, I cover menu costing and profit contribution, prime cost, inventory, portion control, training your team to serve and… [Listen](https://feeds.soundcloud.com/stream/2383133148-restaurant-rockstar-500-10-restaurant-profit.mp3) ## [499. Smarter Restaurant Operations: More Revenue, Better Culture, Happier Guests - Joe Mikulich](https://soundcloud.com/restaurant-rockstar/499-restaurant-operatiopns) _2026-08-09 · Restaurant Rockstars Podcast_ Smarter operations can mean more revenue, a stronger team, and happier guests. Joe Mikulich of EDO Hospitality shares practical ideas independent restaurant operators can put to work right now. What if running a more profitable restaurant isn’t about working harder, but operating smarter? Roger sits down with Joe Mikulich, co-founder of EDO Hospitality, to talk about the practical moves helping… [Listen](https://feeds.soundcloud.com/stream/2378568719-restaurant-rockstar-499-restaurant-operatiopns.mp3) ## [498. Restaurant Systems That Build Profitable Teams (Without Constant Turnover) - Kyle Peters](https://soundcloud.com/restaurant-rockstar/498-restaurant-systems-profit-retention) _2026-08-02 · Restaurant Rockstars Podcast_ In this episode of the Restaurant Rockstars Podcast, Roger sits down with Kyle Peters, co-owner of Sexy Pizza, to discuss the operational systems that help independent restaurants reduce turnover, improve profitability and build stronger teams. From employee retention and leadership to KPIs, inventory, labor management, marketing and community engagement, Kyle shares practical strategies that… [Listen](https://feeds.soundcloud.com/stream/2373768053-restaurant-rockstar-498-restaurant-systems-profit-retention.mp3) ## Why Taco Cabana is expanding its franchise beyond the Lone Star State _2026-07-28 · Restaurant Operator_ After nearly five decades as a beloved Texas icon, Taco Cabana is officially taking its signature breakfast tacos and Mexican-inspired menu across state lines. Spurred by a recent acquisition and a newly designed, smaller-footprint prototype optimized for modern off-premise dining and delivery, the 140-unit chain is launching its first major out-of-state franchise expansion. By strategically… [Listen](https://www.buzzsprout.com/655768/episodes/19555921-why-taco-cabana-is-expanding-its-franchise-beyond-the-lone-star-state.mp3) ## [497. Restaurant Leadership Secrets That Build Better Teams & Bigger Profits | Steve Kislow, CEO of Firebirds Wood Fired Grill](https://soundcloud.com/restaurant-rockstar/497-restaurant-leadership) _2026-07-24 · Restaurant Rockstars Podcast_ What separates great restaurant operators from everyone else? According to Firebirds Wood Fired Grill CEO Steve Kislow, it starts with leadership. In this episode of Restaurant Rockstars, Steve shares the leadership principles, accountability systems, and operational disciplines that helped grow Firebirds from just three restaurants to 70 locations across 23 states. Roger and Steve discuss hiring… [Listen](https://feeds.soundcloud.com/stream/2367348455-restaurant-rockstar-497-restaurant-leadership.mp3) ## [496. The Restaurant Hospitality Formula That Keeps Guests Coming Back - Brian Toll](https://soundcloud.com/restaurant-rockstar/496-hospitality-formula) _2026-07-09 · Restaurant Rockstars Podcast_ What keeps guests coming back again and again? In this episode, Roger sits down with Brian Toll, co-founder of h.wood Group, to discuss the leadership, culture, and hospitality strategies behind one of the industry's fastest-growing restaurant groups. You'll learn: Why "wow" experiences create loyal guests How to hire and retain exceptional employees The leadership habits that build winning… [Listen](https://feeds.soundcloud.com/stream/2356532003-restaurant-rockstar-496-hospitality-formula.mp3) ## [495. Restaurant General Manager Secrets with Andrew Roy | Leadership, Labor & Profit](https://soundcloud.com/restaurant-rockstar/general-manager-secrets) _2026-07-05 · Restaurant Rockstars Podcast_ What separates an average restaurant manager from a truly great general manager? In this episode, Roger sits down with Andrew Roy, General Manager of Mahogany Prime Steakhouse, to discuss the leadership habits, systems, and financial discipline that drive successful restaurants. From hiring and accountability to labor management, guest recovery, online reviews, inventory, prime cost, and… [Listen](https://feeds.soundcloud.com/stream/2353658705-restaurant-rockstar-general-manager-secrets.mp3) ## [494. Restaurant Growth Strategies: How to Grow Sales Without Lowering Prices - Mike Montagano,](https://soundcloud.com/restaurant-rockstar/restaurant-growth) _2026-06-27 · Restaurant Rockstars Podcast_ If you're looking for restaurant growth strategies that increase sales without relying on constant discounts, this episode is for you. Roger sits down with Dog Haus CEO Mike Montagano to discuss how one of the industry's fastest-growing brands is building customer loyalty, protecting margins, and growing sales through memorable guest experiences, smart marketing, AI, menu innovation, and… [Listen](https://feeds.soundcloud.com/stream/2348951246-restaurant-rockstar-restaurant-growth.mp3) ## From kitchens to tech hubs: Inside fast casual’s digital revolution _2026-06-23 · Restaurant Operator_ What happens when the fast-casual restaurant industry doubles in size over a decade? It stops just serving food and starts operating like a high-tech powerhouse. In the latest episode of the Restaurant Operator Podcast, Cherryh Cansler, publisher of FastCasual.com, sits down with Luke Wilwerding, Vice President of North America Sales at Elo Touch Solutions , to unpack the highly anticipated… [Listen](https://www.buzzsprout.com/655768/episodes/19384394-from-kitchens-to-tech-hubs-inside-fast-casual-s-digital-revolution.mp3) ## [493. Avoid Costly Restaurant Labor Violations, Lawsuits & Compliance Mistakes - Doug Plass](https://soundcloud.com/restaurant-rockstar/493-restaurant-labor-law) _2026-06-21 · Restaurant Rockstars Podcast_ What if one employee mistake could cost your restaurant $100,000...or more? In this episode of the Restaurant Rockstars Podcast, Roger sits down with employment attorney and former chef Doug Plass to discuss the restaurant labor law mistakes that create the biggest risks for owners and operators. From wage and hour violations, overtime rules, and tip pooling compliance to discrimination claims,… [Listen](https://feeds.soundcloud.com/stream/2343622211-restaurant-rockstar-493-restaurant-labor-law.mp3) ## [Know before it drops (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/Sx7O7C82e7Xe) _2026-06-21 · **Sponsored**_ Follow a show, artist, genre or rocket and get notified before release ## Wonder, Dave’s Hot Chicken Real Estate VPs reveal growth strategies _2026-06-19 · Restaurant Operator_ Crafting a solid real estate strategy is obviously central to growing any restaurant brand, but there those plans differ dramatically depending on the brand, a lesson I learned firsthand during a podcast during ICSC in Las Vegas. I sat down with Dannon Shiff, VP of Real Estate for Dave's Hot Chicken , and Abe Nasrallah, SVP of Real Estate at Wonder, to discuss how shifting consumer behavior,… [Listen](https://www.buzzsprout.com/655768/episodes/19368908-wonder-dave-s-hot-chicken-real-estate-vps-reveal-growth-strategies.mp3) ## [492. If I Owned Your Restaurant Part 3: Hidden Profit Leaks Costing You Money](https://soundcloud.com/restaurant-rockstar/if-i-owned-your-restaurant) _2026-06-14 · Restaurant Rockstars Podcast_ The response to the first two episodes in this series was incredible, so we're back with Part 3. In this episode, Roger shares exactly what he'd focus on if he owned your restaurant today. From labor controls and inventory systems to menu profitability, recruiting, marketing, catering, mug clubs, and daily break-even analysis, this episode is packed with practical strategies to help operators… [Listen](https://feeds.soundcloud.com/stream/2339141744-restaurant-rockstar-if-i-owned-your-restaurant.mp3) ## Inside the tech stack: How Mattenga’s Pizzeria mastered SEO, 8-second reordering _2026-06-09 · Restaurant Operator_ How does an independent pizza brand with zero initial restaurant experience scale to seven — and soon nine — locations while going head-to-head with venture-backed national chains? In this episode of the Restaurant Operator Podcast, host Mandy Detwiler, editor of Pizza Marketplace and QSRweb, sits down with Enga Stanfield, co-owner of Texas-based Mattenga's Pizzeria, to uncover the tech stack… [Listen](https://www.buzzsprout.com/655768/episodes/19301754-inside-the-tech-stack-how-mattenga-s-pizzeria-mastered-seo-8-second-reordering.mp3) ## [491. Restaurant KPIs, Leadership & Systems to Drive Growth - Enga Stanfield](https://soundcloud.com/restaurant-rockstar/restaurant-kpis-leadership) _2026-06-06 · Restaurant Rockstars Podcast_ What does it take to grow a restaurant from a single location to an 8-unit operation while maintaining profitability, culture, and consistency? In this episode of the Restaurant Rockstars Podcast, we sit down with Enga Stanfield, owner of Mattenga's Pizzeria in San Antonio, Texas. Enga shares the restaurant KPIs her team tracks daily, including labor per hour, sales per hour, inventory, and prime… [Listen](https://feeds.soundcloud.com/stream/2334651893-restaurant-rockstar-restaurant-kpis-leadership.mp3) ## Navigating the tightest restaurant real estate market in 20 years _2026-06-02 · Restaurant Operator_ It doesn't matter how good your food is if your restaurant is in the wrong place. That was the primary takeaway from a recent episode of The Restaurant Operator podcast, where I interviewed Ebere Anokute, head of retail research for CBRE, during the ICSC real estate conference in Las Vegas. We dove into the shifting dynamics of restaurant real estate, modern data trends, and the intangible… [Listen](https://www.buzzsprout.com/655768/episodes/19256149-navigating-the-tightest-restaurant-real-estate-market-in-20-years.mp3) ## How CORE provides financial lifeline for food, beverage workers in crisis _2026-05-26 · Restaurant Operator_ In this episode of the Restaurant Operator Podcast, host Mandy Detwiler, editor of QSRweb.com and Pizza Marketplace, chats with Jill Chapman, senior director of corporate partnerships for CORE. CORE is a national non-profit that financially supports food and beverage service families in times of crisis. CORE was founded 22 years and was run by volunteers up into 2015 when it hired its first… [Listen](https://www.buzzsprout.com/655768/episodes/19223239-how-core-provides-financial-lifeline-for-food-beverage-workers-in-crisis.mp3) ## How The Red Chickz brought true Nashville soul to the West Coast _2026-04-28 · Restaurant Operator_ In this episode of the Restaurant Operator Podcast, host Mandy Detwiler, editor of Pizza Marketplace and QSRweb, chats with Shawn Lalehzarian, co-founder of The Red Chickz , a West Coast Nashville hot chicken brand that opened its first unit in Los Angeles in 2018. Lalehzarian began his restaurant career as a dishwasher in a local restaurant in San Diego in 1998. He eventually moved on to be an… [Listen](https://www.buzzsprout.com/655768/episodes/19070843-how-the-red-chickz-brought-true-nashville-soul-to-the-west-coast.mp3) ## How Juice It Up leads the modern beverage boom _2026-03-24 · Restaurant Operator_ Beverages have become big business as boba, dirty sodas, coffee and kombucha take center stage on the franchising market. Juice It Up , which has been selling cold and raw-pressed juices, smoothies, açaí bowls. toasts and bagels for more than 30 years, has been an industry leader. In this episode of the Restaurant Operator Podcast, host Mandy Detwiler, editor of QSRweb and Pizza Marketplace ,… [Listen](https://www.buzzsprout.com/655768/episodes/18895983-how-juice-it-up-leads-the-modern-beverage-boom.mp3) ## Strategic sizzle: Why Houston TX Hot Chicken prioritizes smart growth over rapid expansion _2026-02-24 · Restaurant Operator_ In this episode of the Restaurant Operator Podcast, host Mandy Detwiler, editor of Pizza Marketplace and QSRweb, talks with Brian Simowitz, president, and Andie Smirl, director of franchise sales, for Houston TX Hot Chicken . The Nashville hot chicken concept launched during COVID in 2020 in Las Vegas. The brand now has 31 units. Part of what draws diners to the concept is its electric brand… [Listen](https://www.buzzsprout.com/655768/episodes/18631362-strategic-sizzle-why-houston-tx-hot-chicken-prioritizes-smart-growth-over-rapid-expansion.mp3) ## [AI Summaries & Audio Briefings (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/DVEieeNsWl0o) _2026-02-24 · **Sponsored**_ Read AI summaries and listen to concise audio briefings for the latest stories. ## Zenzap helps restaurateurs control IP, communication in house _2026-01-27 · Restaurant Operator_ In the high-pressure environment of a professional kitchen, communication is the invisible thread that prevents a service from unraveling into chaos. A "call and response" system ensures the front-of-house servers and the back-of-house line cooks remain perfectly synchronized; when a lead expeditor calls out an order, the collective "heard" from the kitchen staff confirms that every component,… [Listen](https://www.buzzsprout.com/655768/episodes/18559983-zenzap-helps-restaurateurs-control-ip-communication-in-house.mp3)