QSR Uncut

Hosted by QSR magazine

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Episodes

369

Latest episode

Jun 2026

Language

EN-US

About the show

QSR Uncut is a podcast from the editors of QSR magazine—the leading publication for foodservice owners and operators—that discusses the current state and future of the fast-food restaurant industry. Made for restaurant executives, entrepreneurs, consumers, and leaders, each episode candidly shares expert advice from some of the industry's most insightful leaders.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

June 11, 2026Episode 23640 min

A Conversation on Franchising, Growth, and the State of Restaurants, with Fransmart CEO Dan Rowe

Dan Rowe, CEO and founder of Fransmart, and 35-plus-year-industry vet, joins QSR Uncut this week for a special episode exploring what it takes to grow, the state of concept creation, how franchising is evolving, and much more. We explore some of the stories behind CAVA, Five Guys, QDOBA, and what founders and emerging brands should look for before deciding it's time to expand. How is regulation affecting the industry? Where is the consumer taking us? How can founders check the right boxes? All that and more in this deep dive into the state of QSR.

June 4, 2026Episode 23544 min

The Journey of Beignet Spot, with CEO and Cofounder Fabrice Alce

Can a brand based around beignets scale? We step into the unique concept with its cofounder and CEO, Fabrice Alce, to explore developing a fast casual from the roots, what it takes to start looking ahead, and how leadership changes from the early days to the evolution.

May 28, 2026Episode 23432 min

Winning the Value Customer, with Cici's President Jeff Hetsel

The legacy pizza buffet has posted a strong year despite the odds, leaning into a fresh approach of value-based branding and promotions. From a record-breaking loyalty launch that turned back the clock on pricing, with sales jumping nearly 30 percent in two days, to how Cicis is evolving its voice, Hestel shares why tapping into your roots and adjusting strategy along the way can lead to gains in a challenging consumer climate.

May 21, 2026Episode 23344 min

A New Way for Franchisees to Find Capital, with Zack Fishman and Jimmy Frischling

Back in March, F&B Capital, a new capital markets firm focused on advising and supporting concepts across the franchise ecosystem, emerged into the space. This isn’t your average vehicle. Zack Fishman and Jimmy Frischling, who you may best know, respectively, from Fishman PR and Branded Hospitality, joined forces to fill a need they identified. We’ll get into this venture and how it plans to tap into longstanding entrepreneurial and investment experience, along with a long-term approach to building enduring businesses in the franchising sector.

May 14, 2026Episode 23241 min

What’s Next for Potbelly After RaceTrac Sale, with Jennifer Durham

Jennifer Durham, SVP of franchising and development at Potbelly, joins QSR Uncut to discuss the sandwich chain’s next act after its blockbuster $566 million deal to RaceTrac. One of the most-intriguing deals in recent quick-service memory brought a cult-favorite fast casual into the network of a retail giant. What does that mean for future development? Integration? Durham shares her perspective and how Potbelly will strategically scale while staying true to its brand experience.

May 7, 2026Episode 23234 min

Revealing the Growth Potential of Secret Burger Kitchen, with CEO Paul Sandhu

Beginning inside a Holiday Inn hotel kitchen in Tacoma, Washington, Secret Burger Kitchen has taken a fervent following and developed a brand ready to scale. CEO and cofounder Paul Sandhu joins QSR Uncut to share how the upstart concept teamed with some of the industry’s top minds to formulate a blueprint for expansion, what it’s doing to win over guests in a burger category full of competitors, and why you might just be looking at the next big thing in franchising.

April 30, 2026Episode 23144 min

The State of Restaurant Media, with Brian Lowe

BML Public Relations president and CEO Brian Lowe returns to QSR Uncut after one of our most-listened to episodes to unpack what restaurants need to know about today’s mainstream media landscape. Learn why big, stunty creative engineered for national coverage is OUT. Why spokesperson-driven tips and hyper-local promotions are IN. The power of human-interest stories. How to make a brand splash in an attention-strapped world. The benefit of earned media with AI optimization. Consumer versus FranDev agencies—what’s the difference and why it matters. And much more as we explore key traffic drivers, the answer to opening your restaurant with momentum, and how to keep that buzz going.This episode was brought to you by our partners at BML PR.

April 23, 2026Episode 23048 min

The State of Digital in Fast Food and Fast Casual: Revisited (2026 Edition)

Last year, in what’s become an annual tradition here on QSR Uncut, Qu CMO Jen Kern broke down restaurant operators' thoughts on technology for the year ahead. Jen now returns to unravel the latest report, which unpacks how the industry appears to have moved from experimentation to execution, defined by operational stability, intelligent decision-making, and a unified guest experience. Is AI really here? How are kiosks coming along? What matters most to restaurants and what's starting to slide? We get into all of it.Here's a link to the full report: https://stateofdigital.qubeyond.com/

April 16, 2026Episode 22933 min

Staying a Step Above, with Velvet Taco's New CEO Chris Schultz

With more than 30 years of industry experience, including serving as CEO of Voodoo Doughnut and SVP of operations at MOD Pizza, Chris Schultz brought a wealth of insight to Velvet Taco when he joined the fast casual late last year. He's now turning his attentions to growth and guarding some of the unique traits of a taco chain that's never blended into the pack, from LTOs every week to some of the most unique flavor combinations in the category. Schultz joins QSR Uncut to talk about the role so far and what he has in store for the future.

April 14, 2026Episode 22813 min

[BONUS] Two Announcements and Invites to Join Other Restaurant Leaders

It's time to reveal our QSR Evolution Conference (with a special discount code for operators) and something new we're working on, an exclusive peer-to-peer restaurant group you can join and connect with fellow leaders, every day. The links: QSR Evolution Conference: https://www.qsrevolutionconference.com/QSR+: https://plus.qsrmagazine.com/