Shows / Choppin’ It Up by Bloomberg Intelligence
Choppin’ It Up by Bloomberg Intelligence
“Choppin’ It Up” by Bloomberg Intelligence features conversations with analysts, executives and entrepreneurs that are shaping the future of the restaurant industry. Topics include human capital, ghost kitchens, menu pricing, the FAST Act and everything in between. The podcast is hosted by Senior Restaurant and Foodservice Analyst Michael Halen.
Episodes
- Choppin’ It Up by Bloomberg Intelligence
Amazon Prime’s Ghani on New Uber Partnership
Amazon’s partnership with Uber Eats will help attract new customers and make Prime more valuable for existing ones in the US by getting members to spend…
- Choppin’ It Up by Bloomberg Intelligence
Church’s Texas Chicken CEO on Driving Traffic
Value has always been in the DNA of Church’s Texas Chicken, CEO Roland Gonzalez tells Bloomberg Intelligence. In this episode of the Choppin’ It Up…
- Choppin’ It Up by Bloomberg Intelligence
Northeastern’s Muscolino on Investing in Markets
Failure to investigate short interest and earnings quality are two of the most frequent mistakes investors make, Vincent Muscolino, senior lecturer of finance…
- Choppin’ It Up by Bloomberg Intelligence
Dutch Bros’ Barone on Driving Strong Sales Gains
The great ideas in the restaurant industry are typically the ones your customers and teams are already asking for, Dutch Bros CEO Christine Barone tells…
- Choppin’ It Up by Bloomberg Intelligence
Hershey’s Rothman on Re-Skilling the Workforce
This is a really exciting time to be in HR as we figure out how to re-skill employees so they can use new tools and fit into new roles, Hershey Chief Human…
- Choppin’ It Up by Bloomberg Intelligence
McWin Capital Partners on Investing in Europe
Europe is a complex market, so the cookie-cutter approach to international expansion doesn’t work, Vaibhav Juneja, a principal at McWin Capital Partners…
- Choppin’ It Up by Bloomberg Intelligence
TGI Friday CEO’s Plans for Top-Line Growth
TGI Friday’s is eliminating busy work from their general manager’s plates, allowing them to focus on the team members, Sugarloaf Holdings Founder…
- Choppin’ It Up by Bloomberg Intelligence
Fooda’s CEO on Its Asset-Light Foodservice Model
Employers are increasingly paying for more and more food to boost recruitment, productivity, retention and “earn the commute” of their workers…
- Choppin’ It Up by Bloomberg Intelligence
Quality, Portions Feed Handel’s Ice Cream Sales
If you do something well with consistency and discipline in the food business, guests will come back, according to Handel’s Ice Cream CEO Jennifer…
- Choppin’ It Up by Bloomberg Intelligence
Piada Italian Street Food’s Sales Outperform
Our comparable sales over the last six years are a reflection of the brand, menu and execution of the concept by our team, Piada Italian Street Food’s…
- Choppin’ It Up by Bloomberg Intelligence
Matternet CEO Raptopoulos on Drone Delivery
The return on investment for drone delivery is attractive today and is going to get way more attractive over the next few years as the industry scales…
- Choppin’ It Up by Bloomberg Intelligence
SignalFlare’s Lukianoff on Gas, Fast Casual, AI
Fast-casual chains are most exposed to the gas-price spike as their menu prices have crept up to rival full-service, SignalFlare.ai’s founder and CEO…
- Choppin’ It Up by Bloomberg Intelligence
Craftable’s Cantu on Boosting Restaurant Profits
“We have taught restaurant employees to focus on prime costs, but there are so many other ways to lose money,” Craftable’s CEO David Cantu…
- Choppin’ It Up by Bloomberg Intelligence
Smashburger’s Co-Founder, CEO on Improved Sales
If you aren’t playing the value game, you’re turning a blind eye to a big trend in the marketplace that isn’t going away soon…
- Choppin’ It Up by Bloomberg Intelligence
BJ’s CEO on Simplification, Store Development
At a high level, there are two questions I ask our teams to consider: Is what we’re doing making things better or easier for our team members, or better…
- Choppin’ It Up by Bloomberg Intelligence
Dog Haus Aims to Disrupt the Franchised Model
Dog Haus’ new franchisee deals “mutually align incentives” between the brand and its operators, CEO Michael Montagano tells Bloomberg…
- Choppin’ It Up by Bloomberg Intelligence
858 Partners' George on SaaS, AI and Robotics
All-in-one software solutions didn’t work before and aren’t going to work this time, Juan George, co-founder of 858 Partners, tells Bloomberg…
- Choppin’ It Up by Bloomberg Intelligence
SupplyCaddy CEO Stein on Packaging Strategy
Custom packaging is a brand impression at scale and quality equates to retention for restaurant chains, SupplyCaddy co-founder and CEO Zachary Stein says on…
- Choppin’ It Up by Bloomberg Intelligence
Loop’s Tumuluru on Restaurant Delivery Trends
The way diners are discovering restaurants has shifted away from reviews and to social media, Loop’s co-founder Anand Tumuluru tells Bloomberg…
- Choppin’ It Up by Bloomberg Intelligence
Service Perception Hurt Restaurant Traffic
Three out of 10 restaurant customers believe food quality is deteriorating and stores are understaffed, Lisa Miller, founder and president of Lisa W. Miller &…
- Choppin’ It Up by Bloomberg Intelligence
Brooklyn Dumpling Shop CEO on Fast-Casual Sales
There’s a lot of talk about how soft the consumer is, but our third-party delivery same-store sales are up 50% year over year, Brooklyn Dumpling Shop CEO…
- Choppin’ It Up by Bloomberg Intelligence
Liberty Ventures CEO on Conscious Leadership
If a leader wants to run a business that’s more focused on taking care of its people, he or she has to reflect on their own values and how they embody…
- Choppin’ It Up by Bloomberg Intelligence
Golden Corral’s Improved Operations Boost Sales
Value is more than just price — you have to give the guests an experience that exceeds their expectations, Golden Corral CEO Lance Trenary tells…
- Choppin’ It Up by Bloomberg Intelligence
Bikky’s Kapur on Saturation of Third-Party Ads
Survey data show third-party delivery ads are hitting a saturation point and 45% of chains expect to invest less in the channel in 2026, Bikky Co-Founder…
- Choppin’ It Up by Bloomberg Intelligence
Foodini’s CEO, COO on Food-Allergen Disclosure
A significant challenge of allergen disclosure is that ingredient information is fragmented and frequently changing, while supply-chain tracking isn’t…
- Choppin’ It Up by Bloomberg Intelligence
Chipotle’s Brandt on LTOs, Improving Operations
The rubber meets the road in Chipotle restaurants and the whole company is focused on improving operations, Chief Brand Officer Chris Brandt tells Bloomberg…
- Choppin’ It Up by Bloomberg Intelligence
TipHaus’ COO on New US Tax Law, ‘Tipflation’
The majority of full-time servers and bartenders should see more money in their pockets due to the recently enacted US tax law, TipHaus’ Chief Operating…
- Choppin’ It Up by Bloomberg Intelligence
Costa Vida’s Allen on Catering, Tech and AI
If you’re not paying attention to catering, your restaurants are missing a huge opportunity to drive revenue, Costa Vida President Wade Allen tells…
- Choppin’ It Up by Bloomberg Intelligence
A Plan for Cracker Barrel’s Path to Recovery
The great brands open up the throttle at their busiest times, Fred LeFranc, Results Thru Strategy founder, managing partner and chaos strategist, tells…
- Choppin’ It Up by Bloomberg Intelligence
Buffets, Bambi and Big Plans at Rave’s Pizza Inn
Pizza Inn is a massive sleeping giant with latent equity, Rave Restaurant Group CEO Brandon Solano tells Bloomberg Intelligence. In this episode of the…
- Choppin’ It Up by Bloomberg Intelligence
SPB Hospitality’s Kern on M&A, Refranchising
US restaurant spending has been resilient, and guests are looking for a better sit-down experience, SPB Hospitality CEO Josh Kern tells Bloomberg Intelligence…
- Choppin’ It Up by Bloomberg Intelligence
Velvet Taco’s Dover on Culinary Roots, Culture
What other restaurant can you go to and get a chicken-fried oyster taco? Velvet Taco CEO Clay Dover sits down with Bloomberg Intelligence senior restaurant and…
- Choppin’ It Up by Bloomberg Intelligence
Restaurants Set the Table for Better 2H Sales
The restaurant industry could post a 1-2% same-store sales increase for 2025, BI’s senior restaurant and foodservice analyst Michael Halen tells…
- Choppin’ It Up by Bloomberg Intelligence
FAT Brands’ Wiederhorn on Growth, Debt Paydown
Sales almost double when Smokey Bones restaurants are converted to the Twin Peaks chain, FAT Brands’ Chairman Andy Wiederhorn said on this episode of the…
- Choppin’ It Up by Bloomberg Intelligence
SignalFlare.ai’s Lukianoff on Data Analytics, AI
US restaurant development is outpacing population growth by about 5x, according to SignalFlare.ai Founder and CEO Michael Lukianoff. In this episode of…
- Choppin’ It Up by Bloomberg Intelligence
Ziosk’s Howard on Lifting Sales, Ops Via Digital
Establishing a digital relationship with the 75% of a chain’s patrons that aren’t loyalty customers will be the growth engine for full-service…
- Choppin’ It Up by Bloomberg Intelligence
HF Foods’ Lin on Organic Growth Strategies, M&A
M&A is a great opportunity for HF Foods Group because Asian specialty foodservice distribution is primarily made up of smaller competitors and HF is the only…
- Choppin’ It Up by Bloomberg Intelligence
Checkmate’s CEO on Voice AI, Kiosks, Catering
Voice AI at the drive-thru is one or two years away from being ready to be rolled out to hundreds of thousands of locations, Checkmate CEO and founder Vishal…
- Choppin’ It Up by Bloomberg Intelligence
Just Salad’s Kenner on Operations, Store Growth
Every Just Salad employee is trained in culture, connecting with customers and the consistency of product and hospitality, according to founder and CEO Nick…
- Choppin’ It Up by Bloomberg Intelligence
Align’s Kefauver on Tariffs, Tax Cuts and MAHA
Where we were with trade talks six weeks ago and where we are now are very different and that trajectory will continue over the next six weeks to six months…
- Choppin’ It Up by Bloomberg Intelligence
Ovation’s CEO on Addressing Customer Complaints
Poor order accuracy is a fast way to lose customers and gain one-star reviews, Ovation’s CEO and Founder Zack Oates tells Bloomberg Intelligence. In this…
- Choppin’ It Up by Bloomberg Intelligence
Authentic Restaurant Brands’ CEO on M&A Strategy
Authentic Restaurant Brands wants to be national, but it’s going to get there by being regional across the country, CEO Alex Macedo tells Bloomberg…
- Choppin’ It Up by Bloomberg Intelligence
Brinker’s Hochman on Chili’s Accelerating Sales
Chili’s accelerated sales growth is sustainable because the company is working with the fundamentals of casual dining — the food, service and…
- Choppin’ It Up by Bloomberg Intelligence
El Pollo Loco’s Employee Turnover Bests Peers
El Pollo Loco has some of the lowest turnover in the industry, CEO Liz Williams tells Bloomberg Intelligence. In this episode of the Choppin’ It Up…
- Choppin’ It Up by Bloomberg Intelligence
Olo’s Glass on Using Guest Data to Boost Traffic
It’s imperative for restaurant brands to use guest data to become more efficient with their marketing and drive profitable traffic, Olo’s CEO and…
- Choppin’ It Up by Bloomberg Intelligence
Denny’s Valade on Value, Keke’s Strong Growth
Consumers need to be able to count on restaurant brands for a great value proposition, Denny’s CEO Kelli Valade tells Bloomberg Intelligence. In this…
- Choppin’ It Up by Bloomberg Intelligence
Dairy Queen Pursues Strong International Growth
Dairy Queen’s international development team seeks to expand into countries where they can quickly grow market share, the customers can afford the…
- Choppin’ It Up by Bloomberg Intelligence
LA Aims to Rebuild Ahead of Super Bowl, Olympics
Any time you go through a disaster, the first thing you want to do is find your family and hug them, Main + Main’s CEO and Los Angeles resident Kyle…
- Choppin’ It Up by Bloomberg Intelligence
Twin Peaks’ Conversion Lifts Average Unit Volume
Twin Peaks’ first conversion of a Smokey Bones restaurant is generating run rate sales of $8.3 million, up from $3 million before the switch, CEO Joe…
- Choppin’ It Up by Bloomberg Intelligence
Tom’s Watch Bar Looks to Raise Sports-Bar Game
At its core Tom’s Watch Bar is a “super sports bar,” cofounder and co-CEO Brooks Schaden tells Bloomberg Intelligence. In this episode of the…
- Choppin’ It Up by Bloomberg Intelligence
Cracker Barrel’s Masino on Menu Enhancements
Cracker Barrel’s innovation team is “on fire” and just getting started, CEO Julie Masino tells Bloomberg Intelligence. In this episode of the…
- Choppin’ It Up by Bloomberg Intelligence
Firebirds’ Differentiated Experience Lifts Sales
Leaning into the wood fired grills, bringing fine-dining elements to a more casual environment and an affinity for families are points of differentiation for…
- Choppin’ It Up by Bloomberg Intelligence
Fast Food Lost Its Value, Convenience Advantages
Fast-food chains have lost their value and convenience advantages over competitors, Restaurant Insight Monitor Founder and Partner Tom Wagner tells Bloomberg…
- Choppin’ It Up by Bloomberg Intelligence
PathSpot’s Schindler on Reducing Foodborne Illness
The No. 1 issue behind the spread of foodborne illnesses is food handling and handwashing practices, making up 89% of outbreaks, PathSpot CEO and cofounder…
- Choppin’ It Up by Bloomberg Intelligence
Cava’s Rebhun on Driving Brand Awareness, Sales
Cava’s brand awareness has gotten a boost from the 2023 IPO, social media and its growing consumer packaged goods business, Chief Experience Officer Andy…
- Choppin’ It Up by Bloomberg Intelligence
Shake Shack’s Marketing Plan May Boost Frequency
Shake Shack’s food speaks for itself, but marketing can help reinforce the qualities that make it special like brisket in the burgers and shakes made with…
- Choppin’ It Up by Bloomberg Intelligence
Kiosks Can Boost Guest-Check Average and Margin
Guests are very willing to adopt kiosks as a part of their ordering process, and the technology can boost check averages 20% or more for some restaurants, Bite…
- Choppin’ It Up by Bloomberg Intelligence
Tariffs, Tax Rates at Stake in the 2024 Election
The US presidential race is between Vice President Kamala Harris, former President Donald Trump and the couch, according to Bloomberg Intelligence senior…
- Choppin’ It Up by Bloomberg Intelligence
Chili’s Cultural Relevance Boosts Traffic
It’s a battle for restaurants to become top of mind with consumers, so generating cultural relevance is imperative, Chili’s Chief Marketing Officer George…
- Choppin’ It Up by Bloomberg Intelligence
Craftable’s Zats on Using AI to Cut Eatery Costs
Restaurants can’t just raise prices, they need to use data to make real-time decisions to cut waste and excess costs, says Craftable CEO and co-founder Samuel…