Rita’s Italian Ice & Frozen Custard Chief Development Officer Lawrence Brown joins QSR Uncut this week to discuss how the 40-year-old Philly-based frozen treat brand is blending its nostalgic roots with a forward-looking growth strategy to stay ahead. We’ll get into the fast casual’s asset strategy, where it’s looking to develop, and how it’s finding the right partners to fuel development for a nearly 600-unit chain with 35-plus stores projected for this year.

Starbucks’ strategy pivot to “turn coffee houses into living rooms” and get back to its “third place” was one of the biggest topics of 2025 and promises to grab headlines in 2026. The decision offers abundant lessons for QSRs, as Pete Champion, managing partner at brand experience agency I-AM, shares with QSR editorial director Danny Klein on this episode of QSR Uncut. Pete brings over 20 years’ experience in brand environments, having worked with industry giants including Starbucks, Costa Co...

In this episode of CEO to CEO: Behind the Counter, Original ChopShop leader Jason Morgan and Taziki's Mediterranean Café's Dan Simpson quiz one another on life leading rising fast casuals. What still defines the category? How do you truly build a brand with culture and customer-first ideals? The two industry leaders explore those topics and unpack life atop emerging restaurant chains. As always, the conversation is an unfiltered, deep look at restaurant management, operating practices, and wh...

As Chief Marketing Officer of Yum! Brands’ Habit Burger & Grill since February 2023, Jack Hinchliffe leads all aspects of brand communications, retail calendar, customer insights, digital marketing, and F&B for the fast casual. On this episode of QSR Uncut, he joins editorial director Danny Klein to discuss Habit’s ongoing transformation into a more meaningful and memorable brand, and how it’s earned top rankings from customers and transformed that affinity into some outside-the-box c...

Founded in 2007 by Tony Lamb, Kona Ice launched its first Kona Entertainment Vehicle in Florence, Kentucky. Today, the brand has grown to more than 1,900 trucks and nearly 3,000 points of sale, serving 49 states. The brand has also given back more than $200 million to local communities. Lamb joins QSR editorial director Danny Klein on this episode of QSR Uncut to share the journey, how the company is evolving toward new concepts and more trucks, and why it continues to rack up awards for its ...

Mike Perry, founder and chief creative officer at hospitality, food and beverage brand agency Tavern, joins QSR editorial director Danny Klein to discuss how restaurants can endure in today’s weary consumer environment. Why is brand identity mission critical? What missteps are some classic chains making with design and marketing? We explore the industry, from Starbucks to Cracker Barrel to Sizzler, and more, laying the roadmap for reinvention, and what’s to come. Perry’s 15-plus year career s...

In the next episode of QSR magazine's CEO to CEO series, where we have two leading executives turn the mic on each other, Cheba Hut's Marc Torres and Toppers Pizza's Adam Oldenburg share how they rose through the ranks of their respective brands and what they're seeing in the marketplace today. They swap candid stories on leadership, operations, and much more in our longest episode yet.

Huy Do, Research & Insights Manager at Datassential, joins QSR Uncut this week to break down the hottest trends in the industry, from beverages to chicken to healthy eating to value, and much more. We’ll break down consumer feedback and research and do our best to predict what might be coming next when it comes to the always-shifting topic that is guest preference.

Alex Macedo, former president of Burger King and Tim Hortons, is now leading Authentic Restaurant Brands, a restaurant platform he co-founded that directs Primanti Bros, P.J. Whelihan’s, Mambo Seafood, Pollo Tropical, and most recently, Tavern in the Square. We’ll get into the M&A market, why the group is drawn to powerhouse regional concepts, and what it takes today to scale without losing a brand’s local spirit. That and much more as we explore industry trends and the rise of a billion-...

Bikky’s Abhinav Kapur joins QSR Uncut this week to discuss the state of tech, his journey creating a platform now being used in more than 4,000 locations, from Dave’s Hot Chicken to Bojangles, and much more. We’ll explore buzz words, reality, what’s driving guest engagement, and where the true face of innovation is materializing during one of the most dynamic consumer climates on record for restaurants.

Beans & Brews Coffeehouse CEO Doug Willmarth joins QSR Uncut this week to discuss the story and potential of an 80-plus unit brand that’s been home to “high-altitude roasting” since 1993. What does that mean? How does it differentiate the fast casual? We get into all that as well as Doug’s background as a Naval officer and Aviator and where the overall category—one of QSR’s hottest—goes from here.

Our latest episode of the QSR CEO to CEO: Behind the Counter series features two industry mavens in Happy Joe’s Pizza & Ice Cream’s Tom Sacco and BRIX Holdings’ leader Sherif Mityas. The two restaurant veterans chatted about a host of topics in this wide-ranging conversation, from value to experience to why some chains are thriving and others are struggling. Like always, we provided each executive three mystery questions, turned our camera off, and let them take the reins. The resul...

Michael Parlapiano, managing director of The Culinary Edge, and its founder and industry vet, Aaron Noveshen, join QSR Uncut this week to break down a host of topics, from the rise of chicken chain Starbird to what it takes to innovate, create, and keep restaurant brands ahead of trends and competitors. We explore the industry landscape, what’s coming, and get into a whole lot more from two of the industry’s leading voices.

Will Krieger and Erin Dougherty, of strategic insights firm The Directions Group, join QSR Uncut this week to break down what’s happening industry-wide and how restaurants are reacting to satisfy consumers’ ever-changing needs. We talk everything from MAHA to menu simplification to shifting occasions, macro challenges, value, and a whole lot more. The Directions Group works with brands to make sense of it all, respond to current trends, and help get on the front foot of future evolutions in d...

Meet INDAY, a New York City-based high-growth brand that brings modern Indian flavors and a “food karma” philosophy to everyday dining. It’s out not only to conquer the power luncher set in the lucrative QSR market, but also to change perceptions of what Indian cuisine can be. Founder Basu Ratnam joins QSR Uncut to discuss how the concept came to be, where growth might take it, and how the overall Indian category has erupted in recent years.

Brad Bergaus, corporate chef and director of menu innovation at Taco John’s, joins QSR Uncut to dive into how the classic chain is delivering more than just convenience to consumers. How is Taco John’s using unexpected pairings to define its own unique West-Mex flavor and stand out in the QSR space? What’s needed to appeal to Gen Z and even Gen Alpha customers? What should operators understand about using LTOs as a testing ground? We get into those questions and much more in this week’s culin...

Sonic Drive-In’s former CEO Cliff Hudson and CIO Craig Miller join QSR Uncut to take listeners behind the scenes of their innovation and how the iconic brand went from a retro drive-in to a digitally advanced concept that paved the path for the modern QSR and digital-first restaurant revolution. How did they roll out groundbreaking features? What’s next for restaurants and digital growth? We get into that and much more in this wide-ranging episode featuring two of the industry’s brightest min...

Ron Cardwell, Director of Commodity Strategy for Restaurant Technologies, joins QSR Uncut to discuss one of the industry’s hot-button topics: Should you consider beef tallow? What goes into a potential switch? And how can restaurants pick the right oil for their operation, from type to cost, and more? We’ll break down what truly goes on behind the scenes and what could be coming next for the category. This episode was sponsored by Restaurant Technologies.

Dan Rymer, Executive Vice President of North America, leading the consumer practice at the global executive search firm, Redgrave, specializes in QSR and the restaurant industry and has an extensive track record of helping appoint C-Suite and senior leadership talent. He joins QSR Uncut to discuss his best tips for interviewing, hiring, and making sure executives find long-term success. The evolution of executive recruitment isn’t just about finding the best candidate—it’s about setting them ...

la Madeleine Bakery & Café CEO John Dillon joins QSR Uncut this week to discuss the ongoing evolution of a category pioneer. The industry vet joined la Madeleine in January and has worked to revitalize the brand’s strategy, including the launch of a robust new brunch lineup, expanded franchise efforts, and transformation of the la Madeleine’s overall guest experience.