QSR Uncut
QSR Uncut is a podcast from the editors of QSR magazine—the leading publication for foodservice owners and operators—that discusses the current state and future of the fast-food restaurant industry. Made for restaurant executives, entrepreneurs, consumers, and leaders, each episode candidly shares expert advice from some of the industry's most insightful leaders.
Episodes
376 episodes
The Rise of AI and Location Intelligence in QSR, with Gladys Kong
Gladys Kong, CEO of Azira, joins QSR Uncut this week to break down some rising technologies and how restaurant brands can better understand their customers, optimize operations, and compete in a market where consumer behavior is quickly changin...
Cinnabon Makes a Big Beverage Move, with Chief Brand Officer Urvi Patel
One of the country’s most-iconic treat chains recently rolled out Seattle’s Best Coffee as it looks to compete more aggressively for high-frequency beverage occasions and evolve beyond traditional indulgence moments. We’ll explore what that mea...
QSR Tech and Drive-Thru Expectations: What Do Customers Really Want?
Andy Grindstaff, Director, Enterprise Restaurant Product, Global Payments, joins QSR Uncut this week for a wide-ranging discussion as we roll around the tech landscape. Let's talk AI. Drive-thru (does speed matter as much as it used to?). How c...
Welcome to Moe’s! … for Late-Night? With Chief Brand Officer Mike Smith
Moe’s Southwest Grill is in the midst of a new, three-part strategy to drive incremental gains. It includes extended hours to serve unmet demand, a Gen Z menu play, a deeper dive into delivery, and more as the category icon readies for what’s n...
How Your Kitchen Can Solve Margin Pressure, with Kelli Jenkins and Derek Clayton
Kelli Jenkins, senior product manager at Vitamix, and Derek Clayton, the company’s corporate chef, join QSR Uncut for a wide-ranging discussion covering everything from back-of-the-house foodservice trends to the skill gap in restaurants to und...
The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill Preps for Lift-Off, with President Bob Andersen
Recently named a Top 3 emerging restaurant chain in the U.S. by Datassential, The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill is fast approaching 100 units and $150 million in systemwide sales. President Bob Andersen joins QSR Uncut to discuss life growing...
Lessons on Leadership from One of the Industry’s Most Important B2B Companies
Alissa Partee is stepping into the role of CEO at Restaurant Technologies, a company she joined in 2020 before becoming COO. Partee has worked at leading brands such as Buffalo Wild Wings and Caribou Coffe...
A Conversation on Franchising, Growth, and the State of Restaurants, with Fransmart CEO Dan Rowe
Dan Rowe, CEO and founder of Fransmart, and 35-plus-year-industry vet, joins QSR Uncut this week for a special episode exploring what it takes to grow, the state of concept creation, how franchising is evolving, and much more. We explore some o...
The Journey of Beignet Spot, with CEO and Cofounder Fabrice Alce
Can a brand based around beignets scale? We step into the unique concept with its cofounder and CEO, Fabrice Alce, to explore developing a fast casual from the roots, what it takes to start looking ahead, and how leadership changes from the ear...
Winning the Value Customer, with Cici's President Jeff Hetsel
The legacy pizza buffet has posted a strong year despite the odds, leaning into a fresh approach of value-based branding and promotions. From a record-breaking loyalty launch that turned back the clock on pricing, with sales jumping nearly 30 p...
A New Way for Franchisees to Find Capital, with Zack Fishman and Jimmy Frischling
Back in March, F&B Capital, a new capital markets firm focused on advising and supporting concepts across t...
What’s Next for Potbelly After RaceTrac Sale, with Jennifer Durham
Jennifer Durham, SVP of franchising and development at Potbelly, joins QSR Uncut to discuss the sandwich chain’s next act after its blockbuster $566 million deal to RaceTrac. One of the most-intriguing deals in recent quick-service memory broug...
Revealing the Growth Potential of Secret Burger Kitchen, with CEO Paul Sandhu
Beginning inside a Holiday Inn hotel kitchen in Tacoma, Washington, Secret Burger Kitchen has taken a fervent following and developed a brand ready to scale. CEO and cofounder Paul Sandhu joins QSR Uncut to share how the upstart concept teamed ...
The State of Restaurant Media, with Brian Lowe
BML Public Relations president and CEO Brian Lowe returns to QSR Uncut after one of our most-listened to episodes to unpack what restaurants need to ...
The State of Digital in Fast Food and Fast Casual: Revisited (2026 Edition)
Last year, in what’s become an annual tradition here on QSR Uncut, Qu CMO Jen Kern broke down restaurant operators' thoughts on technology for the year ahead. Jen now returns to unravel the latest report, which unpacks how the industry appears ...
Staying a Step Above, with Velvet Taco's New CEO Chris Schultz
With more than 30 years of industry experience, including serving as CEO of Voodoo Doughnut and SVP of operations at MOD Pizza, Chris Schultz brought a wealth of insight to Velvet Taco when he joined the fast casual late last year. He's now tur...
[BONUS] Two Announcements and Invites to Join Other Restaurant Leaders
It's time to reveal our QSR Evolution Conference (with a special discount code for operators) and something new we're working on, an exclusive peer-to-peer restaurant group you can join and connect with fellow leaders, every day. Th...
The Marketing Genius Behind Dave’s Hot Chicken, with CMO Brandon Rhoten
There may not be a faster-growing restaurant chain in the country than Dave’s Hot Chicken over the past few years. In fact, it’s one of the quickest-scaling franchises we’ve ever recorded. Now, it’s looking to take major buzz and turn it into s...
The Remarkable Story of Konala, with Founder Trace Miller
Health-focused fast casual Konala is pioneering a high protein drive-thru model with a brand that wants to open access to a new way of eating. And it all began when Trace and his family cured what was supposed to be terminal epilepsy through fo...
The Future of Plant-Based Burger Chains, with Chris Treloar
The plant-based restaurant segment has ridden a roller coaster in recent years. From the apex of hype to some brands shutting down to others adopting a hybrid approach, what’s the market today truly look like? PLNT Burger CEO Chris Treloar join...
The Unbridled Growth Story of CookUnity, with Morley Ivers
Morley Ivers, Head of Global Strategic Partnerships, joins QSR Uncut to discuss the rise of America’s first chef-to-you meal delivery platform. CookUnity delivered more than 43 millions meals in 2025 (80 percent year-over-year growth), served n...
The Future of QSR Design, with Queenie Lo
Queenie Lo, president, Spatial Design at global agency FutureBrand, joins QSR Uncut this week to talk about the next generation of store models and the growing importance of physical experiences as prices continue to rise. For over 15 years, Qu...
Sweetfin at 10 Years: Expanding Beyond Poke, with Cofounder Seth Cohen
Seth Cohen, cofounder of Sweetfin and one of QSR Uncut’s original guests, returns to chat about the fast casual’s evolution as it celebrates 10 years. But this is far more than just a party. The brand kicked off 2026 with a bold new culinary ch...
How FiiZ Drinks is Building a Soda Empire, with Scott Ball
FiiZ Drinks president Scott Ball joins the podcast to break down life operating in arguably QSR’s craziest market there is today—beverages. From dirty sodas to energy drinks to more, FiiZ has expanded to more than 70 locations since its 2014 fo...
Paris Baguette and the Road to 1,000 Restaurants, with CDO Nick Scaccio
Paris Baguette Chief Development Officer Nick Scaccio joins QSR Uncut this week to unpack the global brand's mission to reestablish the neighborhood bakery café in markets nationwide. Targeting 1,000 stores in North America by 2030, the chain i...