In this conversation, Sam Fonseca takes us through his fascinating journey, beginning with his first encounter with Raising Cane's in California, and the impactful career choices that followed. From record-breaking sales at Raising Cane’s to leading the busiest location of Dave’s Hot Chicken, Sam's story is a testament to the power of innovative practices and strategic career moves.

We also explore Sam's role as a restaurant coach, helping founders scale their businesses with his 'ops method'—a strategic approach to observation, planning, and implementation. Listen in as Sam shares his thoughts on "founder's fatigue," the importance of mentoring, and how a coach can uncover business blind spots. Whether you're a seasoned restaurateur or just setting out, Sam's insights and experiences offer invaluable lessons on leadership and growth in the restaurant industry. So, grab your headphones and get ready for an episode packed with wisdom and practical tips for success!

• Sam Fonseca helps founders scale their restaurant businesses.
• Leadership plays a crucial role in the restaurant industry.
• Founders fatigue can lead to a loss of passion for the business.
• Young, fun brands are exciting opportunities in the market.
• Operational improvements can lead to significant sales increases.
• A tailored coaching approach is essential for restaurant success.
• Common mistakes include lack of passion in hiring and operations.
• Having a coach can provide valuable insights and accountability.
• Understanding your people is key to improving operations.
• Success stories demonstrate the impact of effective leadership and systems.

00:00 Started working at In-N-Out for family. 03:43 The handshake matters more than the roast. 07:10 Seeking energetic, young, fun brands constantly excites. 12:22 Opening earlier increased sales by $2 million. 15:15 Successful career built on a proven formula. 18:41 Coaching tailored to various client needs. 20:07 Quick improvements for restaurants to improve operations. 25:02 Coaches provide valuable guidance and accountability. 27:28 What does working with Sam entail? 31:24 Online courses for restaurant management career growth.

In this conversation, Matt Plapp, CEO of America's Best Restaurants and Dryver, shares his extensive experience in restaurant marketing, discussing the evolution from traditional to digital marketing strategies.

He emphasizes the importance of storytelling, customer engagement, and building a strong customer database. Matt also highlights the challenges faced by restaurant owners, particularly in adopting new technologies and marketing strategies, and offers practical advice for improving restaurant sales and customer loyalty.

• Matt Plapp started his journey in traditional media before focusing on restaurant marketing.
• America's Best Restaurants aims to highlight unique stories of local restaurants.
• Digital marketing has transformed how restaurants engage with customers.
• Restaurant owners often struggle with time management, impacting their marketing efforts.
• Creating irresistible offers can significantly increase customer engagement.
• Storytelling is a powerful tool for restaurants to connect with their audience.
• Many restaurants are still behind in adopting technology for operations and marketing.
• Building a customer database is crucial for long-term success in the restaurant industry.
• Consistency in marketing efforts leads to better customer retention and engagement.
• Matt emphasizes the importance of using customer data to drive marketing strategies.

00:00 Engage and capture walk-in restaurant customers' data. 04:41 Friends' efforts led to business skill shift. 07:55 Nike's wealth contrasts local restaurants' immigrant stories. 09:38 Create media on restaurants, sharing owners' stories. 13:10 Visionary branding strategy for independent restaurant marketing. 17:54 Guess the jar amount, enter competition, collect data. 21:45 Improve marketing; avoid repetitive digital content. 25:20 Be genuine; share stories, not just selling. 26:56 Focus on consistent output over view counts. 31:03 Seeking tools for engagement-driven data and sales. 33:13 Spoke at conference about restaurant marketing books. 35:33 Fragmented restaurant data systems lack integration. 41:02 People choose cheap, unreliable solutions due to time constraints. 42:40 Cook caught stealing steaks from restaurant dumpster. 45:36 Engage restaurant visitors with personalized offers. 49:52 Gym partner later sold companies for millions. 51:19 Effective data use boosts customer business engagement.

In this conversation, Olga Lopategui, founder of Restaurant Loyalty Specialists, shares her journey from corporate roles in international marketing to establishing her own consulting firm focused on restaurant loyalty programs.

She discusses the common pitfalls restaurants face when implementing loyalty programs, the evolution of these programs over the years, and the impact of third-party platforms on customer loyalty.

Finally, Olga emphasizes the importance of understanding customer data, key metrics for success, and the future trends in restaurant loyalty, including the integration of AI for better segmentation and analytics.

• Olga transitioned from corporate roles to consulting due to family commitments.
• Restaurant Loyalty Specialists focuses on helping chains optimize their loyalty programs.
• Common mistakes include neglecting ongoing management of loyalty programs.
• Loyalty programs have become more accessible to smaller chains over the years.
• Third-party platforms complicate the loyalty landscape for restaurants.
• Individual venues should focus on email marketing and in-store acquisition.
• Olga's passion for food drives her work in the restaurant industry.
• Consulting is tailored to the specific needs of restaurant chains.
• Key metrics for loyalty success include participation rates and spend lift.
• AI will play a significant role in the future of loyalty programs.

00:00 Impressive career led to founding own company. 04:22 Clients seek help evaluating loyalty program effectiveness. 06:59 Specialize in restaurant chains, knowledgeable about operations. 11:25 Brands often misjudge CRM software for growth. 15:11 Third-party platforms have minimal overlap with guests. 17:01 Promote first-party ordering on all packaging. 22:47 Restaurants make cities special and memorable. 26:15 Each platform suits different business needs. 29:23 Loyalty guests prioritize value, expecting brand discounts. 33:00 Focus on product preferences and consumption patterns. 35:38 AI enhancing segmentation through generative improvements. 37:52 Email for updates on restaurant loyalty news.