Podcast Episodes
Back to Search
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 i…
Published on 1 day ago
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. T…
Published on 2 weeks, 1 day ago
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 economi…
Published on 3 weeks, 1 day ago
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 navigat…
Published on 4 weeks, 1 day ago
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. McCau…
Published on 1 month ago
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 …
Published on 1 month, 1 week ago
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 h…
Published on 1 month, 2 weeks ago
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 …
Published on 1 month, 3 weeks ago
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 tod…
Published on 1 month, 3 weeks ago
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 …
Published on 2 months ago