Fast Casual Nation Restaurant Podcast

Hosted by Savor.fm

Business Entrepreneurship Management Education

Website RSS feed

Episodes

100

Latest episode

Jun 2026

Language

About the show

Join the #1 Restaurant Business Podcast Shaping the Future of The Restaurant Industry! Hosted by Paul Barron, industry pioneer, investor, and author of The Chipotle Effect. Co-hosted by Cherryh Cansler, the editorial force behind Fastcasual.com, this is where restaurant operators get the competitive edge. Every week, this power duo decodes the trends, strategies, and innovations transforming the restaurant business, driven by the Fast Casual mindset, redefining what's possible across all restaurant segments. With over two decades of combined expertise, Paul and Cherryh don't just report on the industry; they've helped build it. This isn't just a podcast. It's your playbook for what's next. Watch the show on YouTube! Become a Guest on the show! Advertise on the #1 Restaurant Business Podcast

Listen to episodes

60 recent

June 16, 2026Episode 12352 min

Gamifying the Burrito: The "Rewards on Repeat" Strategy

Chipotle COO Jason Kidd joins Fast Casual Nation hosts Paul Barron and Cherryh Cansler to break down how the 4,100-unit brand is winning and retaining the next-generation diner. From the full value equation and menu innovation to AI-powered hiring, digital order accuracy, and a major back-of-house equipment overhaul rolling out to nearly half the chain, Kidd pulls back the curtain on the operational strategies keeping Chipotle at the top of the fast casual game — and shares what real hospitality actually looks like at scale. #fastcasual #Chipotle #RestaurantIndustry Get Your Podcast Now! Are you a hospitality or restaurant industry leader looking to amplify your voice and establish yourself as a thought leader? Look no further than SavorFM, the premier podcast platform designed exclusively for hospitality visionaries like you. Take the next step in your industry leadership journey – visit https://www.savor.fm/ Capital & Advisory: Are you a fast-casual restaurant startup or a technology innovator in the food service industry? Don't miss out on the opportunity to tap into decades of expertise. Reach out to Savor Capital & Advisory now to explore how their seasoned professionals can propel your business forward. Discover if you're eligible to leverage our unparalleled knowledge in food service branding and technology and take your venture to new heights. Don't wait – amplify your voice or supercharge your startup's growth today with Savor's ecosystem of industry-leading platforms and advisory services. Visit https://www.savor.fm/capital-advisory

June 9, 2026Episode 12233 min

The "Anti-Burger" Blueprint: How Teriyaki Madness is Out-Scaling the Giants

In this episode of Fast Casual Nation, hosts Paul Barron and Cherryh Cansler sit down with Jodi Boyce, CMO of Teriyaki Madness, and John Smolen, SVP of Sales at Atmosphere TV, to explore how fast casual brands are evolving beyond burgers and into experience-driven dining. From Teriyaki Madness's explosive franchise growth and craveable bowl-forward menu to Atmosphere TV's ambient content platform that turns wait time into brand engagement, this conversation is packed with actionable insights on consumer trends, in-store experience, technology, and what it takes to build a loyal, modern restaurant brand. #FastCasual #RestaurantMarketing #TeriyakiMadness Get Your Podcast Now! Are you a hospitality or restaurant industry leader looking to amplify your voice and establish yourself as a thought leader? Look no further than SavorFM, the premier podcast platform designed exclusively for hospitality visionaries like you. Take the next step in your industry leadership journey – visit https://www.savor.fm/ Capital & Advisory: Are you a fast-casual restaurant startup or a technology innovator in the food service industry? Don't miss out on the opportunity to tap into decades of expertise. Reach out to Savor Capital & Advisory now to explore how their seasoned professionals can propel your business forward. Discover if you're eligible to leverage our unparalleled knowledge in food service branding and technology and take your venture to new heights. Don't wait – amplify your voice or supercharge your startup's growth today with Savor's ecosystem of industry-leading platforms and advisory services. Visit https://www.savor.fm/capital-advisory

May 26, 2026Episode 12140 min

The "Macro-Centric" Menu: Why 2026 Diners Want Stats, Not Stories

In this episode of Fast Casual Nation, host Paul Barron sits down with Chris Treloar, CEO of PLNT Burger, and Trace Miller, founder of Konala Protein Bowls, to break down what health-forward fast casual actually looks like in 2025 and beyond. From PLNT Burger's high-volume Whole Foods footprint to Konala's drive-thru protein bowl model built for busy families, the conversation covers menu strategy, the rise of nutritional literacy, GLP-1's impact on dining behavior, and why the future of fast food isn't the death of convenience — it's making healthy eating just as convenient as the golden arches. #FastCasualNation #HealthyFastFood #PlantBased Get Your Podcast Now! Are you a hospitality or restaurant industry leader looking to amplify your voice and establish yourself as a thought leader? Look no further than SavorFM, the premier podcast platform designed exclusively for hospitality visionaries like you. Take the next step in your industry leadership journey – visit https://www.savor.fm/ Capital & Advisory: Are you a fast-casual restaurant startup or a technology innovator in the food service industry? Don't miss out on the opportunity to tap into decades of expertise. Reach out to Savor Capital & Advisory now to explore how their seasoned professionals can propel your business forward. Discover if you're eligible to leverage our unparalleled knowledge in food service branding and technology and take your venture to new heights. Don't wait – amplify your voice or supercharge your startup's growth today with Savor's ecosystem of industry-leading platforms and advisory services. Visit https://www.savor.fm/capital-advisory

May 19, 2026Episode 12036 min

50 Million Views Later: The Brutal Reality of Scaling a "Viral" TikTok Food Trend

In this episode of Fast Casual Nation, hosts Paul Barron and Cherryh Cansler sit down with Peter Yang, co-founder and Head of Development at Pokeworks, to explore how the 85-location poke brand turned a viral social media moment into a disciplined, founder-led growth story — covering everything from psychographic-driven site selection and hoodless real estate advantages to suburban expansion, unit economics, and why protecting AUV matters more than chasing location count. #FastCasual #Pokeworks #RestaurantBusiness Get Your Podcast Now! Are you a hospitality or restaurant industry leader looking to amplify your voice and establish yourself as a thought leader? Look no further than SavorFM, the premier podcast platform designed exclusively for hospitality visionaries like you. Take the next step in your industry leadership journey – visit https://www.savor.fm/ Capital & Advisory: Are you a fast-casual restaurant startup or a technology innovator in the food service industry? Don't miss out on the opportunity to tap into decades of expertise. Reach out to Savor Capital & Advisory now to explore how their seasoned professionals can propel your business forward. Discover if you're eligible to leverage our unparalleled knowledge in food service branding and technology and take your venture to new heights. Don't wait – amplify your voice or supercharge your startup's growth today with Savor's ecosystem of industry-leading platforms and advisory services. Visit https://www.savor.fm/capital-advisory

May 5, 202651 min

The Piada Pivot: Can ’Italian Street Food’ Save the Fast-Casual Soul

Is fast casual Italian finally having its breakthrough moment? In this episode of Fast Casual Nation, hosts Paul Barron and Cherryh Cansler sit down with Matt Harding, Chief Culinary Officer of The Piada Group, to discuss how the brand has defied the odds in a category that has swallowed competitors whole — covering national expansion plans, value-driven operations, chef-forward food culture, and what it takes to build a fast casual brand that actually lasts. #FastCasualNation #PiadaGroup #FastCasual Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/fast-casual-nation--3598490/support. Get Your Podcast Now! Are you a hospitality or restaurant industry leader looking to amplify your voice and establish yourself as a thought leader? Look no further than SavorFM, the premier podcast platform designed exclusively for hospitality visionaries like you. Take the next step in your industry leadership journey – visit https://www.savor.fm/ Capital & Advisory: Are you a fast-casual restaurant startup or a technology innovator in the food service industry? Don't miss out on the opportunity to tap into decades of expertise. Reach out to Savor Capital & Advisory now to explore how their seasoned professionals can propel your business forward. Discover if you're eligible to leverage our unparalleled knowledge in food service branding and technology and take your venture to new heights. Don't wait – amplify your voice or supercharge your startup's growth today with Savor's ecosystem of industry-leading platforms and advisory services. Visit https://www.savor.fm/capital-advisory

April 28, 202640 min

Office Market Meltdown Hits Small Business and Restaurants

In this episode of Fast Casual Nation, host Paul Barron and co-host Cherryh Cansler are joined by Stacey Kane, Fractional CMO for Emerging Brands, to break down the trends reshaping the restaurant industry. The trio explores how major QSR brands like Starbucks, Dairy Queen, Taco Bell, and White Castle are deploying AI — from personalized beverage recommendations to drive-thru order-taking bots boasting 90% accuracy. They also dig into McDonald's bold move into craft sodas and energy drinks, the explosive growth of the dirty soda category across all dining segments, and the skepticism surrounding Jersey Mike's reported $12 billion IPO filing. If you're a restaurant operator or industry professional trying to separate signal from noise, this is the episode for you. #FastCasualNation #RestaurantTech #QSRtrends Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/fast-casual-nation--3598490/support. Get Your Podcast Now! Are you a hospitality or restaurant industry leader looking to amplify your voice and establish yourself as a thought leader? Look no further than SavorFM, the premier podcast platform designed exclusively for hospitality visionaries like you. Take the next step in your industry leadership journey – visit https://www.savor.fm/ Capital & Advisory: Are you a fast-casual restaurant startup or a technology innovator in the food service industry? Don't miss out on the opportunity to tap into decades of expertise. Reach out to Savor Capital & Advisory now to explore how their seasoned professionals can propel your business forward. Discover if you're eligible to leverage our unparalleled knowledge in food service branding and technology and take your venture to new heights. Don't wait – amplify your voice or supercharge your startup's growth today with Savor's ecosystem of industry-leading platforms and advisory services. Visit https://www.savor.fm/capital-advisory

April 14, 202640 min

The Impossible Menu: How Tarka Cracked the Code on ”Fast” Indian Food

In this episode of Fast Casual Nation, hosts Paul Barron and Cherryh Cansler sit down with Tinku Saini, CEO and co-founder of Tarka Indian Kitchen, to explore how the Austin-based brand has spent nearly two decades cracking the code on fast casual Indian food — from its full-service origins at Clay Pit to nine locations across Texas, covering everything from fresh-to-order curry operations and supply chain hard lessons to the brand's upcoming bowl launch and catering push via Toast. #FastCasualNation #TarkaIndianKitchen #RestaurantIndustry Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/fast-casual-nation--3598490/support. Get Your Podcast Now! Are you a hospitality or restaurant industry leader looking to amplify your voice and establish yourself as a thought leader? Look no further than SavorFM, the premier podcast platform designed exclusively for hospitality visionaries like you. Take the next step in your industry leadership journey – visit https://www.savor.fm/ Capital & Advisory: Are you a fast-casual restaurant startup or a technology innovator in the food service industry? Don't miss out on the opportunity to tap into decades of expertise. Reach out to Savor Capital & Advisory now to explore how their seasoned professionals can propel your business forward. Discover if you're eligible to leverage our unparalleled knowledge in food service branding and technology and take your venture to new heights. Don't wait – amplify your voice or supercharge your startup's growth today with Savor's ecosystem of industry-leading platforms and advisory services. Visit https://www.savor.fm/capital-advisory

April 7, 202617 min

From Food Truck to Franchise Phenomenon: Inside Mike’s Red Tacos’ Rapid Rise

In this episode of Fast Casual Nation, host Cherryh Cansler sits down with Lance Salsman, SVP of Operations & Training at Mike's Red Tacos, recorded live at the Restaurant Franchising and Innovation Summit in San Diego. Lance shares the brand's origin story — from a birria food truck founded by Mike in 2021 to a rapidly expanding franchise concept backed by industry legend Bill Phelps — and breaks down how Mike's is borrowing and improving on the Dave's Hot Chicken playbook to scale with experienced multi-unit franchisees, rigorous brand standards, and innovative kitchen technology that keeps the authenticity of slow-simmered birria intact across every location. #FastCasualNation #MikesRedTacos #RestaurantFranchising Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/fast-casual-nation--3598490/support. Get Your Podcast Now! Are you a hospitality or restaurant industry leader looking to amplify your voice and establish yourself as a thought leader? Look no further than SavorFM, the premier podcast platform designed exclusively for hospitality visionaries like you. Take the next step in your industry leadership journey – visit https://www.savor.fm/ Capital & Advisory: Are you a fast-casual restaurant startup or a technology innovator in the food service industry? Don't miss out on the opportunity to tap into decades of expertise. Reach out to Savor Capital & Advisory now to explore how their seasoned professionals can propel your business forward. Discover if you're eligible to leverage our unparalleled knowledge in food service branding and technology and take your venture to new heights. Don't wait – amplify your voice or supercharge your startup's growth today with Savor's ecosystem of industry-leading platforms and advisory services. Visit https://www.savor.fm/capital-advisory

March 31, 202638 min

The Celebrity Trap: Why Being a ”Wahlberg” Wasn’t Enough to Save the Brand

In this episode of Fast Casual Nation, hosts Paul Barron and Cherryh Cansler sit down with Randy Sharpe, CEO of Wahlburgers, to discuss one of the more compelling brand turnaround stories in the restaurant industry right now. Sharpe breaks down how he consolidated 17 menus into three, exited underperforming franchise relationships, and repositioned Wahlburgers across four distinct growth platforms — including a groundbreaking partnership with Home Depot and a major airport expansion push. If you're a restaurant operator, franchisee, or hospitality professional thinking about brand strategy, multi-unit growth, or non-traditional venue models, this conversation is one you don't want to miss. #Wahlburgers #FastCasualNation #RestaurantIndustry Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/fast-casual-nation--3598490/support. Get Your Podcast Now! Are you a hospitality or restaurant industry leader looking to amplify your voice and establish yourself as a thought leader? Look no further than SavorFM, the premier podcast platform designed exclusively for hospitality visionaries like you. Take the next step in your industry leadership journey – visit https://www.savor.fm/ Capital & Advisory: Are you a fast-casual restaurant startup or a technology innovator in the food service industry? Don't miss out on the opportunity to tap into decades of expertise. Reach out to Savor Capital & Advisory now to explore how their seasoned professionals can propel your business forward. Discover if you're eligible to leverage our unparalleled knowledge in food service branding and technology and take your venture to new heights. Don't wait – amplify your voice or supercharge your startup's growth today with Savor's ecosystem of industry-leading platforms and advisory services. Visit https://www.savor.fm/capital-advisory

March 24, 202639 min

The $600,000 Gamble: Why Jae Kim Almost Walked Away from the Sharks

Jae Kim, founder of Chi'Lantro, joins Fast Casual Nation to share how he built a Korean-Tex Mex fusion brand from a single Austin food truck in 2010 into a 13-location Texas fast casual empire, covering his three Shark Tank auditions, his experience pitching Barbara Corcoran, the unit economics that drove his growth strategy, and why people, not menu or marketing, remain the foundation of everything he builds. #FastCasualNation #ChiLantro #KoreanTexMex Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/fast-casual-nation--3598490/support. Get Your Podcast Now! Are you a hospitality or restaurant industry leader looking to amplify your voice and establish yourself as a thought leader? Look no further than SavorFM, the premier podcast platform designed exclusively for hospitality visionaries like you. Take the next step in your industry leadership journey – visit https://www.savor.fm/ Capital & Advisory: Are you a fast-casual restaurant startup or a technology innovator in the food service industry? Don't miss out on the opportunity to tap into decades of expertise. Reach out to Savor Capital & Advisory now to explore how their seasoned professionals can propel your business forward. Discover if you're eligible to leverage our unparalleled knowledge in food service branding and technology and take your venture to new heights. Don't wait – amplify your voice or supercharge your startup's growth today with Savor's ecosystem of industry-leading platforms and advisory services. Visit https://www.savor.fm/capital-advisory