Jamie Cecil

Esteemed Development Executive Joins One of QSR's Fastest Growing Brands to Accelerate Nationwide Expansion ATLANTA, April 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Smalls Sliders has appointed 30-year industry veteran Don Crocker as its new Chief Development Officer. In his new role, Crocker will spearhead all development strategy including identifying opportunities for expansion, partnership, and enhanced market penetration as the brand is focused on disciplined growth. With proven track records of driving growth and innovation on a global scale, Crocker's expertise has made him one of the most sought-after C-Suite executives in the restaurant industry. Most recently, Crocker served as the Chief Development Officer for Inspire Brands where he led the development strategy for new company and franchise openings, capital reinvestment, and real property assets for the company, which has more than 32,000 restaurants worldwide. Prior to that, Crocker spent nearly 20 years at Chick-fil-A Restaurants where he pioneered the brand's explosive nationwide growth into more than 65 new DMA's alongside having a hand in one third of the brand's total store portfolio with "go/no go" decisions. I've been fortunate to work alongside some of the most high-profile, exciting brands this industry has to offer, so I can recognize a brand built for global growth when I see it," said Crocker. "With how crowded the restaurant space has become in recent years, it's rare to see a brand really break through the way that Smalls Sliders has in such a short amount of time. I'm eager to truly bring Smalls Sliders and its distinctive product to more communities across our national footprint." Crocker's immediate focus lies on leading initiatives to strengthen Smalls Sliders' market position and foster strategic alliances that propel the brand toward large-scale growth targets. "I am excited to have Don join our growing Executive Leadership Team," said Maria Rivera, CEO of Smalls Sliders. "His experience, insights, and leadership will be invaluable assets as we progress our vision, mission, and purpose. As we move toward our vision to shake up the big burger industry, no one is more prepared to support our growth in the QSR space than Don...Clickthru to read more." https://lnkd.in/gid9rmd8 #QSR #Entrepreneur #Restaurants #Franchise #Franchising #FranchiseChat Chainformation Altir Industries, Inc. Franchise Pipeline Franchise Development Outsource Ned Lyerly Joe Caruso Michael (Mike) Webster PhD Anders Hall Jonathan Martin Michael Scherr Richard Leveille, CFE Rachard Dennis Tom Wells Julie Hauser-Blanner Sarah Cavey  

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KFC’s largest domestic franchisee’s restructuring leads to HQ layoffs. KBP Foods’ footprint has grown to more than 1,000 restaurants, including KFC, Taco Bell, Arby's, and most recently, SONIC Drive-In http://ow.ly/Yg0Z105PcLR

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Obviously, the big news of the week in the retail world when it comes to leadership changes. We are a big fan of what Chipotle has done with their "Chipotlane" concept and what the brand has done for customers over the years, so it will be interesting to see how the new CEO does! Niccol did some great things during his tenure. As a player working with some of the top companies in the retail space, we know that with great brands, there is never a dull moment and things change! As they say....when one door closes, a new one always opens. Good read on the change that will influence two premier companies. #retaildevelopment

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📅 Today at 1 PM EST: I’m excited to chat with Kevin Hart from Upside this afternoon! 🎙️ We'll be diving into how businesses can avoid the value menu frenzy 🍔 and, more importantly, how to drive in-store traffic 🛍️ 🚶 . Ill be discussing: 🏆 Success stories from Roy Rogers Restaurants 🎖️ Effective strategies to provide real value beyond blanket discounting 👏 Strategic resource allocation and building loyalty Would love for you to tune in!  👉 Register here: https://lnkd.in/eBDHTZ7A #RestaurantStrategy #RoyRogers #CustomerLoyalty

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It's that time again. Today, Monday 8/19/24, is our Full Moon deal. The Florida area Marco's Pizza stores will offer all of our pizzas for 50% off. There is no limit to how many pizzas and it's available all day & night. This offer is only available once a month during a Full Moon (if the Full Moon is on a Fri-Sun, the deal is moved to another day). Use online code FM50 or pick the offer out of our online Hot Deals. Of course you can also pick up the phone & call & just mention this offer. What about restrictions you ask? Well here they are: 1) Not available for delivery or thru third party delivery services. 2) Can't be combined with other offers or loyalty cash. 3) Max 3-toppings on build-your-own pizzas. 4) Not all stores may be participating. If you don't see the online offer or the code doesn't work, please call the store to check. That's it! Order as many as you want as many times as you want! If you haven't tried Marco's Pizza before, this is the time to do it!

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Frisch's Restaurants, Inc. senior management acquires remaining Big Boy locations. Frisch’s area coach Don Short and vice president of operations Cheryl White are trying to save what’s left of the restaurant brand http://ow.ly/KBnC105PwG3

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Cannot wait for these amazing learning sessions!!! Not only do we get to learn about asset management and restaurant and hospitality trends…..we get those end of year CEUs! #fhwexpo #assetmanagement #restaurants #restauranttrends #restaurantdesign

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It's that time again. Tomorrow, Thursday 10/16/24, is our Full Moon deal. Many Florida area Marco's Pizza stores will offer all of our pizzas for 50% off. There is no limit to how many pizzas and it's available all day & night. This offer is only available once a month during a Full Moon (if the Full Moon is on a Fri-Sun, the deal is moved to another day). Use online code FM50 or pick the offer out of our online Hot Deals. Of course you can also pick up the phone & call & just mention this offer. What about restrictions you ask? Well here they are: 1) Not available for delivery or thru third party delivery services. 2) Can't be combined with other offers or loyalty cash. 3) Max 3-toppings on build-your-own pizzas. 4) Not all stores may be participating. If you don't see the online offer or the code doesn't work, please call the store to check. That's it! Order as many as you want as many times as you want! If you haven't tried Marco's Pizza before, this is the time to do it!

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As ROIs and LOLs converge in conversation, don’t we need more TLAs? POS: The chariot that whisks away your purchases to the land of Completed Transactions, one beep at a time. #PointOfSale #BeepAndGo" #SpreadPositivity #HBros DEFINITION Point of Sale: The place where a retail transaction is completed.

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It’s a simple philosophy we share at Chick-fil-A: Cared for people, care for people.

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This Veteran’s Day, I am proud to spotlight Marco's Pizza (Marco's Franchising, LLC) franchisee McLain Hoogland, President of Hoogland Restaurant Group and our largest franchisee, operating more than 100 Marco’s locations.   McLain’s background as a Marine infantry officer who completed two combat tours has powerfully shaped his approach to the restaurant industry. The skills he developed in the military such as operational discipline, team training, and strategic decision-making, are the same skills he uses to lead and grow a successful multi-unit franchise network. Under his leadership, @Hoogland Restaurant Group experienced significant growth in comparable same-store sales last year, showcasing remarkable increases in sales and order counts.   But McLain’s story is not just about numbers; it’s about impact. Through his disciplined approach to growth, he’s expanding into new territories and opening approximately 20 new locations each year, inspiring both veterans and entrepreneurs to leverage their own experiences to reach new heights. His recent opening in Milwaukee is just one more step in his growth journey with Marco’s Pizza.   If you’re a veteran or an entrepreneur seeking a path to build something meaningful, McLain’s story is a reminder that the skills you have today can drive incredible success in business.   Interested in joining a brand that values experience and empowers growth? Learn more about our franchise opportunities at marcos.com/franchising. #BusinessOpportunity #Franchising #BusinessOwnership #Leadership #Entrepreneurship #MarcosPizza #Success #Veterans

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Include the cost of delivery in your item price versus separating it out….so says the data presented by Andrew Custage of Medallia who questioned customers on their preferences - here at Food On Demand 2024. What does your restaurant do on pricing delivery? The Digital Restaurant #fooddelivery #pricing

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Restaurants are the new 🔥 HOT🔥 investment. Why new restaurant investors are suddenly knocking at the door: 1. Investors looking at uncertain costs of capital and market conditions are taking the long play on an industry that's poised for growth alongside population. People gotta eat, even when they have less spending power; the winners in times of economic contraction are QSR and Fast Casual. 2. The industry is well past 2019 volume and recovered strongly post-COVID. It is projected to cross 1 TRILLION dollars this year in sales. The risk of failure or contraction at this point is de minimus. 3. We're the third largest employer in the US, and one of the top 5 contributors to GDP. Political winds of change are not likely to affect the industry's output, in the larger scheme of things. 💡 Let's go one step deeper, because not all restaurant investments are created equal. Here's why I love Fast Casual as an investor and former owner/operator: 1. Double-digit growth as a segment, with a CAGR estimated between 11-13% through 2027. 2. It’s got a shorter payback period of 2-3 years. With lower capital outlays, we recoup investment and throw off cash faster than more expensive QSR builds and larger, full service restaurants. 3. Flexible labor model that allows us to stretch limited service as needed per brand, and even per location. 4. Easier to franchise: simpler builds, faster training, so we have wider pool of entrepreneurs willing to become first-time restaurant franchisees. 5. Ready-made for bolt-on revenue streams like delivery, catering, and non-traditional locations. Curious to learn more? If this is interesting to you, let's talk! We have a seat at the table for you. #restaurants #restaurantindustry #fastcasual #qsr #investing #privateequity #venturecaptial

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There has been a recent wave of #restaurant closures across the industry in #2024. Major chains including TGI Fridays, MOD Pizza, Outback Steakhouse, Applebee's Grill & Bar, Boston Market, and Red Lobster. Hart House the #LosAngeles-based #vegan chain from comedian #KevinHart recently shuttered all of their stores with no explanation. The reasons behind the closures may vary, but the outcomes are similar — #job loss, vacant #retail and capital loss for #investors.

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Every restaurateur I know wants to either make 20% profit at the unit level or, if they don’t, they want to know why their restaurants don’t make a profit at that level. They have heard the overworked saying that restaurants operate on “razor-thin margins.” Of course, that saying refers to the industry as a whole, so it includes successful restaurants as well as average and unsuccessful restaurants – the good, the bad, and the ugly. Combined, all restaurants average 3-5% profit. Show me one person who started a restaurant brand because they had a dream of being average! My business is about making successful people more successful. You must have success first before you work with me. Aiming of more than just being average? Let’s make your restaurants a standout success! Read here to learn more: https://lnkd.in/gQdYgbbj #restaurateur #restaurant #success #businessadvice

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I’m not surprised at all…… Joe Guszkowski wrote an article in Restaurant Business Magazine about TGI Fridays Red Lobster and Buca di Beppo declaring bankruptcy. If you follow me you know that I write a lot and speak about how we need to change and evolve. If you haven’t followed me pick up a copy of my book shift Happens-7 Proven Strategies to Help Your Restaurant Crush the New Economy. https://lnkd.in/e4DGStRK This post is about sales and dollars vs costs and percentages and value perception vs low cost, which is what I believe was the collapse and ultimate failure of these brands. For most of the 25 years I spent in restaurant management, cost % was beat into my head. I had to run 30% Cogs (cost of goods) or better. I had to run under 30% combined labor. And I had to keep controllables and non controllables under 20%. Does this sound familiar? While % are a way to track performance and management control, cutting costs is not a strategy. Cutting costs is a race to the bottom and ultimately closes restaurants. When we cut quality of product, we teach our people not to care about the food and drink we put out and ultimately it negatively affects the guest experience. If the food is not good, guests have one less reason to return. If we cut servers and bartenders too aggressively, we hurt the guest experience because our team doesn’t properly care for our guests. This hurts our long term sales because poor service and a lack of hospitality is a major reason not to return. Cutting labor too aggressively can also affect the immediate revenue. Servers and bartenders are also sales people. If given enough time, they are your best source of offering add ons and upsells. Line cooks are our production line. If you cut aggressively they can’t keep up production thus slowing table turns affecting immediate revenue as well as resulting in non repeat guests affecting long term growth. Ask any non restaurant business CEO if he/she has ever grown revenue by cutting the sales force and production. It is an impossibility. Instead of cost cutting to run certain percentages, we should focus first on sales generation and dollars. It’s important to drive top line revenue. To do that we have to redefine value. Value does not equal cheap. It is not necessarily the $1 menu at McDonald's or the endless bowls of pasta or the $15 3-course menu. Perceived value exits when the guest feels like what they received was worth more than they paid. In my opinion, companies mentioned in this article failed to evolve, failed to proitize sales, and failed to provide value beyond price. Chances are these huge restaurant chains won’t reach out to me for help and will continue to struggle. But, I can help you, the independent restaurant owner. Book a free call today! https://lnkd.in/eNJ8JSfy https://lnkd.in/ezT78CEf

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Exciting news from Craveworthy Brands As many of you know, I love to hint at our next big moves. Some might question this approach, but I believe it’s crucial to show my commitment to pushing our team and our dreams to new heights. Our latest acquisition is a game-changer, bringing Taim and Hot Chicken Takeover into our family! This strategic move will supercharge growth for our beloved Soom Soom and The Budlong Southern Chicken providing them an extraordinary platform to thrive. Additionally, it accelerates the expansion for Sigri Indian BBQ, offering immediate opportunities for two to three new locations. We’re also setting the stage to launch Costeño Rojo, testing a few locations to refine our concept further. But it’s not just about growth—it’s about people. We’re thrilled to collaborate with the fantastic teams at Taim and Hot Chicken Takeover. Their passion and innovation are exactly what we need to reach new heights. I’m excited to see what we can achieve together with this incredible talent. Stay tuned. We’re just getting started! #CraveworthyBrands #BusinessGrowth #Acquisition #FoodIndustry #Leadership #Innovation #RestaurantBusiness #Teamwork #Entrepreneurship #BrandExpansion

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I can’t think of any other opportunity that better prepares team members for a kitchen build. I have attended the Foodservice Design Boot Camp four times and learned something new from the outstanding faculty each time. #beverageindustry #foodservicedesign #kitchendesign

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