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
355 episodes
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...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 223
•
28:18
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...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 222
•
33:41
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...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 221
•
39:15
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...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 220
•
25:14
[BONUS] CEO to CEO: A&W Restaurants' Betsy Schmandt and Kilwins' Brian Britton
In this episode of CEO to CEO: Behind the Counter, we hand the mics over to A&W Restaurants’ CEO Betsy Schmandt and Kilwins’ CEO Brian Britton. They discuss life overseeing two of the country’s most-iconic foodservice brands, what it’s taki...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 219
•
38:24
Beverage Trends, Menu Moves, and the Research Powering Restaurants, with Tomás Gilbert
Tomás Gilbert, Director, Strategic Market Insights at Curion, joins QSR Uncut to break down his adventures as a qualitative researcher in the restaurant space. We get into what’s driving traffic, what food trends are landing on menus, why bever...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 218
•
37:09
Inside the Rise of Fuku, and a Sandwich That Couldn’t Be Kept a Secret
Fuku CEO Claudia Lezcano has held jobs from chief marketing officer of the Miami Dolphins, Marlins, executive roles at Burger King, Church’s Chicken, and more. But she knew she walked into something special when the opportunity to lead Fuku—the...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 217
•
40:41
Taco Cabana Gears Up for National Growth, with John Ramsay
John Ramsay, industry vet and director of franchise sales and development for the brand, joins QSR Uncut to discuss Taco Cabana’s recent success and how it’s positioning to take its legacy concept to fresh markets and beyond. The Texas institut...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 216
•
34:47
Jollibee is Ready for its U.S. Growth Push, with Peter Wright
Peter Wright, Jollibee's vice president of franchise development, joins QSR Uncut to discuss the global chicken giant's plans to ramp up domestic development through franchising. Voted the No. 1 Fried Chicken in America, Wright, a former Starbu...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 215
•
35:31
Getting Real on Restaurant Real Estate, with Joe Blanton
Joe Blanton, founder & CEO of Stone Restaurant Real Estate, joins QSR editorial director Danny Klein for a trip around the market. We look at how site selection is trending, what kind of properties operators are finding to build in today, a...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 214
•
38:57
Inside the Growth Journey of Brasa Peruvian Kitchen, with CEO Michel Falcon
From culture setting to finding big-time industry supporters, like former Subway president Doug Fry, Brasa Peruvian Kitchen wants to redefine the fast casual model (it just recently opened in NYC for the first time). We explore the brand’s rise...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 213
•
43:29
Staying Relevant and Fueling Growth, with Rita’s CDO Lawrence Brown
Rita’s Italian Ice & Frozen Custard Chief Development Officer Lawrence Brown joins QSR Uncut this week to discuss how the 40-year-old Philly-based frozen treat brand is blending its nostalgic roots with a forward-looking growth strategy to ...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 212
•
24:29
Will Starbucks’ Redesign Strategy Work?
Starbucks’ strategy pivot to “turn coffee houses into living rooms” and get back to its “third place” was one of the biggest topics of 2025 and promises to grab headlines in 2026. The decision offers abundant lessons for QSRs, as Pete Champion,...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 211
•
43:29
[BONUS] CEO to CEO: Original ChopShop's Jason Morgan and Taziki's Dan Simpson
In this episode of CEO to CEO: Behind the Counter, Original ChopShop leader Jason Morgan and Taziki's Mediterranean Café's Dan Simpson quiz one another on life leading rising fast casuals. What still defines the category? How do you truly build...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 210
•
1:06:22
Becoming an Unmissable Brand, with Habit Burger & Grill CMO Jack Hinchliffe
As Chief Marketing Officer of Yum! Brands’ Habit Burger & Grill since February 2023, Jack Hinchliffe leads all aspects of brand communications, retail calendar, customer insights, digital marketing, and F&B for the fast casual. On this ...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 209
•
41:14
Kona Ice and the Making of One of America's Top Restaurant Franchises
Founded in 2007 by Tony Lamb, Kona Ice launched its first Kona Entertainment Vehicle in Florence, Kentucky. Today, the brand has grown to more than 1,900 trucks and nearly 3,000 points of sale, serving 49 states. The brand has also given back m...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 208
•
41:45
Why Nostalgia is Not a Strategy, and How to Future-Proof Your QSR Brand, with Mike Perry
Mike Perry, founder and chief creative officer at hospitality, food and beverage brand agency Tavern, joins QSR editorial director Danny Klein to discuss how restaurants can endure in today’s weary consumer environment. Why is brand id...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 207
•
48:46
[BONUS] CEO to CEO: Cheba Hut's Marc Torres and Toppers Pizza's Adam Oldenburg
In the next episode of QSR magazine's CEO to CEO series, where we have two leading executives turn the mic on each other, Cheba Hut's Marc Torres and Toppers Pizza's Adam Oldenburg share how they rose through the ranks of their respective brand...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 206
•
1:03:08
Why Chicken and Beverages are Surging, and Other QSR Trends to Watch, with Datassential’s Huy Do
Huy Do, Research & Insights Manager at Datassential, joins QSR Uncut this week to break down the hottest trends in the industry, from beverages to chicken to healthy eating to value, and much more. We’ll break down consumer feedback and res...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 205
•
45:03
Building a Powerhouse Restaurant Platform, with Alex Macedo
Alex Macedo, former president of Burger King and Tim Hortons, is now leading Authentic Restaurant Brands, a restaurant platform he co-founded that directs Primanti Bros, P.J. Whelihan’s, Mambo Seafood, Pollo Tropical, and most recently, Tavern ...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 204
•
38:38
AI, Tech Stacks, and the Future of QSR Operations, with Abhinav Kapur
Bikky’s Abhinav Kapur joins QSR Uncut this week to discuss the state of tech, his journey creating a platform now being used in more than 4,000 locations, from Dave’s Hot Chicken to Bojangles, and much more. We’ll explore buzz words, reality, w...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 203
•
39:37
Another Coffee Chain Hits the Growth Trail, with Beans & Brews CEO Doug Willmarth
Beans & Brews Coffeehouse CEO Doug Willmarth joins QSR Uncut this week to discuss the story and potential of an 80-plus unit brand that’s been home to “high-altitude roasting” since 1993. What does that mean? How does it differentiate the f...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 202
•
38:33
[BONUS] CEO to CEO: Happy Joe's Tom Sacco and BRIX Holdings' Sherif Mityas
Our latest episode of the QSR CEO to CEO: Behind the Counter series features two industry mavens in Happy Joe’s Pizza & Ice Cream’s Tom Sacco and BRIX Holdings’ leader Sherif Mityas. The two restaurant veterans chatted about a h...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 201
•
54:55
Unlocking Innovation and Concept Creation, with Aaron Noveshen and Michael Parlapiano
Michael Parlapiano, managing director of The Culinary Edge, and its founder and industry vet, Aaron Noveshen, join QSR Uncut this week to break down a host of topics, from the rise of chicken chain Starbird to what it takes to innovate, create,...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 200
•
42:30
Into the World of QSR Consumer Insights, with Will Krieger and Erin Dougherty
Will Krieger and Erin Dougherty, of strategic insights firm The Directions Group, join QSR Uncut this week to break down what’s happening industry-wide and how restaurants are reacting to satisfy consumers’ ever-changing needs. We talk everythi...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 199
•
40:07