A Deeper Dive

Hosted by Restaurant Business Magazine

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Episodes

420

Latest episode

Aug 2026

Language

EN-US

About the show

“A Deeper Dive” is a weekly podcast from Restaurant Business dedicated to going in-depth on the most pressing challenges and opportunities restaurant operators face today. Each Wednesday, our audience will hear from restaurant industry leaders – from Chipotle to Pincho Factory and Firehouse Subs to McDonald’s. Host Jonathan Maze deep dives into hot topics, from delivery to discounting and marketing to menu, giving operators the latest information and solutions to drive their businesses. Subscribe now! Restaurant Business: https://www.restaurantbusinessonlin

Listen to episodes

60 recent

August 19, 202625 min

Why Teriyaki Madness has kept growing in a tough market

Why have Asian brands such as Teriyaki Madness done so well of late? This week’s episode of the Restaurant Business podcast A Deeper Dive features Michael Haith, CEO of the 200-unit Asian franchise. Teriyaki Madness’s system sales increased more than 19% last year and the company said it is on pace to beat that so far in 2026. That fits with current industry trends, as Asian brands appear to be thriving. We talk with Haith about that performance and what sets his chain apart. We also talk extensively about franchising and franchise growth and how the company picks new operators to come into the system, and why that’s important.

August 12, 202628 min

How growth chains adapt to a changing restaurant market

How does a growth chain break into a competitive restaurant market? This week’s episode of the Restaurant Business podcast A Deeper Dive features John Abdo, the CEO of the 11-unit, Minneapolis-based chain My Burger. We spoke with Abdo at the recent Create conference in California, an event hosted by Restaurant Business parent company Informa Connect that is targeted at growth restaurant brands. We wanted to get the perspective of a growth chain dealing with the various challenges the current industry operates in. Beef costs are soaring, the industry is competitive, and finding new locations isn’t easy. We also get the story of an interesting, family-owned company and how it thinks about expansion, including strategies for new locations, and where the chain is planning new restaurants. We’re talking growth on A Deeper Dive so please check it out.

August 5, 202634 min

An interview with Sysco CEO Kevin Hourican

Why is Sysco buying Restaurant Depot? This week’s episode of the Restaurant Business podcast A Deeper Dive features Kevin Hourican, the CEO of the giant distributor Sysco. We asked Hourican to be on the podcast to talk about Sysco’s $29 billion proposal to buy Jetro Restaurant Depot, the cash-and-carry provider of food to restaurants. It’s a big deal that will make Sysco both the biggest distributor and biggest retail provider to restaurants. Some independent restaurants have called on the FTC to block the deal, saying it will be bad for competition and for independent restaurants. We ask Hourican about this, about why Sysco wants Restaurant Depot and what the company’s plans for the retailer are. And we talk about the state of independent restaurants and why at least some of them may be doing well in this market. It’s a big episode this week so please check it out.

July 29, 202627 min

An innovative new strategy for financing restaurant growth

How does a restaurant operator get expansion financing without a personal guarantee or selling equity? This week’s episode of the Restaurant Business podcast A Deeper Dive features Michael Davis, the founder and CEO of Homegrown Financing. Davis has an interesting story. He watched his parents struggle to get financing to scale their business. He ultimately devised a strategy to provide financing for growth based on a company’s revenue. The system is not a short-term strategy such as a merchant cash advance and is designed for expansion. Davis tells his story and explains the strategy. We talk about several other topics during the podcast, including the overall challenges restaurant companies have in securing financing.

July 23, 202626 min

How the Jersey Mike's IPO will affect the M&A market

How will Jersey Mike’s upcoming IPO impact the market for restaurant mergers and acquisitions? This week’s episode of the Restaurant Business podcast A Deeper Dive features Ashish Seth, founder and managing partner of Harrington Park Advisors, an advisory firm that specializes in multi-unit companies, including restaurants. We wanted to talk with Seth about the restaurant M&A market and were particularly interested in his thoughts on the Jersey Mike’s IPO. The offering is set to be one of the biggest in restaurant industry history, with a planned $1 billion fundraise and a valuation that could be $9 billion. Seth also talks about demand for restaurants among investors and what kind of deals work right now.

July 15, 202629 min

What is going on with the restaurant labor market?

What the heck is going on with the restaurant labor market right now? This week’s episode of the Restaurant Business podcast A Deeper Dive features Chad Moutray, chief economist with the National Restaurant Association. We wanted Moutray on the podcast to make some sense of the most recent jobs report. The industry shed 33,000 jobs in June, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics cut the previous month’s estimate by 10,000 jobs. That turned what had been a seemingly improving labor market into a weaker one. Moutray helps us understand these numbers and what they say about the restaurant industry at the moment. We also talk about the economy and many other issues. We’re talking about the labor market on A Deeper Dive so please check it out.

July 8, 202626 min

Why careful growth is vital for restaurant chains

Why is careful growth more important for restaurant chains? This week’s episode of the Restaurant Business podcast A Deeper Dive features Nick Marsh, the CEO of Founders Table Restaurant Group. This is the second in our series of episodes exploring Founders Table’s recent acquisition of Hopdoddy Burger Bar. We wanted to talk with Marsh specifically about what his company is about. Founders Table also owns Chop’t, Dos Toros and Protein Bar, an interesting group of chains. He talks about the firm’s very beginnings and how it was formed with a couple of concepts owned by the private-equity firm L Catterton. Marsh talks about the benefits of putting growth chains together to share services and why that frees up brand founders to focus on their concepts. We also get into a discussion about growth strategies and why it’s important not to get too aggressive in growing emerging concepts. And of course we talk about what Founders Table sees in Hopdoddy. We’re talking growth on A Deeper Dive so please check it out.

July 1, 202629 min

Inside the sale of Hopdoddy Burger Bar

How did the sale of Hopdoddy come about? This week’s episode of the Restaurant Business podcast A Deeper Dive features Jeff Chandler, who is stepping aside as CEO of the fast-casual burger chain following its sale to Founders Table Restaurant Group. We wanted to talk with Jeff about the deal and about Hopdoddy itself, along with other issues. Chandler led the chain for a decade before its sale so we ask him about how he guided the company to its growth and to its ultimate sale. But we spend most of the time talking about the deal itself. We talk about why Founders Table, how the deal came about, and the role played by the private equity firm L Catterton, which owns both companies. We talk about what Founders Table will do for the company as well. We’re talking about an acquisition on A Deeper Dive so please check it out.

June 24, 202629 min

The story of a growing, Midwestern salad chain

Can a salad chain thrive in the ever-changing world of healthy eating? Steele Smiley is betting on it. The founder and executive chairman of the Minneapolis-based salad chain Crisp & Green joins the Restaurant Business podcast to talk about his brand’s strategies. Crisp & Green has 52 locations and dozens more under development in the U.S. Smiley talks about the brand’s founding, and how he never envisioned becoming a restaurant operator. Smiley started the chain after a career in the fitness industry and he talks about the learning curve that comes with running a restaurant. We also talk about the changing demands of what is considered healthy and how a salad chain can compete in a world of protein. We discuss the company’s recent introduction of sandwiches and its supply chain as well as the brand’s future plans. We’re talking with another growth chain on A Deeper Dive so please check it out.

June 17, 202631 min

How restaurants are faring this spring

Why are restaurants having another tough year? This week’s episode of the Restaurant Business podcast A Deeper Dive features RJ Hottovy, the head of analytical research for the traffic tracking firm Placer.ai. This is the last in a series of episodes from the National Restaurant Association Show in May. Hottovy is a regular guest on the podcast and we talk with him about the current state of restaurant traffic, something that Placer.ai tracks extensively. We talk with him about the impact gas prices have had and why some consumers are spending but others are not. We also talk about what really is driving weak traffic at many restaurants and how companies can break out of it.