FULL COMP: The Voice of the Restaurant Industry Revolution

What if the real reward in restaurants isn’t the exit, but the impact?Scott Redler didn’t just co-found Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers, he scaled it to 400+ units without losing his soul.In this episode, we get into the mindset shifts that made that possible: from hiring like your business depends on it (because it does), to giving GMs ownership in everything but name. Scott shares how he built a culture of transparency and accountability, why the “no-jerk rule” matters more than a resume, and how he chose franchisees who shared his values, not just his ambitions.For operators who care about building something bigger than themselves, this is a masterclass in scaling with intention, and not ego.To learn more about Mocha’s Coffee & Eatery, visit mokasusa.com_________________________________________________________Free 5-Day Restaurant Marketing Masterclass – This is a live training where you'll learn the exact campaigns Josh has built and tested in real restaurants to attract new guests, increase visit frequency, and generate sales on demand. Save your spot at restaurantbusinessschool.com

What if resilience is just a code word for neglect?Catarina Bill of Southern Smoke is calling BS, and doing something about it. Born into the back-of-house world through her family’s meat business, Catarina’s not just preaching compassion, she’s building infrastructure. Her work exposes the cracks in our industry’s foundation: no healthcare, no mental health safety net, no margin for error.In this conversation, we get into the systems she’s building to catch people before they fall, why professionalizing hospitality means meeting human needs, and the radical idea that support shouldn’t be earned by burnout.This isn’t charity, it’s a wake-up call. And for anyone still wondering why staff won’t come back, this conversation has answers.To learn more about Southern Smoke and how to support their mission, visit southernsmoke.org._________________________________________________________Today's episode was brought to you by Square. If you want restaurant tech that actually supports how you run your restaurant, find out how Square can help at square.com/goodstuff.Free 5-Day Restaurant Marketing Masterclass – This is a live training where you'll learn the exact campaigns Josh has built and tested in real restaurants to attract new guests, increase visit frequency, and generate sales on demand. Save your spot at restaurantbusinessschool.com

What if the best leadership training didn’t come from business school, but from the brutal discipline of an Ironman?David Youngberg didn’t start triathlons until 50. But the mindset it required, focus, repetition, resilience, changed how he runs restaurants. After two decades at BJ’s and now CEO at Stonefire Grill, David brings that same intensity to team culture, systems thinking, and servant leadership. In this conversation, we get into how Ironman training sharpened his business instincts, what it takes to build 20-year team tenure, and why the best leaders don’t demand more, they serve more.For anyone trying to lead with longevity in mind, this episode is fuel.To learn more about Stonefire Grill and their people-first approach, visit stonefiregrill.com._________________________________________________________Free 5-Day Restaurant Marketing Masterclass – This is a live training where you'll learn the exact campaigns Josh has built and tested in real restaurants to attract new guests, increase visit frequency, and generate sales on demand. Save your spot at restaurantbusinessschool.com

What if the best hospitality isn’t taught – it’s demonstrated, brick by brick?Wesley Sohn didn’t just walk away from a promising finance career, he ran toward something deeper. Something messier. Something real. He started as a food runner, not to climb the ladder faster, but to understand the foundation better. And it shows. Today, Wesley helps lead one of the most intentional hospitality groups in the country, where culture is lived—not laminated—and SOPs don’t kill creativity, they fuel it.In this conversation, we unpack the engineering mindset behind scalable hospitality, how real culture is modeled not mandated, the hidden value of invisible work, and what it takes to build restaurants that work, because the people inside them believe in what they’re building.This one’s for operators who know culture is your system, and your strategy.To learn more about Cote, visit cotekoreansteakhouse.com._________________________________________________________Today's episode was brought to you by Square. If you want restaurant tech that actually supports how you run your restaurant, find out how Square can help at square.com/goodstuff.Free 5-Day Restaurant Marketing Masterclass – This is a live training where you'll learn the exact campaigns Josh has built and tested in real restaurants to attract new guests, increase visit frequency, and generate sales on demand. Save your spot at restaurantbusinessschool.com

What if staying small was actually the boldest move you could make in restaurants?Fred Piehl didn’t come to San Diego chasing an empire; he came with Paris training, a place to sleep, and a 30–seat bistro he found on Craigslist that became The Smoking Goat.In this conversation, we break down why he and his wife Tammy treat restaurants like “leaky buckets,” how he built a life where skiing trips, summers in New Hampshire, and family dinners matter as much as Saturday covers and how he’s resisted the pressure to scale for so many years.For operators who feel owned by their restaurants, this is a blueprint for taking your time, your profitability, and your joy back.To learn more about The Smoking Goat and One Door North, visit thesmokinggoatrestaurant.com._________________________________________________________Free 5-Day Restaurant Marketing Masterclass – This is a live training where you'll learn the exact campaigns Josh has built and tested in real restaurants to attract new guests, increase visit frequency, and generate sales on demand. Save your spot at restaurantbusinessschool.com

What if the best restaurant stories aren’t about food—they’re about identity, risk, and reinvention?Johno Morisano didn’t set out to open a restaurant—he set out to escape. But a chance encounter with a Greyhound bus station, and later, chef Mashama Bailey, sparked something deeper: a creative and cultural reckoning that became The Grey.In this conversation, we unpack how Johno turned personal uncertainty into professional clarity, why the partnership with Mashama worked when others would have failed, and how building a restaurant from scratch became an act of redemption. We get into what it really takes to thrive in a small market, how to build a business that feels like it belongs, and why chasing growth without meaning almost cost him everything.This isn’t about real estate or restaurants. It’s about what happens when you finally stop running—and start building.For more on The Grey and his work with Mashama Bailey, visit thegreyrestaurant.com._________________________________________________________Free 5-Day Restaurant Marketing Masterclass – This is a live training where you'll learn the exact campaigns Josh has built and tested in real restaurants to attract new guests, increase visit frequency, and generate sales on demand. Save your spot at restaurantbusinessschool.com

What if knowing nothing was your greatest strategic advantage?Alex Pincus didn’t grow up in restaurants—he grew up on boats. And when he stumbled into hospitality, it wasn’t with a plan. It was with a floating bar, a donated ship, and zero experience. In this conversation, we unpack how that ignorance created freedom, why top-line success almost hid the real problems, and how grief rewired his entire relationship with risk. We explore the tension between magic and margin, the beauty of seasonal business models, and the mindset behind building concepts that break every rule.This episode is for anyone who feels called to go off-script—and needs a reason to trust that instinct.To learn more about Crew and their waterfront concepts, visit crew.fun._________________________________________________________Free 5-Day Restaurant Marketing Masterclass – This is a live training where you'll learn the exact campaigns Josh has built and tested in real restaurants to attract new guests, increase visit frequency, and generate sales on demand. Save your spot at restaurantbusinessschool.com

What if the biggest threat to your restaurant’s success isn’t a lack of ideas—but too many of them?Chris Gannon built BOLAY with the DNA of a legacy brand—his father helped launch Outback Steakhouse. But unlike the bloomin’ days of casual dining, fast-casual success demands ruthless focus.In this episode, Chris shares how over-innovation almost broke his business, why the need to be creative can kill consistency, and the real lesson behind scaling a scratch-made concept. We get into why most founders outgrow their own systems, how a background in marketing helped him build culture from day one, and the power of saying no to the next shiny object.If you’re trying to grow without losing your soul—or your sanity—this one’s for you.To learn more about BOLAY and their mission to make bold, fresh food fast, visit bolay.com_________________________________________________________Free 5-Day Restaurant Marketing Masterclass – This is a live training where you'll learn the exact campaigns Josh has built and tested in real restaurants to attract new guests, increase visit frequency, and generate sales on demand. Save your spot at restaurantbusinessschool.comFull Comp is brought to you by Yelp for Restaurants: In July 2020, a few hundred employees formed Yelp for Restaurants. Our goal is to build tools that help restaurateurs do more with limited time.We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other content:Yelp for Restaurants PodcastsRestaurant expert videos & webinars

Michael Mina is the best in the biz. He's mastered excellence at scale. What's equally impressive is that he's done it alongside his partner Patric Yumul for the last 20 years.Think about how much our industry has changed in the last 20 years. Today, the three of us reflect back on their decades long partnership together and look forward to the next chapter of their partnership.For more on the Mina Group go to https://www.michaelmina.net_________________________________________________________Free 5-Day Restaurant Marketing Masterclass – This is a live training where you'll learn the exact campaigns Josh has built and tested in real restaurants to attract new guests, increase visit frequency, and generate sales on demand. Save your spot at restaurantbusinessschool.comFull Comp is brought to you by Yelp for Restaurants: In July 2020, a few hundred employees formed Yelp for Restaurants. Our goal is to build tools that help restaurateurs do more with limited time.We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other content:Yelp for Restaurants PodcastsRestaurant expert videos & webinars

What if imposter syndrome wasn’t a weakness, but a compass?Emily Brubaker didn’t think she was ready to run a resort kitchen. She didn’t think she’d win a national TV competition. But she did both—by betting on her values, not her ego.In this episode, we get into the real story behind her journey from Vegas fine dining to Omni La Costa. She opens up about leaving the kitchen to raise kids, coming back through heartbreak and grit, and the radical changes she’s making to leadership culture in resorts.We talk about redefining balance, leading with empathy, and what it looks like to finally believe in yourself—without losing your edge.This one’s for every operator who’s ever felt like they didn’t belong. Emily shows us that growth doesn’t always start with confidence. Sometimes it starts with a question: “What if I’m wrong about myself?”To follow her work, check her Instagram @chefbrubs. _________________________________________________________Free 5-Day Restaurant Marketing Masterclass – This is a live training where you'll learn the exact campaigns Josh has built and tested in real restaurants to attract new guests, increase visit frequency, and generate sales on demand. Save your spot at restaurantbusinessschool.comFull Comp is brought to you by Yelp for Restaurants: In July 2020, a few hundred employees formed Yelp for Restaurants. Our goal is to build tools that help restaurateurs do more with limited time.We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other content:Yelp for Restaurants PodcastsRestaurant expert videos & webinars

Lauren Fernandez went from working in restaurants, to working on restaurants, to influencing the industry at scale. After cutting her teeth as a corporate executive turned franchisee, she’s taken the lessons she’s learned and crafted not only an educational platform, but an investment engine for those that come after her. Today, we discuss what she's built and how it works to ease the burden of independent restaurateurs.For more information on Lauren and Full Course, visit https://www.fullcourse.com/_________________________________________________________Free 5-Day Restaurant Marketing Masterclass – This is a live training where you'll learn the exact campaigns Josh has built and tested in real restaurants to attract new guests, increase visit frequency, and generate sales on demand. Save your spot at restaurantbusinessschool.comFull Comp is brought to you by Yelp for Restaurants: In July 2020, a few hundred employees formed Yelp for Restaurants. Our goal is to build tools that help restaurateurs do more with limited time.We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other content:Yelp for Restaurants PodcastsRestaurant expert videos & webinars

What if the most powerful thing you bring to your restaurant isn’t a recipe—but your story?Alon Shaya built Pomegranate Hospitality not on a model, but on a mission: to lead with identity, not conformity. In this episode, he shares how embracing his immigrant past changed everything—from how he cooks, to how he hires, to the way he gives back. We get into the power of cultural storytelling in a commodity industry, the systems that let passion scale, and why he built an entire nonprofit around the teacher who saved his life.This is for every operator who’s tired of chasing trends, and ready to build something real.To learn more about Pomegranate Hospitality, visit pomegranatehospitality.com._________________________________________________________Free 5-Day Restaurant Marketing Masterclass – This is a live training where you'll learn the exact campaigns Josh has built and tested in real restaurants to attract new guests, increase visit frequency, and generate sales on demand. Save your spot at restaurantbusinessschool.comFull Comp is brought to you by Yelp for Restaurants: In July 2020, a few hundred employees formed Yelp for Restaurants. Our goal is to build tools that help restaurateurs do more with limited time.We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other content:Yelp for Restaurants PodcastsRestaurant expert videos & webinars

The pandemic taught many of us many different lessons but it taught Chef Fabio Vivani how to fight back. The chef spent the years rebounding from the pandemic curating a concept that he believes is not only recession proof, it’s pandemic proof. Today we sit down to discuss the formula he’s crafted for guaranteed success so that we too can protect our businesses from what’s lurking around the corner. For more information on the chef, visit https://www.fabioviviani.com/_________________________________________________________Free 5-Day Restaurant Marketing Masterclass – This is a live training where you'll learn the exact campaigns Josh has built and tested in real restaurants to attract new guests, increase visit frequency, and generate sales on demand. Save your spot at restaurantbusinessschool.comFull Comp is brought to you by Yelp for Restaurants: In July 2020, a few hundred employees formed Yelp for Restaurants. Our goal is to build tools that help restaurateurs do more with limited time.We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other content:Yelp for Restaurants PodcastsRestaurant expert videos & webinars

What if staying quiet is the riskiest move you can make?Katherine Miller built her career where politics and policy collide—and she’s not afraid to bring chefs into the fight. From her early days in democratic campaigns to working with global nonprofits and the UN, Katherine’s mission has been clear: empower the most trusted voices in food to influence the systems that shape it.In this episode, we dig into why chefs are uniquely positioned to drive real change, how restaurant owners can speak up without alienating guests, and the surprising cost of silence in today’s political climate. She shares a clear, actionable framework for advocacy and explains why being apolitical doesn’t protect you—it sidelines you.For any operator wondering how to take a stand without losing their seat at the table, this is the conversation you’ve been waiting for.To learn more about her work and pick up a copy of At the Table, visit table81.com._________________________________________________________Free 5-Day Restaurant Marketing Masterclass – This is a live training where you'll learn the exact campaigns Josh has built and tested in real restaurants to attract new guests, increase visit frequency, and generate sales on demand. Save your spot at restaurantbusinessschool.comFull Comp is brought to you by Yelp for Restaurants: In July 2020, a few hundred employees formed Yelp for Restaurants. Our goal is to build tools that help restaurateurs do more with limited time.We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other content:Yelp for Restaurants PodcastsRestaurant expert videos & webinars

When you open a restaurant you've investing in more than a business, you're investing in a community.  As we change and evolve as individuals so do our communities and few places more beautifully illustrate this capacity to change more than Portland, Oregon. Today's we chat with, Portland's adopted son, Celebrity Chef Gregory Gourdet. Instead of staking his claim in his hometown of New York or following the trends out to Los Angeles, Gregory has chosen to walk a more complicated path, using this talent and his food to help mend together a community that is still struggling to become the best version of itself.For more on the chef visit https://www.gregorygourdet.com_________________________________________________________Free 5-Day Restaurant Marketing Masterclass – This is a live training where you'll learn the exact campaigns Josh has built and tested in real restaurants to attract new guests, increase visit frequency, and generate sales on demand. Save your spot at restaurantbusinessschool.comFull Comp is brought to you by Yelp for Restaurants: In July 2020, a few hundred employees formed Yelp for Restaurants. Our goal is to build tools that help restaurateurs do more with limited time.We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other content:Yelp for Restaurants PodcastsRestaurant expert videos & webinars

What if the biggest threat to your restaurant isn’t bad food or poor service—but bad tech?That’s the bet Ankit Gupta is making. After shaping food delivery at tech companies globally, he saw a blind spot no one was fixing: restaurant tech was leaving restaurants behind. Now he’s leading the product team at Otter, and his mission is clear: to completely redefine what a restaurant point of sale system is and how it can holistically serve the changing needs of restaurants today.In today’s conversation, he shares why POS systems should be more than a way of collecting revenue–they should be creating new revenue opportunities, how data and marketing can work together through automation to scale your brand, and what operators can learn from manufacturers to scale profitability.This is more than a conversation about tech—it’s a conversation about identity, resilience, and realizing that the tools that will free us in the future already exist today.To learn more about Otter and the most powerful restaurant operating system ever created, visit tryotter.com._________________________________________________________Free 5-Day Restaurant Marketing Masterclass – This is a live training where you'll learn the exact campaigns Josh has built and tested in real restaurants to attract new guests, increase visit frequency, and generate sales on demand. Save your spot at restaurantbusinessschool.comFull Comp is brought to you by Yelp for Restaurants: In July 2020, a few hundred employees formed Yelp for Restaurants. Our goal is to build tools that help restaurateurs do more with limited time.We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other content:Yelp for Restaurants PodcastsRestaurant expert videos & webinars

I believe restaurants have always had a pervasive culture, albeit at times not the healthiest culture. Restaurateur Ellen Yin is out to change that and she’s leading by example. Today we sit down to discuss her unorthodox path through the industry and how in breaking the mold, she’s developed the formula to heal our industry.  To learn more about Ellen and her restaurant group, visit https://highsthospitality.com/_________________________________________________________Free 5-Day Restaurant Marketing Masterclass – This is a live training where you'll learn the exact campaigns Josh has built and tested in real restaurants to attract new guests, increase visit frequency, and generate sales on demand. Save your spot at restaurantbusinessschool.comFull Comp is brought to you by Yelp for Restaurants: In July 2020, a few hundred employees formed Yelp for Restaurants. Our goal is to build tools that help restaurateurs do more with limited time.We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other content:Yelp for Restaurants PodcastsRestaurant expert videos & webinars

What if the only way to build a restaurant worth running was to make it fun—even in crisis?Andy Shallal didn’t set out to be a restaurateur. He left a stable path in medical science, waited tables to get by, and discovered something powerful: hospitality could be a vehicle for joy, justice, and deep human connection.In this episode, Andy shares how he built Busboys and Poets into a mission-driven brand that prioritizes people over profits—and why “fun” is his north star, even through economic collapse and a global pandemic. We get into the power of quitting the wrong path, how food becomes a spiritual force, and why transparency and storytelling matter more than ever.If you’ve ever wondered whether restaurants can still change lives, this conversation is your answer.To learn more about Busboys and Poets, visit busboysandpoets.com._________________________________________________________Free 5-Day Restaurant Marketing Masterclass – This is a live training where you'll learn the exact campaigns Josh has built and tested in real restaurants to attract new guests, increase visit frequency, and generate sales on demand. Save your spot at restaurantbusinessschool.comFull Comp is brought to you by Yelp for Restaurants: In July 2020, a few hundred employees formed Yelp for Restaurants. Our goal is to build tools that help restaurateurs do more with limited time.We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other content:Yelp for Restaurants PodcastsRestaurant expert videos & webinars

World-famous restaurateur Will Guidara is back with his latest project — and it’s not a restaurant, it’s a book. Will was made famous by the over the top service he provided at Eleven Madison Park and, as it turns out, there was a method to the madness.In this episode, Will and I sit down to discuss the formulaic way that he set expectations for his guests' experience and the process he created to exceed those expectations.Be sure to pick up a copy of Will’s book, “Unreasonable Hospitality”, when it releases on October 25th._________________________________________________________Free 5-Day Restaurant Marketing Masterclass – This is a live training where you'll learn the exact campaigns Josh has built and tested in real restaurants to attract new guests, increase visit frequency, and generate sales on demand. Save your spot at restaurantbusinessschool.comFull Comp is brought to you by Yelp for Restaurants: In July 2020, a few hundred employees formed Yelp for Restaurants. Our goal is to build tools that help restaurateurs do more with limited time.We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other content:Yelp for Restaurants PodcastsRestaurant expert videos & webinars

What if the stable path isn’t the right one?Mohammad Farraj was on track to be a trauma surgeon. Instead, he left medicine to launch a taco truck—against family expectations, cultural pressure, and common sense. That truck became Talkin’ Tacos, a fast-casual franchise now operating in seven states.In this episode, Mohammad shares what pushed him to walk away from a “safe” life, how a teenage TikTok creator sparked their first viral moment, and why obsessing over experience—not just food—created a brand that keeps growing.This is for any operator who’s ever felt the pull to start over and build something real.To learn more about Talkin’ Tacos and their nationwide expansion, visit talkintacos.net._________________________________________________________Free 5-Day Restaurant Marketing Masterclass – This is a live training where you'll learn the exact campaigns Josh has built and tested in real restaurants to attract new guests, increase visit frequency, and generate sales on demand. Save your spot at restaurantbusinessschool.comFull Comp is brought to you by Yelp for Restaurants: In July 2020, a few hundred employees formed Yelp for Restaurants. Our goal is to build tools that help restaurateurs do more with limited time.We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other content:Yelp for Restaurants PodcastsRestaurant expert videos & webinars