Fast Casual Nation
Business & Finance
About
Join the #1 Restaurant Business Podcast Shaping the Future of The Restaurant Industry! Hosted by Paul Barron—industry pioneer, investor, and author of The Chipotle Effect—alongside Cherryh Cansler, the editorial force behind Fastcasual.com, this is where restaurant operators get the competitive edge. Every week, this power duo decodes the trends, strategies, and innovations transforming the restaurant business, driven by the Fast Casual mindset, redefining what's possible across all restaurant segments. With over two decades of combined expertise, Paul and Cherryh don't just report on the industry; they've helped build it. This isn't just a podcast. It's your playbook for what's next. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/fast-casual-nation--3598490/support .
Episodes
- The Piada Pivot: Can ’Italian Street Food’ Save the Fast-Casual Soul
Is fast casual Italian finally having its breakthrough moment? In this episode of Fast Casual Nation, hosts Paul Barron and Cherryh Cansler sit down with Matt Harding, Chief Culinary Officer of The Piada Group, to discuss how the brand has…
- Office Market Meltdown Hits Small Business and Restaurants
In this episode of Fast Casual Nation, host Paul Barron and co-host Cherryh Cansler are joined by Stacey Kane, Fractional CMO for Emerging Brands, to break down the trends reshaping the restaurant industry. The trio explores how major QSR…
- The Impossible Menu: How Tarka Cracked the Code on ”Fast” Indian Food
In this episode of Fast Casual Nation, hosts Paul Barron and Cherryh Cansler sit down with Tinku Saini, CEO and co-founder of Tarka Indian Kitchen, to explore how the Austin-based brand has spent nearly two decades cracking the code on fas…
- From Food Truck to Franchise Phenomenon: Inside Mike’s Red Tacos’ Rapid Rise
In this episode of Fast Casual Nation, host Cherryh Cansler sits down with Lance Salsman, SVP of Operations & Training at Mike's Red Tacos, recorded live at the Restaurant Franchising and Innovation Summit in San Diego. Lance shares the br…
- The Celebrity Trap: Why Being a ”Wahlberg” Wasn’t Enough to Save the Brand
In this episode of Fast Casual Nation, hosts Paul Barron and Cherryh Cansler sit down with Randy Sharpe, CEO of Wahlburgers, to discuss one of the more compelling brand turnaround stories in the restaurant industry right now. Sharpe breaks…
- The $600,000 Gamble: Why Jae Kim Almost Walked Away from the Sharks
Jae Kim, founder of Chi'Lantro, joins Fast Casual Nation to share how he built a Korean-Tex Mex fusion brand from a single Austin food truck in 2010 into a 13-location Texas fast casual empire, covering his three Shark Tank auditions, his…
- The Great Divide: What the Restaurant Industry’s Economic Reality Means for Your Business
In this episode of Fast Casual Nation, hosts Paul Barron and Cherryh Cansler sit down with Dr. Chad Moutray, Chief Economist at the National Restaurant Association, to unpack the economic forces reshaping the restaurant industry. From shri…
- How Velvet Taco Built a Cult Brand — and Plans to Keep It That Way
Chris Schultz, CEO of Velvet Taco, joins Paul Barron and Cherryh Cansler on Fast Casual Nation to break down the operational blueprint behind one of the restaurant industry's most beloved cult brands. From the legendary Weekly Taco Feature…
- Fast Casual Leadership: Legacy Brands, Modern Moves
In this episode of Fast Casual Nation, hosts Paul Barron and Cherryh Cansler sit down with Paul Damico, President & CEO of Ascent Hospitality Management, to discuss his bold strategy for reinventing two iconic legacy brands — Perkins Resta…
- The Seasonal Business Playbook: Thriving in a Summer-Driven Industry
In this episode of Fast Casual Nation, hosts Paul Barron and Cherryh Cansler sit down with Lawrence Brown, Chief Development Officer at Rita's Italian Ice & Frozen Custard, to explore how one of America's largest specialty dessert franchis…
- 2026 Fast Casual Brands To Watch
Discover the rising stars of fast casual dining as hosts Paul Barron and Cherryh Cansler interview three breakout brands from FastCasual.com's 2026 list of 25 emerging brands to watch. Jeff Pereira of Jeff's Bagel Run shares how a home kit…
- 2026 Beverage Trends
Fast Casual Nation hosts Paul Barron and Cherryh Cansler explore the beverage revolution transforming restaurants with SG Ellison, CEO of Diversified Restaurant Group, and Ryan Maybee, Co-Founder of J. Rieger & Co. Discover how Taco Bell's…
- Winning Strategies for 2026 in Fast Casual
Join hosts Paul Barron and Cherryh Cansler as they kick off 2026 with CAVA Co-Founder and CEO Brett Schulman for an in-depth conversation about navigating today's challenging restaurant landscape. Schulman reveals why CAVA eliminated digit…
- 2026 Restaurant Trends Round Table | Special Series
Join Paul Barron and Cherryh Cansler as they sit down with industry expert Suzy Badaracco from Culinary Tides to forecast the biggest restaurant trends for 2026. This year-end episode explores how Gen Z is reshaping dining expectations, th…
- 2026 AI & Tech Trends | Special Series
Join Paul Barron and Cherryh Cansler on Fast Casual Nation as they dive deep into AI's transformation of the restaurant industry with Kerry Leo, VP of Technology at Shipley Donuts, and restaurant tech consultant Paul Molinari. Discover how…
- The Hopdoddy Effect: Leading the Charge in the Modern Burger Evolution
Join Paul Barron on Fast Casual Nation as he sits down with Jeff Chandler, CEO of Hopdoddy Burger Bar, to discuss how the Austin-based brand is winning in the crowded burger category with 50 locations and 2% traffic growth. Discover their…
- Smashburger’s Strategic Comeback: A Conversation with Tom Ryan and Jim Sullivan
Smashburger founder Tom Ryan and CEO Jim Sullivan join Fast Casual Nation to reveal their bold strategy to reclaim the brand's position in the better burger category. Discover how their new "Belief is in the bite" philosophy, innovative $4…
- FiiZ: Beverage Empire Blueprint
Scott Ball, President of FiiZ Drinks, joins Fast Casual Nation to break down how the fastest-growing specialty soda franchise went from 50 to 70+ locations and sold over 200 units in just one year. The former Dunkin' franchisee reveals the…
- Macro Trends and Expert Insights on the Future of Fast Casual Dining with Brian Choi
Join host Cherryh Cansler as she sits down with Brian Choi, CEO of The Food Institute, to tackle the biggest challenges facing restaurants in 2026. With consumer sentiment at 50-year lows and economic uncertainty looming, Brian shares his…
- Chipotle’s Gen Z Recovery and Fast Casual URGENT Market Update
Join Fast Casual Nation hosts Paul Barron and Cherryh Cansler as they sit down with Stephanie Perdue, VP of Brand Marketing at Chipotle Mexican Grill, to discuss how the fast casual leader is navigating industry challenges. Learn about Chi…
- Shake Shack’s Bold Expansion: Formats, Tech, and Global Growth
Andrew McCaughan, Chief Development Officer at Shake Shack, joins Fast Casual Nation to discuss the iconic burger brand's ambitious journey from 3 locations to a goal of 1,500 U.S. restaurants. McCaughan shares insights on Shake Shack's ev…
- Building a Burger Brand from Scratch
Fast Casual Nation hosts Paul Barron and Cherryh Cansler interview Billal Jaber, founder of SMASHED, a chef-driven burger concept navigating the challenges of startup life in the crowded fast casual burger space. Jaber shares his journey f…
- Building a Fast Casual Empire: How Dillas Quesadillas Grew from College Dream to 11-Unit Concept
Kyle and Maggie Gordon share how they grew Dillas Quesadillas from a college road trip idea to an 11-unit concept generating $2M+ in average unit volumes. In this episode of Fast Casual Nation, the husband-and-wife team discusses their jou…
- Winning Gen Z and Millennials In Economic Uncertainty
Join hosts Paul Barron and Cherryh Cansler at the Fast Casual Executive Summit 2025 as they interview marketing experts Kayla Dillon (Fractional CMO, Common Table Services) and Shoshannah DiDomenico (Senior Marketing Manager, Scooter's Cof…
- Blaze Pizza’s HR Strategy: Building Culture in a Competitive Fast-Casual Landscape
Stacey Gelber, VP of Human Resources at Blaze Pizza, joins hosts Paul Barron and Cherryh Cansler live from the Fast Casual Executive Summit to discuss the evolving challenges of building teams in today's restaurant industry. With 270 locat…
- BRIX Holdings CEO Shares Vision for Multi-Brand Growth and Digital Transformation
BRIX Holdings CEO Sherif Mityas joins Fast Casual Nation hosts Paul Barron and Cherryh Cansler to discuss managing eight restaurant brands including Friendly's, Red Mango, and Orange Leaf. Learn how BRIX is using AI for personalized market…
- Multi-Brand Mastery Meets AI Innovation
Norman Wu of Conscious Hospitality Group reveals how he manages nine fast-casual brands across the Pacific Northwest, from Just Poke's 40 franchise locations to community-focused concepts like Haps burgers. Wu discusses his regional growth…
- Building the World’s Largest Mobile Empire: Tony Lamb’s Blueprint for Multi-Brand Success
Tony Lamb, CEO and founder of Kona Ice, reveals how he built the world's largest mobile food empire with 2,200 franchise trucks across three brands: Kona Ice, Traveling Tom's, and Beverly Ann's. In this Fast Casual Nation episode, Lamb bre…
- Fast Casual Growth Playbook: How Chicken Salad Chick Built a 309-Unit Empire
Discover how Chicken Salad Chick CEO Scott Deviney transformed a 32-location startup into a 309-unit fast-casual empire in under a decade. In this Fast Casual Nation episode, Paul Barron and Cherryh Cansler dive deep into the brand's franc…
- Lime Fresh Mexican Grill’s Strategic Revival: Menu Innovation and Market Expansion
Lime Fresh Mexican Grill CEO Patrick Fore joins Fast Casual Nation hosts Paul Barron and Cherryh Cansler to discuss the brand's dramatic transformation, including a 30% menu overhaul, innovative partnerships with artisanal brands like Taba…
- Longboards Wraps and Bowls: Kansas City’s Authentic Fast-Casual Success Story
Kansas City's Longboards Wraps and Bowls joins Fast Casual Nation hosts Paul Barron and Cherryh Cansler to share their incredible growth story from startup to 8 locations and 130 employees. Founder Gilbert Macapagal discusses his Filipino-…
- Graze Craze: Bringing Hospitality Back to Fast-Casual Through Charcuterie Innovation
Cory Hibbard, President of Graze Craze, reveals how his charcuterie-focused fast-casual brand achieved 14 consecutive quarters of same-store sales growth while QSR giants struggle. Operating from small 500-1,000 sq ft locations, Graze Craz…
- From Family Pizzeria to Fast-Casual Success: Joey Cioffi’s Journey with The Salad House
This episode is brought to you by KRAFT Philadelphia Cream Cheese Visit https://bit.ly/Kraft-FCN Join Fast Casual Nation hosts Paul Barron and Cherryh Cansler as they sit down with Joey Cioffi, founder and CEO of The Salad House, to explor…
- How la Madeline Cracked the Growth Code
This episode is brought to you by KRAFT Philadelphia Cream Cheese Visit https://bit.ly/Kraft-FCN La Madeleine French Bakery & Café CEO John Dillon joins Fast Casual Nation to discuss the 43-year-old brand's strategic renaissance, including…
- The Fast Casual Taco Boom: Building The Perfect Brand 🌮
Why are tacos taking over America's fast-casual scene? From corner food trucks to billion-dollar chains, the taco industry is exploding—and there's no sign of slowing down. In this episode, we sit down with Brooke Perry, VP of Marketing at…
- Dining Trends Are Reshaping Menu Strategy and Marketing
DIG's CMO Jessica Serrano reveals how the chef-driven fast-casual chain rebuilt its brand identity, scaled from Manhattan to suburban markets, and leveraged AI for better customer insights. Learn about their hyper-local marketing strategy,…
- Self Service Trends in Fast Casual Restaurants
The self-service kiosk industry is exploding from $12 billion to $21 billion by 2027, and Don McCoole from Infi USA reveals how restaurants are seeing 40% sales increases through AI-powered upselling. From food trucks to major chains, kios…
- Building a Billion-Dollar Brand from Philadelphia Roots
Derrick Hayes, CEO of Big Dave's Cheesesteaks, shares his incredible journey from a postal worker to building a fast-casual empire in this inspiring Fast Casual Nation episode. Named after his late father, Big Dave's has grown from a singl…
- Why This Restaurant Is Perfect for Franchising
Join Fast Casual Nation hosts Paul Barron and Cherryh Cansler as they interview Lorena Cantarovici, founder and CEO of Maria Empanada, who transformed $300 into a thriving multi-unit fast-casual empire. From her challenging beginnings as a…
- Cali Coffee: Taking On Big Coffee
Join Fast Casual Nation host Paul Barron as he interviews Craig Avera, founder and CEO of Cali Coffee, a Florida-based drive-thru coffee chain that's doubled from 13 to 20+ locations by focusing on exceptional customer service and operatio…
- From Marines to Biscuits
Join Fast Casual Nation hosts Paul Barron and Cherryh Cansler as they interview Amanda Kahalehoe, COO of Vicious Biscuit, who shares how her Marine Corps background shaped the rapid growth of this unique breakfast concept from 2 to 10 loca…
- From Fine Dining to Fast Casual: How Houston’s bōl is Scaling Premium Ingredients
In this episode of Fast Casual Nation, hosts Paul Barron and Cherryh Cansler sit down with Preet Paul Singh, partner of Houston-based bōl, to explore his fascinating journey from fine dining to fast casual. Singh shares how his team levera…
- Korean Food Goes VIRAL: How One CEO is Conquering Small-Town America
Bonchon CEO Suzie Tsai reveals how Korean fried chicken is taking over Middle America, with explosive growth from 150 to 500 planned U.S. locations. Discover the tech stack secrets driving higher sales through kiosks, why Gen Z customers a…
- The Science Behind Fast Casual’s Functional Beverage Revolution
Join Fast Casual Nation hosts Paul Barron and Cherryh Cansler as they dive deep into the $243 billion functional beverage market with Noah Burgess, Research & Development Scientist at Juice It Up! Discover how science-driven menu innovatio…
- Fast Casual’s Biggest Shift w/ Slim Chickens CEO
Slim Chickens CEO Tom Gordon reveals how Gen Z's snacking behavior is revolutionizing the fast-casual industry and why his 300+ store chicken chain is betting big on AI drive-thru technology. In this explosive Fast Casual Nation episode, G…
- Global Expansion and Market Resilience
Join Paul Barron and Cherryh Cansler as they explore fast casual's global expansion with brands like Teriyaki Madness and Mason's Famous Lobster making international debuts. Discover how beverage innovation—from craft mocktails to full bar…
- Roam Artisan Burgers: High End Fast Casual
In this engaging Fast Casual Nation episode, hosts Paul Barron and Cherryh Cansler interview Josh Spiegelman of Roam Artisan Burgers about transforming the better burger segment. Discover how this six-location Bay Area concept balances pre…
- Growing A Brand With Tech
In this eye-opening episode of Fast Casual Nation, hosts Paul Barron and Cherryh Cansler sit down with Mark Lohmann, CEO of the rapidly growing chicken concept Birdcall. Discover how this 15-unit brand is disrupting the competitive chicken…
- Newk’s Eatery CEO Frank Paci on Catering Growth and Evolving Consumer Preferences
Newk's Eatery CEO Frank Paci joins Fast Casual Nation to discuss how the 98-location chain is adapting to major industry shifts. With off-premise sales now representing 55% of their business (including 11% from catering), Newk's is buildin…
- From Passion to Franchise: How LOL Burger Bar Is Disrupting Atlanta’s Fast-Casual Scene
Fast Casual Nation hosts Paul Barron and Cherryh Cansler interview Cassidy Jones, founder of Atlanta's LOL Burger Bar, who reveals how she's disrupting the better burger segment with creative menu items like acronym-named burgers and over-…