Podcast
Take-Away with Sam Oches
Hosted by Nation's Restaurant News · EN
Hosted by Nation’s Restaurant News’ editor in chief, Take-Away with Sam Oches features interviews with CEOs and founders of restaurant companies big and small, sharing their stories and ideas for the future but also real, tangible insights for how to innovate in our foodservice future.
Each episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches provides key take-aways from Oches’ interviews, with on-the-go observations about how each leader’s strategy fits within the broader foodservice context and what actionable insights you should be applying to your own business.
37episodes
Episodes
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Mendocino Farms CEO and CMO on building the future of fast casual
May 2601:11:29Summary readyIn this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talks with CEO Kevin Miles and CMO Alicia Mowder of Mendocino Farms, a Los Angeles-based sandwich and salad fast casual with about 100 locations in six states. Mendocino Farms — affectionately known to fans as Mendo — has been around now for over 20 years, and in the course of its history has helped to redefine what is possible in a fast-casual setting. Mendo serves high-quality sandwiches and salads in a counter-service setting, but with an emphasis on dine-in occasions driven by high-touch, friendly service. That experience sits somewhere between traditional fast casual and full service, and while it leads to a higher ticket average, it’s clearly resonating with guests; according to the most recent Technomic Top 500, Mendocino Farms grew sales by about 20% last year to around $300 million, with AUVs coming in at $3.76 million. Sam first sat down with Alicia live at the Restaurant Leadership Conference, and later virtually with Kevin, to talk about Mendo’s unique guest experience, how they’re building guest loyalty in markets new and old, and why they’re both optimistic for the future of fast casual.In this conversation, you’ll find out why:You should take the quality of your experience seriously — but not much elseThere is an opportunity in the market for full service quality with fast casual service and priceBrands don’t have to change, but they do have to evolveLifestyle brands are alive and well and capturing guest loyalty with key differentiatorsEven when your sales are positive, question how you can get betterVisually appealing food invites customers to do the marketing for youHave feedback or ideas for Take-Away? Email Sam at sam.oches@informa.com.Mentioned in this episode:Create 2026https://informaconnect.com/create/?utm_source=skot&utm_medium=radio&utm_campaign=create26
Summary
Whataburger CEO Debbie Stroud on the benefits of leading like a family
May 1900:57:18Tap to summarizeIn this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talks with Debbie Stroud, CEO of Whataburger, a 76-year-old company that now has more than 1,000 locations across 17 states. Debbie spent more than 30 years as an executive at McDonald’s and Starbucks before joining Whataburger in 2023 as COO. She was named CEO in 2025, and she’s earned a reputation as a warm and personable leader who is often found in restaurants listening to team members about how the company can improve. That’s a great fit for Whataburger, which is still partially owned by its founding family and which calls its 50,000-plus team members “family members.” Sam recently sat down with Debbie in a brand-new location outside Raleigh, NC, for an episode of the Signature Series, powered by The Coca-Cola Company, and talked about how she’s setting the tone for a family-like company culture — and about how Whataburger is tapping into its rabid fan base to expand its footprint.In this conversation, you’ll find out why:An aligned team empowered to do the work can accomplish great thingsLeaders create the conditions for successData tells a story — and it should guide your decision makingBrands should embrace the authentic relationship their guests have with themCuriosity plus diversified experience makes for a strong future leaderHave feedback or ideas for Take-Away? Email Sam at sam.oches@informa.com.
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84 Hospitality founder Rachel Cope on 5 elements that go into a great restaurant experience
May 1301:00:24Tap to summarizeIn this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talks with Rachel Cope, founder and CEO of 84 Hospitality, which has four concepts in its portfolio, including the eight-unit Empire Slice House. Rachel — who NRN recently named to the Power List of restaurant founders, and who was also named a 2026 James Beard Award Semifinalist for Outstanding Restaurateur — opened the first Empire in 2013, and every restaurant that she’s opened since has been imbued with the five things she’s passionate about: people, art, music, booze, and of course food. In fact, 84 Hospitality is so committed to the atmosphere of their restaurants that they don’t even call them restaurants; they call them “hangouts,” because their main goal is for customers to enjoy themselves on site and plug into their community. Rachel joined the podcast to talk about the details that go into a great restaurant atmosphere — from a curated music playlist to free prosecco pours — and about how she’s positioning Empire Slice House and its counter service offshoot, Empire Slice Shop, to be a major growth opportunity.In this conversation, you’ll find out why:The best leaders figure out how to adapt to their situationA carefully tailored restaurant atmosphere can be the difference between a good time and a great timeCreativity must be balanced with practicalityQuirky real estate is a great characteristic — until you need to scaleThe restaurant industry must resist becoming too transactionalHave feedback or ideas for Take-Away? Email Sam at sam.oches@informa.com.
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Sunny Street Cafe president on nailing the fundamentals of menu, service
Jan 6Tap to summarizeIn this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talks with Mike Stasko Jr., president of Sunny Street Café, a 22-unit franchise based in Columbus, Ohio, that has experienced positive traffic and sales comps even while many of its competitors are struggling. It’s not crazy menu innovation or tech bells and whistles that are driving this success; instead, Sunny Street has simply doubled down on great service and great execution of its core menu items. Sam sat down with Mike in a Columbus Sunny Street location to talk about the state of daytime dining and why breakfast and brunch consumers in particular just want to go somewhere where everybody knows their name.In this conversation, you’ll find out why:Executing on your core menu items is the most important thing you can do with your menuTrying some new things with your core menu is a great way to innovateMeal occasions dictate how people eat — and your menu should accommodateThe ‘Cheers’ experience really makes a differenceHave feedback or ideas for Take-Away? Email Sam at sam.oches@informa.com.
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The secret to Jeni’s renowned menu R&D
Oct 29, 2024Tap to summarizeIn this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talks with Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams CEO Stacy Peterson and director of innovation Beth Stallings. Jeni’s has made a name for itself with incredibly creative and indulgent ice cream flavors, including a seasonal rotation that gives the company a chance to take some big swings with flavor profiles. Sam joined Stacy and Beth in person at a scoop shop in Columbus, Ohio, to sample the new holiday collection and discuss Jeni’s approach to R&D. In this conversation, you’ll find out why:Seasonal menu innovation is a baked-in marketing strategyTiming is everything in menu R&DFood is closely linked to memory and has the ability to transport guestsYou should think both big and small with new product development Have feedback or ideas for Take-Away? Email Sam at sam.oches@informa.com.
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How Another Broken Egg is leaning into R&D to drive traffic
Oct 15, 2024Tap to summarizeIn this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talks with Paul Macaluso, CEO of Another Broken Egg Café, a breakfast, brunch, and lunch franchise with 100-plus locations. Another Broken Egg aims to stand out from a crowded family dining segment with a creative, New Orleans-inspired menu, and Paul joined the podcast to talk about its new lunch menu and how Another Broken Egg’s innovation is both maximizing its existing business and widening its opportunity to draw customers new and old. In this conversation, you’ll find out why:Daypart expansion is a potential traffic driver Squeezing more out of your busiest periods is an efficient way to growWeekends and weekdays provide different but equally valuable customer basesSeasonal menus are a fast way to stand out from competitors Have feedback or ideas for Take-Away? Email Sam at sam.oches@informa.com.
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What to know before raising capital to grow
Sep 17, 2024Tap to summarizeIn this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talks with Andrew Smith, cofounder and managing partner of Savory Fund, a Utah-based private equity firm that counts 10 emerging restaurant brands in its portfolio. Andrew joined the podcast to discuss the state of restaurant investing and the upcoming Investment Summit in Nashville, plus whether now is a good time to raise money and what founders must do as they prep their brands for a raise. In this conversation, you’ll find out why:It’s better to be a speed boat in tumultuous waters than a cruise shipWhen raising money, you have to date aroundYou shouldn’t try to time the market when you’re raising moneyMake sure your foundation is strong before you raise moneyCut loose any anchors on your speedboat before you hit the throttle Have feedback or ideas for Take-Away? Email Sam at sam.oches@informa.com.
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A Canadian franchise plans to (re)conquer the U.S. — in malls
Aug 20, 2024Tap to summarizeIn this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talks with Dave Colebrook, president of LSR and Emerging Brands with the Canadian restaurant company Recipe. Dave oversees the franchise New York Fries, a brand that was born in New York in 1983 but primarily grew across Canada before reentering the U.S. earlier this year. Dave joined the podcast to talk about how this brand plans to reconquer its original homeland and why malls are its real estate sweet spot. In this conversation, you’ll find out why:Malls are not deadSampling is the perfect marketing for high foot traffic destinationsSpeed of service is everything in busy destinationsA strong product plus good economics helps a brand transcend borders Have feedback or ideas for Take-Away? Email Sam at sam.oches@informa.com.
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This seafood chain wants its experience to be like ‘a punch in the face’
Aug 14, 2024Tap to summarizeIn this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talks with Andy Diamond, president of Angry Crab Shack. This full-service franchise based in Arizona has 24 locations open and is growing across the U.S. and the U.K. It’s a seafood boil concept where experience is everything, and Andy joined the podcast to talk about how they keep that experience fresh and exciting, plus how the efficiencies of their kitchen and menu help them with labor and growth. In this conversation, you’ll find out why:Your restaurant should be like a punch in the faceThe younger generations should be a critical consideration in your innovationA great restaurant experience is the perfect franchise advertisement International growth is heating up Have feedback or ideas for Take-Away? Email Sam at sam.oches@informa.com.
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A legacy barbecue chain finds the sweet spot between innovation and tradition
Aug 6, 2024Tap to summarizeIn this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talks with Peter Frey, chief brand officer at Sonny’s BBQ, a Florida-based concept that has grown to nearly 100 locations after more than 50 years in business. Sonny’s recently announced a new brand campaign called “It’s Always Sonny’s Here,” which is meant to reflect the easy-living vibe the brand tries to create. Peter joined the podcast to discuss the new campaign and how it’s setting the brand up for not just traffic growth, but also franchise growth. In this conversation, you’ll find out why:Sometimes craftsmanship should trump innovationFast-casual service has major benefits, but risks being too transactional in natureGeneral manager development puts you in the ideal position to succeedRestaurants are as much about unplugging as they are about nourishmentLegacy brands have permission to innovate with technology and ordering Have feedback or ideas for Take-Away? Email Sam at sam.oches@informa.com.
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