Fast Casual Nation
Savor.fm • Business, Education, Entrepreneurship, Management
Savor.fm • Business, Education, Entrepreneurship, Management
Fast Casual Nation
Savor.fm • Business, Education, Entrepreneurship, Management
Savor.fm • Business, Education, Entrepreneurship, Management

About

Join the longest-running and most influential podcast in the fast-casual restaurant industry. Hosted by Paul Barron, the founder of fastcasual.com, the Top 100, and the Fast Casual Executive Summit. Joining him as Co-Host is Cherryh Cansler, Sr. Editor of Fastcasual.com. This team has reunited after over a decade to deliver unparalleled insights into the trends and future direction of the fast-casual sector.

Each week, they will share their deep knowledge gained from over two decades as a leading voices in this dynamic segment of the restaurant business. Paul literally wrote the book on fast casual, "The Chipotle Effect" " along with the documentary Fast Casual Nation, and Cherryh has been a driving force for the growth of Fastcasual.com over the past decade.

Episodes

  • 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 is in the bite" philosophy, innovative $4.99 value...
  • 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. The former Dunkin' franchisee reveals the secrets...
  • 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 economic uncertainty looming, Brian shares his Wall Street...
  • 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 navigating industry challenges. Learn about Chipotle's...
  • 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. McCaughan shares insights on Shake Shack's evolution from...
  • 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 burger space. Jaber shares his journey from...
  • 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 husband-and-wife team discusses their journey from...
  • 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 (Senior Marketing Manager, Scooter's Coffee) about...
  • 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 today's restaurant industry. With 270 locations across...
  • 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 BRIX is using AI for personalized marketing and...
  • Multi-Brand Mastery Meets AI Innovation
    Norman Wu of Conscious Hospitality Group reveals how he manages nine fast-casual brands across the Pacific Northwest, from Just Poke's 40 franchise locations to community-focused concepts like Haps burgers. Wu discusses his regional growth strategy,...
  • Building the World's Largest Mobile Empire: Tony Lamb's Blueprint for Multi-Brand Success
    Tony Lamb, CEO and founder of Kona Ice, reveals how he built the world's largest mobile food empire with 2,200 franchise trucks across three brands: Kona Ice, Traveling Tom's, and Beverly Ann's. In this Fast Casual Nation episode, Lamb breaks down his...
  • Fast Casual Growth Playbook: How Chicken Salad Chick Built a 309-Unit Empire
    Discover how Chicken Salad Chick CEO Scott Deviney transformed a 32-location startup into a 309-unit fast-casual empire in under a decade. In this Fast Casual Nation episode, Paul Barron and Cherryh Cansler dive deep into the brand's franchise growth...
  • Lime Fresh Mexican Grill's Strategic Revival: Menu Innovation and Market Expansion
    Lime Fresh Mexican Grill CEO Patrick Fore joins Fast Casual Nation hosts Paul Barron and Cherryh Cansler to discuss the brand's dramatic transformation, including a 30% menu overhaul, innovative partnerships with artisanal brands like Tabanero hot...
  • Longboards Wraps and Bowls: Kansas City's Authentic Fast-Casual Success Story
    Kansas City's Longboards Wraps and Bowls joins Fast Casual Nation hosts Paul Barron and Cherryh Cansler to share their incredible growth story from startup to 8 locations and 130 employees. Founder Gilbert Macapagal discusses his Filipino-inspired...
  • Graze Craze: Bringing Hospitality Back to Fast-Casual Through Charcuterie Innovation
    Cory Hibbard, President of Graze Craze, reveals how his charcuterie-focused fast-casual brand achieved 14 consecutive quarters of same-store sales growth while QSR giants struggle. Operating from small 500-1,000 sq ft locations, Graze Craze has scaled...
  • From Family Pizzeria to Fast-Casual Success: Joey Cioffi's Journey with The Salad House
    This episode is brought to you by KRAFT Philadelphia Cream Cheese Visit https://bit.ly/Kraft-FCN Join Fast Casual Nation hosts Paul Barron and Cherryh Cansler as they sit down with Joey Cioffi, founder and CEO of The Salad House, to explore his...
  • How la Madeline Cracked the Growth Code
    This episode is brought to you by KRAFT Philadelphia Cream Cheese Visit https://bit.ly/Kraft-FCN La Madeleine French Bakery & Café CEO John Dillon joins Fast Casual Nation to discuss the 43-year-old brand's strategic renaissance, including their...
  • The Fast Casual Taco Boom: Building The Perfect Brand 🌮
    Why are tacos taking over America's fast-casual scene? From corner food trucks to billion-dollar chains, the taco industry is exploding—and there's no sign of slowing down. In this episode, we sit down with Brooke Perry, VP of Marketing at Velvet...
  • Dining Trends Are Reshaping Menu Strategy and Marketing
    DIG's CMO Jessica Serrano reveals how the chef-driven fast-casual chain rebuilt its brand identity, scaled from Manhattan to suburban markets, and leveraged AI for better customer insights. Learn about their hyper-local marketing strategy, loyalty...