Give an Ovation: The Restaurant Guest Experience Podcast

Ready for a story of resilience and innovation in the restaurant industry? Join us as we sit down with Andrew Simmons, the dynamic CEO of Mama Ramona's Pizzeria. Andrew shares his rollercoaster journey, from buying the business right before the pandemic, navigating through the crisis, to coming out stronger. He gives us insights into how he has revolutionized the restaurant's operations by integrating tech and reducing labor costs without compromising the human touch in the business.

Listen to this episode to learn about:

• The economics of pizza subscription services
• Using tech in non-tech-savvy neighborhoods
• The importance of listening to customers
• How to use transparency to your advantage
• More

Thanks, Andrew!

What does it take to lead successful brands like Red Robin, Torchy's Tacos, California Pizza Kitchen, and Texas Roadhouse? G.J. Hart, current CEO of Red Robin, breaks it down for us, stressing the importance of remaining true to the essence of the brand while testing changes to keep it attractive to customers. G.J.'s insights are a treasure trove for anyone involved in the restaurant business so tune in and hear about his extensive experience and knowledge.

On this episode, you'll learn from G.J. about:

• The hospitality model
• Investing in the right people
• Critical balance between consistency, differentiation, and authenticity
• More!

Thanks, G.J.!

Have you ever wondered how plant based food can serve the growing global demand for burgers? Join Zack Oates as he sits down with Benjamin Kaplan, co-founder and CEO of Plant Burger, who shares his fascinating journey into the world of plant-based cuisine. From his personal switch to a flexitarian diet to the creation of Plant Burger, a food haven designed for all food enthusiasts irrespective of their dietary preferences, Benjamin’s story is both intriguing and inspiring.

On this episode, you'll learn from Benjamin about:

• Accuracy and taste
• Importance of an omnichannel presence
• What it means to be plant based
• More

Thanks, Benjamin!

Andy Freivogel is the Co-Founder and CEO of Science On Call, a restaurant tech platform that provided 24/7 support with either a call or text. On this episode, Andy unveils the magic of technology - from POS to delivery platforms - that simplifies restaurant operations and paves the way for a smoother guest experience. Tune in and explore the tech that is shaping the restaurants of tomorrow!

On this episode, you'll learn from Andy about:

• Back of house support
• Reducing guest frustration
• Creativity in improving guest experience
• More!

Thanks, Andy!

Danny Snow is part of a Disney-centric family with extensive experience at Walt Disney World perfecting his customer loyalty expertise. After earning an MBA in Business, he became the Director of Marketing at Snow & Associates, Inc., contributing to its growth as a leading customer service speaking/training company globally. He's known as a "customer service champ" and advises leaders on decisions affecting their organizations.

On this episode, you'll learn from Danny about:

• Creating true loyalty
• External factors to trust
• Organizational culture
• More!

Thanks, Danny!

Priyam Saraswat stands as the Co-Founder of Voosh, a testament to his innovative spirit and commitment to revolutionizing the restaurant industry. His relentless drive to push the boundaries of what's possible in the restaurant industry, combined with his strong technical acumen, has set him apart as a trailblazer in the realm of restaurant technology.

On this episode, you'll learn from Priyam about:

• Managing third party
• Off-Premise Business
• Consistency in Hospitality
• More!

Thanks, Priyam!

Mark Brezinski has been a longstanding expert in the restaurant industry for over 40 years with experience working with industry giants such as YUM! Brands and Pei Wei. Now with his book, ForkFight, Brezinski opens up about his successes and failures in the restaurant world, by chronicling the stories collected through traveling the globe to create great restaurants and working alongside some of the most dynamic personalities.

On this episode, you'll learn from Mark about:

• Preferred communication channels
• Perfecting traditional guest experience tactics
• Bouncing back from failure
• More!

Thanks, Mark!

Mark Kelnhofer has spent 20+ years in managerial cost accounting and an additional seven years in restaurant cost management refining his methods. Now as President and CEO of Return on Ingredients, Mark has successfully combined these two methodologies to create an air tight strategy for increasing profits and mitigating loss.

On this episode, you'll learn from Mark about:

• Understanding total costs
• Reacting to cost changes
• Inventory management
• More!

Thanks, Mark!

We are kicking off our 250th episode with Hamed Mazrouei, the Founder and CEO of Milagro Corp, a customer acquisition and retention platform for multi-location restaurants. With expertise in the telecommunications, software, and restaurant industries, Hamed excels in driving revenue growth, optimizing operations, and achieving outstanding results.

On this episode, you'll learn from Hamed about:

• Loyalty as a subset of retention
• Boosting your top line
• Importance of understanding customers
• More!

Thanks, Hamed!

Lisa Miller has 30 year of experience under her belt working in consumer insights and innovation for industry giants such as Quaker and Pepsi Co.. Now as a President of LWM & Associates, Miller focuses on providing integrated strategic insights and plans to unlock and activate business growth.

On this episode, you'll learn from Lisa about:

• How connection is a two way street
• The business of creating joy
• Customer retention skills
• More!

Thanks, Lisa!