Take-Away with Sam Oches

In this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talks with Dan DiZio, cofounder and CEO of Philly Pretzel Factory, a Philadelphia-based snack concept with more than 170 locations primarily in the East Coast. Philly Pretzel Factory has achieved broad appeal with its paperclip shaped pretzels and wide variety of dips, and it’s especially found success with its Party Trays, which have been hugely impactful in getting the word out about the brand at parties, sporting activities, meetings, and more. Dan joined the podcast to talk about how Philly Pretzel Factory has essentially become a wholesale provider with its bulk pretzel orders and why that strategy has been such successful grassroots marketing for the brand. In this conversation, you’ll find out why:You should never doubt your entrepreneurial instinctsThere is incredible power in bulk ordersThere’s no better marketing than free foodYou shouldn’t miss the marketing opportunity that is national food holidaysFranchisees today want operational simplicity  Have feedback or ideas for Take-Away? Email Sam at sam.oches@informa.com.

In this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talks with Nathan Louer, chief brand officer at Jamba, the legacy smoothie bowl concept that is one of seven brands in the GoTo Foods portfolio. Nathan declares that Jamba is on the comeback trail, and a big part of that comeback is the just-announced new store prototype called Hello Sunshine, which updates the Jamba aesthetic but also the experience leveraging self-order kiosks, digital marketing screens, and streamlined store layouts. It also provides strategic cost efficiencies and financial incentives for franchisees. Nathan joined the podcast to talk about the art of designing a new store prototype and why finding efficiencies isn’t always about drastic change. In this conversation, you’ll find out why:If you’re looking for a refresh, start with your rootsEven if you go back to your roots, your brand refresh requires newness and innovationHow you make guests feel is as important as the product they consumeGreat hospitality transcends convenience of an experience You can’t go halfway on brand evolutionEfficiency doesn’t always require blowing the model up for cost savings Have feedback or ideas for Take-Away? Email Sam at sam.oches@informa.com.

In this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talks with Mohammad Faraj, cofounder and chief marketing officer for Talkin’ Tacos, a fast-casual taco joint out of South Florida that has grown to 22 locations in less than five years in operation. Mohammad and his childhood friend Omar Al-Massalkhi opened Talkin’ Tacos as a food truck in the early days of the pandemic, one of the first concepts to bring birria tacos to the east coast. That menu focus plus an early pivot to halal meat helped catapult Talkin’ Tacos to massive success and a quick shift into brick-and-mortar operations. Mohammad joined the podcast to talk about the keys to Talkin’ Tacos’ rapid growth and the role that social media has played in introducing the brand to new markets. In this conversation, you’ll find out why:A small brand change can make a big difference in businessOne influencer can catapult your concept Emerging chains must start from scratch in every market they grow intoEfficient operations allow fast casuals to have casual-quality food without casual pricesQuality plus efficiency equals coveted profitability  Have feedback or ideas for Take-Away? Email Sam at sam.oches@informa.com.

In this special episode of Take-Away — guest-hosted by Restaurant Business editor-in-chief and A Deeper Dive host Jonathan Maze — Bob Vergidis, the founder of pointofsale.cloud, joins to talk about the future of restaurants and restaurant technology and equipment.We wanted to talk with Bob simply about the future of restaurant technology and how restaurants can take the next step.A lot of technology has been brought into restaurants in the past several years and equipment is more advanced than it’s ever been.But how does the restaurant industry take advantage of all this to make the operation of that restaurant better for workers and customers and, of course, the bottom line.We discussed how restaurants can do more with the immense data they’re collecting. And we talk about what the restaurant will look like in five years.It’s a fascinating conversation on the future of restaurants so check it out. For more A Deeper Dive, subscribe on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

In this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talks with Edmond Barseghian and Brian Simowitz, the founder and president, respectively, of Houston TX Hot Chicken, aka HHC. This brand has opened 24 locations in less than four years, and a big reason why is Edmond and his massive social media following. From the jump Edmond had big plans for the brand, and with strategic executive hires like Brian — along with an investment from Savory Fund — HHC is well on its way to opening potentially hundreds of locations. Edmond and Brian joined the podcast to talk about how HHC was designed for a social media generation and how they plan to rise above a crowded hot chicken field. In this conversation, you’ll find out why:Big goals can be the spark you need to drive growthDon’t be surprised if we see more influencer-led restaurantsYour restaurant experience should hit all five sensesBig marketing stunts can get the customer’s attention — and the investor’sThe right experts can turn your good brand into a great oneNo matter how good you are on social media, you have to convert new guests into loyalistsYou shouldn’t have to pay someone to say your restaurant is great Have feedback or ideas for Take-Away? Email Sam at sam.oches@informa.com.

In this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talks with Mohaimina “Mina” Haque, the CEO of Tony Roma’s, a legacy casual dining chain specializing in ribs that once had hundreds of locations, but which is now is in rebuild mode with a few dozen open locations, only 6 of which are in the U.S. Mina is a lawyer by trade, and she was brought on by Equity Investors of New England when it bought the chain in 2021 to do due diligence on the brand and serve as general counsel. Recognizing her potential, the board asked her in 2023 to stay on as CEO, and now Mina and her team are out to resurrect this legacy chain by essentially shifting to startup mode and designing a Tony Roma’s 2.0. Mina joined the podcast to talk about her big vision for Tony Roma’s turnaround and how the company is particularly looking out for both existing and potential franchisees.  In this conversation, you’ll find out why:There is no one path to restaurant leadership No matter your trade, it pays to be a professional problem solverLawyers interact with all departments, which sets them up for C-suite successLegacy chains can find new life by acting like startups Get rid of meetings and replace them with brainstorm sessionsIn the midst of tech innovation, be sure to protect your brand identity Social media offers low-hanging fruit for amplifying your brand Have feedback or ideas for Take-Away? Email Sam at sam.oches@informa.com.

In this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talks with Wendy’s president and CEO Kirk Tanner as part of a brand new series at NRN called Signature: A CEO Series with Sam Oches, powered by The Coca-Cola Company. We’re hosting 6 Signature episodes throughout 2025, and they’re designed to introduce you to the leaders of some of the nation’s biggest restaurant companies — what has shaped their approach to leadership, how they’ve maintained balance and wellbeing, and how they’re applying their life lessons to build culture at their brands. Kirk was a natural choice to kick off the Signature series, as he just celebrated one year on the job at Wendy’s and he was able to reflect on what he’s accomplished both in his Wendy’s tenure and more broadly in his career. For exclusive video from Sam’s time with Kirk, click here. In this conversation, you’ll find out why:When you’re young, you have an opportunity to build credibility If you want to go far in your career, don’t look past your current jobA great mentor can supercharge your career To accomplish big growth, you must start small A diversity of perspectives and opinions will point your business in the right directionYoung leaders are destined to thrive if they’re students of the game Have feedback or ideas for Take-Away? Email Sam at sam.oches@informa.com.

Happy Mardi Gras! In this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talks with James Vitrano, the CEO of Sucré, a French patisserie concept out of New Orleans that has eight locations across the Southeast. James and his pastry chef wife Abney Harper bought Sucré in 2023, looking to scale the luxury patisserie concept that specializes in macrons, gelato, and a range of handmade French desserts. James joined the podcast to talk about the challenges of scaling an emerging brand and particularly building brand awareness and balancing costs while simultaneously providing an incredible experience to each and every guest. In this conversation, you’ll find out why:A little bit of passion goes a long way in scaling a businessWhen building your restaurant experience, consider a sense of place With a sense of place, your growth should be more calculatedWhen building an emerging chain, sometimes you’ve got to be MacGyver You should only launch a franchise when the concept is 100% readyMoments are the new experiencesBrand awareness is one of the biggest challenges for an emerging brand Have feedback or ideas for Take-Away? Email Sam at sam.oches@informa.com.

In this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talks Joe and John Lanni, the brother cofounders of Thunderdome Restaurant Group, a Cincinnati-based outfit that is among the 10 largest restaurant groups in the U.S., and which counts the 23-unit fast casual Currito among its portfolio. Currito is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, and the Lanni brothers are looking to rapidly expand through franchising. Joe and John joined the podcast to talk about what it was like to grow up in the restaurant industry — their father Nick Lanni founded Great Steak and Potato Company and grew it to over 250 locations — and to talk about how they’ve adapted the brand alongside consumer demand over the past two decades.  In this conversation, you’ll find out why:You need to listen to customers, even if it means changing your brandBrand associations can be good for launching a business, but not for sustaining itWhen marketing a new business, nothing beats free food Franchisees are people — and sometimes they need a breakBuilding a portfolio with a variety of concepts offers valuable perspectivesDelicious food will never fall out of style Have feedback or ideas for Take-Away? Email Sam at sam.oches@informa.com.

In this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talks Randy Sharpe, CEO of Wahlburgers, the upscale burger chain founded by renowned actor Mark Wahlberg and his family. Wahlburgers has roughly 30 units around the U.S. alongside a handful of international locations, with plans to continue growing globally with a flexible format that includes both limited-service and full-service models. Randy joined the podcast to explain why Wahlburgers is all about finding the right partner in the right place at the right time, and to set the record straight on the recent news that Wahlburgers and the supermarket chain Hy-Vee, which had previously been an operator for the chain, were parting ways.   Want to see Mark Wahlberg live at Restaurant Leadership Conference? Click here to register. In this conversation, you’ll find out why:Restaurant brands don’t need to adhere to one service experienceOne key to restaurant success is learning from your mistakesThe best high-profile or celebrity business partner is one who is very involved Growth is only good when it’s the right growth Some business deals aren’t built to last — and it’s OK to move on Have feedback or ideas for Take-Away? Email Sam at sam.oches@informa.com.