🛍️ “Fake-flation & Dumb Deals” — Prime Day’s shopping tricks. Dishoom’s dice restaurant. H-E-B’s Texas rescue team.

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Best One Yet Hosted by Jack Crivici-Kramer & Nick Martell | Released on July 9, 2025

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Introduction

In this episode of The Best One Yet, hosted by Jack Crivici-Kramer and Nick Martell from Nick & Jack Studios, listeners are treated to an engaging 20-minute dive into three pivotal business stories shaping the pop-business news landscape. True to their promise, Jack and Nick deliver fresh takes that not only inform but also entertain, making it the best episode yet. Skipping the advertisements and non-essential segments, the hosts focus on providing insightful analysis and memorable quotes to convey the essence of each story.

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1. Dishoom’s Dice Game: Reinventing the Early Bird Special

Timestamp Highlights: 05:53 – 09:52

Overview: The episode begins with Jack and Nick spotlighting Dishoom, the trendiest Indian restaurant in London, renowned for its innovative take on the early bird special. Dishoom has captivated diners by introducing a gamified dining experience where patrons can roll a die to potentially receive a free meal.

Key Points:

• Viral Growth Hack: Dishoom’s strategy involves diners rolling a six-sided die before paying their bill. Landing a six means the entire meal is free (06:02).
• Historical Inspiration: The game draws inspiration from India’s underground lotteries of the 1960s, adding a layer of cultural nostalgia (08:08).
• Financial Strategy: This dice game effectively acts as a 17% discount on meals, mirroring traditional early bird specials but with added excitement and publicity (09:03).

Notable Quotes:

• Nick (07:45): "The thrill of the hunt outweighs the power of the prize."
• Jack (09:11): "Financially, Deshume could have just said 17% off. But turning a discount into a game is something awesome."

Insights: Jack and Nick analyze Dishoom’s approach as a brilliant growth hack that not only fills tables during off-peak hours but also generates buzz and customer engagement. By transforming a standard discount into an interactive experience, Dishoom leverages psychological triggers of excitement and anticipation, making dining there a memorable event.

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2. Amazon’s Prime Week: The Rise of Fakeflation and Dumb Discounts

Timestamp Highlights: 09:52 – 14:46

Overview: The second story delves into Amazon Prime Day, which has expanded into a full week of sales, now outpaced by competitors like Walmart’s extended deals. Jack and Nick dissect the phenomenon they term "fakeflation," where prices are artificially inflated before Prime Day to enhance the illusion of discounts.

Key Points:

• Extended Duration: Amazon Prime Day now spans from July 8th to July 13th, competing with Walmart’s six-day sale (10:22).
• Sales Surge: Amazon anticipates $21 billion in sales, marking a 60% increase from the previous year (11:00).
• Fakeflation Explained: Retailers raise prices leading up to Prime Day and then offer discounts, creating the impression of greater savings (12:12).
• Psychological Tactics: The strategy capitalizes on urgency and perceived value, pushing consumers towards impulse purchases (13:38).

Notable Quotes:

• Jack (11:24): "If you bought more than 70 bucks of stuff on Prime Day, you're lifting the average."
• Nick (13:19): "Fakeflation is a good way to describe it because amazonflation just didn’t roll off the tongue."

Insights: The hosts emphasize that the true cost to consumers is hidden behind manipulated pricing strategies. By understanding that fakeflation is merely a precursor to dumb discounts, listeners are encouraged to critically assess the urgency the retailers create. Jack and Nick reinforce the notion that there will always be another sale, advising shoppers to resist impulsive buying behaviors driven by artificial scarcity and exaggerated discounts.

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3. H-E-B: Texas’s Secret Weapon in Disaster Relief

Timestamp Highlights: 16:39 – 21:40

Overview: The third and final story highlights H-E-B, a Texas-based grocery chain that has emerged as a pivotal player in disaster relief efforts during the recent Texas flooding tragedy. Despite being confined to one state, H-E-B's impact rivals that of national organizations like FEMA.

Key Points:

• Operational Scale: H-E-B operates solely in Texas, with 380 locations and significant revenue comparable to giants like Uber and Coca-Cola (17:12).
• Disaster Response: During the Texas floods, H-E-B swiftly mobilized resources, setting up distribution sites with essential supplies and partnering with the Red Cross and FEMA (16:57).
• Consistent Generosity: H-E-B has a long history of proactive disaster response, maintaining a dedicated disaster relief team and a fleet of vehicles to deliver aid promptly (19:04).
• Community Love: Their consistent acts of kindness have cemented H-E-B as the most beloved brand in Texas, fostering deep community trust and loyalty (20:00).

Notable Quotes:

• Nick (20:13): "H-E-B’s generosity is an investment. It has made H-E-B the most beloved brand in Texas."
• Jack (20:06): "H-E-B calls their employees partners because they value their team’s role in their success."

Insights: Jack and Nick underscore the significant return on investment (ROI) that H-E-B experiences through its unwavering commitment to community welfare. By prioritizing consistent generosity and quick action in times of crisis, H-E-B not only fulfills a critical need but also builds a loyal customer base that views the company as more than just a grocery store. This strategic approach to corporate social responsibility showcases how businesses can play an essential role in community resilience and support.

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Conclusion

In this episode, Jack and Nick adeptly navigate through diverse business stories, offering listeners a blend of entertainment and insightful analysis. From innovative restaurant marketing and scrutinizing retail pricing strategies to highlighting impactful corporate philanthropy, The Best One Yet delivers content that is both informative and engaging. The inclusion of memorable quotes and precise timestamps ensures that even those who haven't listened to the episode can grasp the key discussions and takeaways.

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Key Takeaways:

1. Innovative Marketing: Dishoom’s dice game not only boosts early dining but also creates an exciting customer experience that traditional discounts lack.
2. Consumer Awareness: Understanding tactics like fakeflation can empower consumers to make more informed purchasing decisions during sales events like Prime Week.
3. Community Impact: H-E-B’s consistent and strategic involvement in disaster relief exemplifies how businesses can significantly contribute to community well-being and foster brand loyalty.

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For more insightful episodes, subscribe to The Best One Yet on your preferred podcast platform and stay updated with the latest in pop-business news.

Transcript

[Jack]

This is Nick, this is Jack.

[Nick]

It's Wednesday. CEVICHE Wednesday, July 9th. And today's pod, out of all the pods is the best one yet. It's a t boy.

[Jack]

The top three pop business news stories you need to know today.

[Nick]

All right, Jack, let me see if I got this straight. The stock market was down and your eczema flared up. Right. And then yesterday Selena Gomez got a zit and stocks fell again. Yeah.

[Jack]

Celebrity facial complexions are correlated with stock market performance.

[Nick]

Absolutely. The data is there.

[Jack]

Yeah, I just called call myself a celebrity.

[Nick]

Come at me, Jack. Three stories for today's T boy. What do we got on the pod?

[Jack]

For our first story, the hottest restaurant in London right now is Deshoom. And they've got a wild take on the early bird special.

[Nick]

Deschoom's hype is driven by a viral growth hack. Roll the dice, Land on six, your meal's free.

[Jack]

For our second story, Amazon Prime Day began yesterday, but Amazon Prime Day has three days left.

[Nick]

All of E commerce is preying on your psychology right now, but Jack and I will pre the pricing truth.

[Jack]

For our third and final story, the Texas flooding tragedy has one surprise hero that you probably haven't heard of yet. H E B.

[Nick]

The H E B grocery chain is only in Texas, but they're bigger than Netflix and they've basically replaced fema.

[Jack]

But yetis, before we hit that wonderful mix of stories.

[Nick]

Fantastic mix of stories. For ceviche Wednesday, Jack, Ozzy Osbourne has.

[Jack]

Played his final concert.

[Nick]

That's right, the mumbling British bat eating rocker retired just this week.

[Jack]

But plot twist y rock star Ozzy Osbourne is actually gonna live forever because.

[Nick]

Ozzy Osbourne just sold his DNA.

[Jack]

You know the viral water company Liquid Death?

[Nick]

Liquid death. They're worth 1.4 billion bucks thanks to their insane marketing stunts.

[Jack]

Well, get this. They're now selling $450 empty cans of water that Ozzy Osbourne drank.

[Nick]

You could buy traces of the Prince of Darkness's DNA on the can.

[Jack]

It probably got his lipstick on there because I'm pretty sure, you know, he's a British rocker. He probably has lipstick.

[Nick]

That is definitely some Cartier lipstick on there.

[Jack]

And they've already sold out of the Ozzy Osbourne saliva cans. We just checked.

[Nick]

Now some lucky fan is probably going to clone Ozzy.

[Jack]

They might accidentally clone that back too. But there's a bigger story here. Yetis. Ozzy Osbourne isn't the first celebrity to sell their DNA to a CPG.

[Nick]

Sydney Sweeney sold her bath water with Dr. Squatch. Soap.

[Jack]

Tony Hawk sold a line of skateboards with his blood on them.

[Nick]

Gwyneth Paltrow made a candle that smells like her yeti.

[Jack]

Celebrities of signing autographs and social media.

[Nick]

Killed the paparazzi picture.

[Jack]

So the new celebrity influencer Flex. What is it, Nick?

[Nick]

It's DNA. Celebrity DNA.

[Jack]

Who wants a signature when you can get their chromosomes?

[Nick]

Jack. It don't get any deeper than that.

[Jack]

It makes you wonder what's the next bodily fluid that's gonna be productized by some celebrity?

[Nick]

One sec, Jack. I'm just bidding on Gosling's tears over here.

[Jack]

I would buy a bottle of Gosling.

[Nick]

Well, it comes in a shampoo. We may have to split it. Jack, let's in our three stores.

[Unknown]

15 years song two boys from the northeast met in the dorm. They had an idea to cause a cultural storm. It's the best one yet. But the best is the norm. Jack. Nick, that's it. I don't even think they need to practice. 50%. That's a fat tip. T boy city on your at Liz. If you know, you know. Cause we read to go. We can't wait no more. So just start the show. Start the show.

[Nick]

First, a quick word from our sponsor.

[Jack]

Airbnb.

[Nick]

Yetis. There is nothing more powerful in life or in business than the double dip.

[Jack]

Dip that chip twice and don't end.

[Nick]

It with the ultimate money. Double dip hosting on Airbnb. Jack's talked so much about being a host, his friends are asking about it. I'm getting asked about it all the time.

[Jack]

One buddy is about to get married. He has no kids yet. He wants to travel the country dink style with his new wife. How is he going to pay for it? He's going to list his house on Airbnb.

[Nick]

So, Basties, if you're going on vacation this summer, join the millions who host on Airbnb.

[Jack]

Host your whole space. Host your extra space. Host any space.

[Nick]

The income from putting your home on Airbnb could pay for your whole vacay.

[Jack]

I've been doing it for three different properties now.

[Nick]

Yeah, and it's easy to set booking availability. And then when the booking comes in, Jack, you always say it just shows up in your Google calendar.

[Jack]

And if you're not sure what to price your place at, check Airbnb and look at similar listings. It's very easy.

[Nick]

You can double dip that chip.

[Jack]

Your home might be worth more than you think. Find out how [e-mail] host now a quick break. Switching topics to one of our favorite sponsors, Vital Proteins.

[Nick]

All right, Yeti. So Jack has become an extreme collagen user. This guy's adding vital proteins collagen to each morning coffee. And Jack drinks a lot of morning coffee, I should point out.

[Jack]

Yeah, I have three cups a day. I have a tub of mocha and a tub of chocolate. Both make my coffee taste chocolatey. And there's a bunch of protein in each scoop too.

[Nick]

So Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides is a supplement that has four benefits all in one helping support healthy hair, skin, nails, bones and joints.

[Jack]

That is how my face got dewier than a donut.

[Nick]

Mix it into your coffee, to your smoothie or just go straight to your face.

[Jack]

By taking collagen peptides daily, you can support your hair, skin, nail, bone and joint health.

[Nick]

Get 20% off by going to vitalproteins.com and entering promo code T Boy at checkout.

[Jack]

That's vitalproteins.com promo code T Boy for 20% off.

[Nick]

These statements have not by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. For our first story, the most popular restaurant in London right now has the wildest game we've ever seen.

[Jack]

The restaurant is Deshoom. It's a cult followed Indian restaurant and it's turned a roll of dice into a growth hack.

[Nick]

Yetis, the Wimbledon tennis tournament is going on right now, so all eyes are on lond the match.

[Jack]

You got to find something to eat.

[Nick]

Absolutely. And the hottest restaurant reservation these days in London. What is it, Jack?

[Jack]

It's an upscale family style Indian restaurant called Dishoom.

[Nick]

Dishoom. Founded in 2010 by a couple cousins, it evokes the vibes of a 1960s cafe in then called Bombay, now known as Mumbai.

[Jack]

Side note, my first Indian food ever was in London. I was 23 and let's just say my palate has not recovered from the spiciness.

[Nick]

Jack, Double side note, 8 at Dishoom 12 years ago with my.

[Nicole Byer]

You did?

[Nick]

Yeah.

[Jack]

I wish you had taken us there when we went to London for that business trip.

[Nick]

I was so embarrassed. I actually haven't brought it up since then. Jack. Jack. Pippa Middleton eats their paneer, Benedict Cumberbatch gets their curry, and Andy Murray, the tennis star, you know what he gets? The non? No, the chicken ruby dish which the restaurant trademarked. It was so good. Wow.

[Jack]

Like momofuku. Deshum has created a chain out of luxury international cuisine.

[Nick]

14 locations, all in the UK. And the last numbers we have on this private company, what are they, Jack?

[Jack]

Their revenues jumped 23 in 20. 23 to $135 million. Besties.

[Nick]

This company is so profitable. This restaurant is such a profit puppy, they just opened a hotel in London.

[Jack]

After all that non Andy Murray's gonna need to stay overnight.

[Nick]

Yeah. Side note. Side note, Jack, Molly tried going on her last business trip to London. Couldn't even get in.

[Jack]

Doesn't make me feel any better that.

[Nick]

You would take us here. And I dropped the ball.

[Jack]

I dropped the ball. But besties.

[Nick]

This is what Jack and I found fascinating about this story. Dishoom also happens to have the most exciting early bird special we've ever heard.

[Jack]

Of, and it involves a game of dice.

[Nick]

It is highly strategic. And here how it goes down. If you are eating at Dishoom before 6pm On a weekday, you can play the game.

[Jack]

The game is only available to those in the know.

[Nick]

True.

[Jack]

So you ask your server before the meal for a mitka dice.

[Nick]

And at the end of your meal, you are handed the check. But before you pay, you roll.

[Jack]

The rules are simple. If you roll a six, your entire meal is free, including the drinks.

[Nick]

Okay, we repeat here, you have one shot and a 16.66666666.7% chance of rolling six. And that feast is free.

[Jack]

This game was inspired by India's illegal underground lotteries that sprung up in Bombay back in the 1960s.

[Nick]

And today, part of the fun is the brand tension that we see in the concept.

[Jack]

Right, Jack, you're at an upscale restaurant, but you're hoping your meal's a criminal activity.

[Nick]

Shoom. They're doing around 10 million bucks per location on a roll of the die. Or is it dice? Nobody really knows. So, Jack, what's the takeaway for our buddies over at Dishoom?

[Jack]

The thrill of the hunt outweighs the power of the prize.

[Nick]

Yetis the Dishoom dice game is totally unique, but the underlying concept here is completely common.

[Jack]

It's the same idea as Happy Out Right or Early bird special. They're attracting diners during the slow times by offering them a discount.

[Nick]

Since the odds of rolling a 6 are 17%, it's the same financial cost as a 17% discount on all 6pm or earlier meals.

[Jack]

So financially, Deshume could have just said 17% off. That's our early bird special. And it would have had the same.

[Nick]

Financial outcome, but instead by turning a discount into a game. It is novel, it is exciting, and it has driven publicity.

[Jack]

No one's that excited about a 17% off meal coupon.

[Nick]

Yeah, you can get that at Applebee's.

[Jack]

But everyone is excited about the chance to roll a dice to get a free meal. And a one out of six chance.

[Nick]

That's pretty good. Like every restaurant, dishoom wanted to fill tables during off hours.

[Jack]

So they took what already existed and flipped it into something awesome.

[Nick]

A total growth hack. Because the hype of the hunt beats the heft of the hall. For our second story, we just entered the biggest shopping week of the year, Amazon Prime Day. I mean, week.

[Jack]

But what's really going on this week is a theme park of price manipulation on your mind. All right, I'm hooked. Jack Yetis.

[Nick]

If William Shakespeare were alive and shopping right now, he would call this the Midsummer Nights deal.

[Jack]

Yes, he would.

[Nick]

He would.

[Jack]

Because first, Amazon announced their longest ever prime day. Yep, from July 8th to July 11th. That's four days long.

[Nick]

But positive pod, Jack, because two weeks after Amazon's announcement, Walmart upped the ante by announcing six days of Walmart deals July 8 to July 13.

[Jack]

But right now, you also have Target's Circle Week, and you have Best Buys, Black Friday in July.

[Nick]

Our podcast, it's free Prime Day. It used to be Amazon on offense, but now that Amazon stock's been flat lately, it's kind of on defense.

[Jack]

Still, Amazon is expected to sell $21 billion worth of stuff over these 40 days, which is 60% more than last year's Prime Day.

[Nick]

Jack, could you sprinkle on a little bit of census context for us, please?

[Jack]

$21 billion in sold stuff on Amazon calculates to $70 per American. So if you bought more than 70 bucks of stuff on Prime Day, you're lifting the average.

[Nick]

Now, what's driving this surge this year is not just more days. It's the urgency, the tariff urgency.

[Jack]

You're splurging today on that made in China espresso machine before the China tariffs hit it.

[Nick]

In the meantime, while we've been recording show Jack, I just dropped 39 bucks on a tiwoo.

[Jack]

What's a tiwoo?

[Nick]

A tiw. A thing I won't use.

[Jack]

That's about half the stuff I buy on Amazon besties.

[Nick]

What Prime Day really has become, in our opinion, is the world's largest pricing magic trick.

[Jack]

Because like a magician with a rabbit and a hat, the price you see on Amazon right now could be manipulated like magic.

[Nick]

That's right. Amazon's gone full David Blaine on the prices. Here we go. They're using a variety of tactics to give an inflated sense of value, urgency and satisfaction.

[Jack]

For example, the ninja air fryer. Ah, the ninja it's the ultimate millennial oven. And right now on Amazon, it's listed at $119, which is 33% off that full price of 1 79.

[Nick]

But basses, before you drop it in your cart. According to popular information, this product has been sold at that price every month so far this year.

[Jack]

$119 is not a special price. In fact, last year, during November and December, the holiday season, it was selling for 89 bucks.

[Nick]

So, Jack, where did the $179 original price actually come from for this air fryer?

[Jack]

Ninja only listed it for $179 for the six weeks leading up to Prime Day, when nobody is buying an air fryer anyway because they're all waiting for Prime Day.

[Nick]

Sales boom. Then they mark it down 33%, but from a price that was artificially high.

[Jack]

That's the magic trick. The New York Times and Fast Company noticed this too. Prices rise leading up until Prime Day so that they can drop for a.

[Nick]

Deal in the months leading up to Prime Day. They inflate the prices on Amazon to optimize the sense of savings. Call it fakeflation. I like that.

[Jack]

Fakeflation is a good way to describe.

[Nick]

Yeah, because amazonflation just. It didn't roll off the tongue. Check.

[Jack]

And after fakeflation, it's a dumb discount.

[Nick]

Because consumers aren't focused on the sale price. No, no, no, no, no. You are focused on the sale discount.

[Jack]

You care that it's 33% off. You don't care that it's 33% off a fake price in the first place.

[Nick]

But besties, this fakeflation to dumb discount practice is actually just one piece of this psychological puzzle we know as Prime Week. So, Jack, what's the takeaway for all our buddies shopping prime?

[Jack]

There's a rule of online shopping, Nick and I want to tell you about. Nothing is urgent. There will always be another sale.

[Nick]

Trust us on this. Yet is the overall strategy here is to create a sense of of urgency because impulse buying makes you irrational.

[Jack]

Just look at the name. Prime Day is almost a week now. But calling it a day implies that this is urgent and it's ending today.

[Nick]

And then you get the lightning deals, the invite only deals. The AI generated personal deals during Prime Week. Each one ratchets up the urgency.

[Jack]

So the discount gets your attention and the urgency gets you to buy now.

[Nick]

But besties, the reality, as we just showed you by that Ninja air fryer example, is that there's another deal right around the corner.

[Jack]

It's a rule of online shopping, which no Online shopping site wants you to.

[Nick]

Believe nothing is urgent. There always will be another sale. I'm buying it, Jack. I'm sorry, I can't stop.

[Jack]

You might be right, Jack, but I'm buying this anyway.

[Nick]

Can't help myself. I got a problem. Now a quick word from our sponsor.

[Jack]

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[Nick]

Ah, speed and quality. Not typically a combo you get together.

[Jack]

I mean, Nick, you can get a fast food hamburger, but we hope you like it well done.

[Nick]

Or Jack, you can get a 10 second haircut, but we hope you like bangs.

[Jack]

Well, there is an exception to this unwritten rule. If you're hiring, you can find candidates fast who are also extremely qualified for your job. Just use ZipRecruiter.

[Nick]

And right now you can try ZipRecruiter for free at ZipRecruiter.com tboy.

[Jack]

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[Nick]

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[Jack]

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[Nick]

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[Jack]

And if you go to ZipRecruiter.comt boy right now, you can try it out.

[Nick]

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[Jack]

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[Nick]

Yes, it is. Audible T boy Trivia. Here we go. Yetis, what is the biggest thing you can pack for vacation but not have to check your luggage?

[Jack]

I think it's a leading question based on my Audible I just said a second ago.

[Nick]

Yeah, yeah. The answer is the Audible app. It's the Audible app.

[Jack]

Audible has the deepest selection of audiobooks, podcasts and Audible originals all in one app.

[Nick]

You gotta stick all your clothes in a suitcase, but you get thousands of audio titles in your pocket.

[Jack]

Right now I'm on a World War II kick. I'm listening to Doris Kearns Goodwin on FDR and Eleanor Roosevelt and how we.

[Nick]

Created the arsenal of democracy. It is Jack's Roman Empire right now.

[Jack]

Now, when we're packing for our summer vacation, we don't forget our toothbrush and we don't forget our Audible.

[Nick]

There's more to imagine when you listen.

[Jack]

Sign up for a free 30 day Audible trial and your first audiobook is free.

[Nick]

Visit audible.comtboy that's audible.comtboy for our third and final story, in the middle of the flood disaster, one grocery chain is known as Texas's fema. It's leading the entire disaster response.

[Jack]

That grocery chain is he. And it's proof that there is an ROI on generosity.

[Nick]

Yetis, Jack and I got a little challenge for you here. Can you find us a bigger company that only does business in one state?

[Jack]

Because we have never seen a business as big as this one that is so single state centric as h e b is to Texas.

[Nick]

All right. Yeah, it is. We're talking 120 year old operation. It is the fifth largest private company in America by revenue.

[Jack]

And again, they only operate within one state's Borders.

[Nick]

We're talking $47 billion in annual grocery sales. Jack, could you sprinkle on. Can you bag some context over there for us?

[Jack]

H e B has revenue just around the same as uber, Nike and Coca Cola.

[Nick]

And yet besties you have probably never heard of nor shopped at an h.

[Jack]

E b Because h e B is only in one American state, the state of Texas.

[Nick]

That's right. They've got 380 locations in Texas as well as 70 in Mexico.

[Jack]

Remember the alimon?

[Nick]

Yeah. How can I forget?

[Jack]

Those cowboys were probably supplied by H e b.

[Nick]

More beef jerky? Yeah. Which just came in from H E.

[Jack]

B. H E B calls their employees partners because since 2016, they've paid each employee a stock bonus at the end of the year. Around 3% of their salary, as they.

[Nick]

Put it on their website. We are a people company. We just happen to sell groceries.

[Jack]

It's called h e B for Howard e Butt, the founder's son who opened their first grocery store in Kerrville, Texas.

[Nick]

And side note, the family's doing pretty well because they still own 90% of that $47 billion business.

[Jack]

But Yetis, we just mentioned Kerrville, Texas. Yes, and that got our attention because this single state grocery chain has become a rescue operation that's basically replaced FEMA.

[Nick]

Now, the Texas floods have killed at least 100 people in this company's hometown of Kerrville, Texas. But they didn't just do a condolence statement. They've led the disaster response.

[Jack]

H e B trucks were early to arrive to this disaster era. They've already set up three sites giving out free snacks, waters and first aid kits as well as a bunch of other supplies.

[Nick]

HEB partnered with the red cross and FEMA giving out free gift cards to h e B grocery stores.

[Jack]

And it turns out h e B does this often. They have a track record in the state of Texas of getting there before emergency aid agencies do.

[Nick]

In fact, this is why they've got a Full time staff at this grocery store dedicated just to disaster relief.

[Jack]

H e B has a 15 vehicle convoy that brings supplies wherever Texans need them.

[Nick]

Pretty sure whole foods doesn't have two mobile kitchens that can each cook 2,500 meals an hour, ready to be deployed to disasters in Texas. But HEB does.

[Jack]

And that explains why we all saw these viral videos over the weekend of H e B tractor trailers going into the damaged hill country of flooding areas while every other car was going in the opposite direction.

[Nick]

Again, we are a people company. We just happen to sell groceries. So, Jack, what's the takeaway for our buddies over at H e b?

[Jack]

How do you win the love of a community not just with kindness, but consistent kindness?

[Nick]

Yetis looking at H e B's generosity as an investment. It is an extremely high ROI because.

[Jack]

That has made H e B the most beloved brand in Texas according to all the surveys.

[Nick]

We're talking about a grocery store that has achieved Costco level love through consistent presence of its disaster team.

[Jack]

During the devastating cold freeze of 2021, power went out at H E B stores. But instead of closing the stores because of lack of power, H e B urged their fellow Texans to take what they need free of charge.

[Nick]

Uvalde shooting, 2022. Hurricane Harvey, 2017. HEB had a dozen trucks in each disaster area.

[Jack]

When Texas institutions are running short on money, H e B often steps in as the financier of last resort.

[Nick]

H e B is the most beloved brand in Texas, a state so large it could be its own country.

[Jack]

That's why it's become the fifth biggest private company in America. Their consistent acts of kindness.

[Nick]

Jack, could you whip up the takeaways for us for ceviche Wednesday?

[Jack]

Deschume is the hottest restaurant in England, partly because of its dice game for early bird specials.

[Nick]

The thrill of the hunt outweighs the power of the prize.

[Jack]

For our second story, Amazon prime day, I mean week, has all the big box stores offering huge discounts.

[Nick]

But our rule of online shopping, nothing is urgent. There will always be another sale.

[Jack]

And our third and final story is H e b. This grocery chain is contributing majorly to flood relief in Texas and they are huge.

[Nick]

So how do you win the love of a community? It's not just kindness, it's consistent kindness.

[Jack]

But yetis, this pod's not over yet. Here's what else you need to know today.

[Nick]

First, congratulations to the great city of Philadelphia. You are getting Waymo robo taxis.

[Jack]

Waymo announced they won't just be testing robo cabs in New York City. They're also testing in Philadelphia.

[Nick]

That's part of a strategy we call the Oprah plan. Basically, you get a Waymo and you get a Waymo and you Minneapolis, you're probably getting a Waymo.

[Jack]

They also announced teen accounts so that minors can get a self driving robo ride while their parents supervise.

[Nick]

I mean Jack in San Francisco, I see like kids in those robo taxis all the time. And second, ScarJo is now America's highest grossing lead actor of all time.

[Jack]

Movies that Scarlett Johansson has been in have brought in 14 and a half billion dollars at the box office.

[Nick]

It does help that she was in eight Marvel movies. And now Jurassic Park.

[Jack]

She beats out Robert Downey Jr. Also of Marvel fame. And Samuel L. Jackson, who was the only actor in both the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the Star wars movies.

[Nick]

And finally, TSA is reportedly making their biggest update to the airline industry in decades. Keep your shoes on.

[Jack]

It's already happening at select airports.

[Nick]

It is.

[Jack]

You don't have to remove your sneakers, your loafers, your snowfurs, whatever's on your feet. Come on through.

[Nick]

It's been 24 years since the failed shoe bomber incident that led to the rule in the first place.

[Jack]

And shoe removal is the top complaint of the TSX and the top reason that people get TSA PreCheck.

[Nick]

Now time for the best fact yet. This one sent in by Abe Froman, the sausage king of Chicago. Cuz It's T minus 10 business days until our live show. Let's talk about the L train.

[Jack]

Yeah, the L train in Chicago. The L stands for elevated.

[Nick]

That's right. But few know that this L train is actually older than New York City subway.

[Jack]

That's right, the New York underground subway began in 1904.

[Nick]

Chicago's L train beat it in 1892.

[Jack]

That's according to the Chicago Transit Authority. But London's tube beats them both. That goes back to 1863.

[Nick]

So to everyone riding the L right now, grab your tickets to our live show. We got a link in this episode description.

[Jack]

We'll see you there.

[Nick]

Yetis, you look fantastic over there. Jack, you are glowing over there. But if you roll that dice that is in your pocket right now and get a five, we will not charge you for today's podcast. I think it's if I roll the die, nobody knows. Jack, like I told you, nobody knows. Yeti's drop down to give us five stars to help grow the show. Leave a review. Jack and I will read it and we'll both see you tomorrow. And before we go a happy birthday to Yeti, Isabelle and Lima over in Chicago doing logistics and managing literally a million things.

[Jack]

Happy birthday to Asher and Aaliyah dale in Blountville, Tennessee. Two sisters born on the same day, three years apart.

[Nick]

Real and Sam Cortes is turning 18 years old in Lake Stevens, Washington. Hope you're celebrating with a Benton Boone crumble cookie there.

[Jack]

And a big shout out to Michael and Pooja from the Upper west side of New York City. One's an insurance tech, one does car washes. The coolest couple on Riverside Drive, Jack.

[Nick]

Ran at them on Nantucket. They were both looking fantastic.

[Jack]

And to anyone else who's celebrating something today, make it a tea boy.

[Nick]

Celebrate the wins.

[Jack]

This is Jack. I own stock of Amazon and Netflix and Nick once lived in Philadelphia for like a full year.

[Nick]

Geno's, not Pat's.

[Jack]

If you like the best one yet, you can listen ad free right now by joining Wondery and the Wondery app or on Apple Podcast Prime.

[Nick]

Members can listen ad free on Amazon Music.

[Jack]

And before you go, tell us a little bit about yourself by filling out a short [e-mail] survey.

[Nick]

We want to get to know you.

[Nicole Byer]

Hey everybody, it's Nicole Byer here with some hot takes from Wayfair. A cozy corduroy sectional from Wayfair. Um, yeah, that's a hot take. Go on and add it to your cart and take it. A pink glam night stand from Wayfair. Scalding hot take. Take it before I do. A mid century modern cabinet from Wayfair that doubles as a wine. Do I have to say it? It's a hot take. Get [e-mail] and enjoy that free shipping too.

[Nick]

Wayfair.

[Jack]

Every style, every home.