WEBVTT 1 00:00:01.080 --> 00:00:06.080 It's nice with Dan on Dell Boston Radio. 2 00:00:07.679 --> 00:00:09.320 I just follow up last hour. 3 00:00:09.359 --> 00:00:11.359 I know that I was talking to Rob of the 4 00:00:11.400 --> 00:00:15.039 Grand Wizard of Professional Wrestling, which we talked. We mentioned 5 00:00:15.119 --> 00:00:18.239 him in passing in Joe and I'm a renaissance man 6 00:00:18.280 --> 00:00:22.239 and that I follow lots of issues. But they say 7 00:00:22.399 --> 00:00:26.160 that the only person whose intellect might have approached the 8 00:00:26.359 --> 00:00:30.199 intellect of the Grand Wizard of Professional Wrestling was none 9 00:00:30.239 --> 00:00:33.039 other than Albert Einstein. And there's a there's a debate 10 00:00:33.640 --> 00:00:37.520 in the intellectual academic community as to who actually was 11 00:00:37.560 --> 00:00:41.159 a you know, just had a higher IQ, the Grand 12 00:00:41.159 --> 00:00:45.719 Wizard of Professional Wrestling or Albert Einstein. It can be 13 00:00:45.840 --> 00:00:48.320 argued either way. But I just just would put the 14 00:00:48.320 --> 00:00:54.000 the exclamation point on that we are changing topics and 15 00:00:54.079 --> 00:00:56.880 we have Sharif Mit yes with us. 16 00:00:57.240 --> 00:00:57.640 Sharif. 17 00:00:57.679 --> 00:00:59.679 I don't know if you're a wrestling fan, but one 18 00:00:59.719 --> 00:01:02.200 of our call his last hour told me that he 19 00:01:02.280 --> 00:01:04.519 was driving he drives home every night, and he had 20 00:01:04.840 --> 00:01:07.680 been at a show and so he mentioned that. I said, well, 21 00:01:07.680 --> 00:01:10.680 what musical instrument. You know, most of these folks are 22 00:01:10.879 --> 00:01:15.359 who listened to us, they they're musicians. And he said 23 00:01:15.359 --> 00:01:17.799 that that he had been a he had been in 24 00:01:17.879 --> 00:01:20.920 a participating in a wrestling show. 25 00:01:21.159 --> 00:01:22.959 Uh, and he. 26 00:01:23.799 --> 00:01:25.280 I asked him if he was a wrestling said he 27 00:01:25.319 --> 00:01:28.920 was a wrestling manager. So obviously that immediately. I don't 28 00:01:28.959 --> 00:01:31.519 know if you remember the grid Wizard of professional wrestling, 29 00:01:31.560 --> 00:01:33.400 and I know that you're not prepared to talk about 30 00:01:33.400 --> 00:01:36.319 this in any great detail, shearif because it's a little 31 00:01:36.319 --> 00:01:41.400 off topic. But he was quite an intellect at his time, 32 00:01:41.480 --> 00:01:42.079 that's for sure. 33 00:01:42.079 --> 00:01:42.560 How are you. 34 00:01:42.519 --> 00:01:47.280 Tonight, I'm doing great And I wrestled in high school, 35 00:01:47.280 --> 00:01:49.719 but not not the not the w w ee kind. 36 00:01:50.480 --> 00:01:53.879 Yeah, well this was Yeah, the Grand Wizard was a 37 00:01:54.719 --> 00:01:58.239 he was a manager, and uh he was. 38 00:01:58.400 --> 00:02:00.760 He was a brilliant tactician. Let me put it like that. 39 00:02:00.959 --> 00:02:03.280 You know, in his sports, there has never been has 40 00:02:03.359 --> 00:02:07.000 never been touched by scandal, as one of my predecessors, 41 00:02:07.040 --> 00:02:08.639 Eddie Andaman used to remind us. 42 00:02:08.520 --> 00:02:09.159 Which is true. 43 00:02:09.199 --> 00:02:12.159 It was never touched by any form of rigging or 44 00:02:12.240 --> 00:02:13.639 scandal or anything like that. 45 00:02:13.719 --> 00:02:15.919 It's a lot of the other sports have had. 46 00:02:15.960 --> 00:02:18.800 You know, Baseball had their black socks scandal, and there's 47 00:02:18.840 --> 00:02:22.520 been some college basketball scandals, and we remember Paul Horning 48 00:02:22.560 --> 00:02:25.919 and Alex Carris, who who lost the year for some 49 00:02:26.319 --> 00:02:29.240 and Pete Rose and all of that, but pro wrestling 50 00:02:29.719 --> 00:02:34.599 has been, you know, a very upstanding sport in this country. Anyway, 51 00:02:34.800 --> 00:02:38.400 there you go, Yeah, look up the Grand Wizard of 52 00:02:38.439 --> 00:02:43.759 professional wrestling. You'll you'll understand this brilliance. That is not 53 00:02:43.840 --> 00:02:47.439 what we're talking about. Uh Sharif bit Yes, I was 54 00:02:47.479 --> 00:02:50.599 a guest of us earlier this week. He is the 55 00:02:50.599 --> 00:02:54.360 CEO of a company called Bricks Holdings. And you're gonna say, 56 00:02:54.360 --> 00:02:57.159 oh damn, we're doing some heavy duty economics. Yeah we are, 57 00:02:57.159 --> 00:03:03.840 but it's interesting economics. Tell Bricks Holdings. What does your 58 00:03:03.919 --> 00:03:04.560 company do? 59 00:03:06.039 --> 00:03:06.319 Yeah. 60 00:03:06.360 --> 00:03:10.680 So we're a franchisor of eight restaurant brands. So we 61 00:03:10.840 --> 00:03:14.560 have over three hundred locations and forty some states around 62 00:03:14.599 --> 00:03:18.560 the country, and the one that your listeners will probably 63 00:03:18.639 --> 00:03:23.319 know the most is the Friendlies chain Family Dining at 64 00:03:23.360 --> 00:03:27.000 its best our ninetieth birthday this year. We still have 65 00:03:27.039 --> 00:03:31.199 some great stores around Boston and Pembrooke and Norwood and 66 00:03:31.280 --> 00:03:35.199 South Weymouth and a few other sites. But we've got 67 00:03:35.360 --> 00:03:38.639 ninety two stores up and down the Eastern seaboard and 68 00:03:38.919 --> 00:03:42.199 we love serving memories, as we call it, an ice cream. 69 00:03:43.599 --> 00:03:47.280 Another guests yeah, a lot of people. And by the way, 70 00:03:47.520 --> 00:03:51.199 I should mention that you're not a Massachusetts native, but 71 00:03:51.599 --> 00:03:54.840 you went to school here and graduated from Boston University 72 00:03:55.719 --> 00:03:59.280 back in nineteen eighty nine, so you've been in this 73 00:03:59.319 --> 00:04:02.000 business for a while. I want to talk about Friendlies 74 00:04:02.000 --> 00:04:05.120 because Friendlies kind of disappeared here although I had was 75 00:04:05.280 --> 00:04:09.360 red reminded. You know, Friendlies was founded in western New 76 00:04:09.400 --> 00:04:11.960 England and I think it goes back to the nineteen 77 00:04:12.080 --> 00:04:15.159 thirties if I'm not mistaken, and it was a it 78 00:04:15.240 --> 00:04:17.759 was a standard restaurant here for most of my life, 79 00:04:17.800 --> 00:04:20.279 and then it did enter bankruptcy. 80 00:04:20.519 --> 00:04:21.639 But you folks have. 81 00:04:22.040 --> 00:04:26.319 Taken them out of break bankruptcy and now Friendlies is 82 00:04:26.360 --> 00:04:30.360 owned by your company, Bricks Holdings, and you're bringing them back, 83 00:04:30.399 --> 00:04:32.000 and that's going to delight a lot of people. 84 00:04:33.040 --> 00:04:33.680 We are. 85 00:04:34.160 --> 00:04:37.360 We just thought when it was in bankruptcy, it was 86 00:04:37.480 --> 00:04:42.279 just it was a brand that had too much still connection, right, 87 00:04:42.360 --> 00:04:44.360 there were so many memories out there with guests that 88 00:04:44.399 --> 00:04:46.879 we felt at the bones, so to speak of the 89 00:04:46.920 --> 00:04:49.399 brand were so strong that we could bring it back. 90 00:04:49.480 --> 00:04:52.560 And we're so excited to bring it back and to 91 00:04:52.000 --> 00:04:56.120 grow this venerable chain again, to your point starting, you know, 92 00:04:56.360 --> 00:05:01.720 nineteen thirty six, and so it's been around for so long, 93 00:05:01.920 --> 00:05:05.160 and we just opened our latest new store down to Orlando, Florida, 94 00:05:05.399 --> 00:05:09.079 brand new, beautiful store, and that we have many more 95 00:05:09.160 --> 00:05:11.040 planned for the Eastern Seaboard. 96 00:05:11.920 --> 00:05:16.680 And the new incarnation. And I know it's a little 97 00:05:16.720 --> 00:05:22.759 more complicated than that in the sense that Friendlies ran 98 00:05:22.879 --> 00:05:25.079 into some trouble. A lot of these restaurants were in 99 00:05:25.079 --> 00:05:32.519 into trouble in COVID times, and you folks have taken 100 00:05:32.560 --> 00:05:36.920 a look at it, and there are still I think 101 00:05:36.959 --> 00:05:40.879 you told me seventy franchise locations that are still operational, 102 00:05:41.639 --> 00:05:46.879 and we now roll up the forty corporate locations. You're 103 00:05:46.920 --> 00:05:50.399 going to have one hundred and ten approximately restaurants in 104 00:05:51.000 --> 00:05:56.079 thirteen states, and the Friendlies will be back. I mean, 105 00:05:56.160 --> 00:06:02.240 it's a great you know, it's it's it's a legacy restaurant, 106 00:06:02.279 --> 00:06:07.319 and and when we lose restaurants like that, it's it's 107 00:06:07.319 --> 00:06:11.920 a little frustrating. So, uh, let's let's talk about Friendlies. 108 00:06:11.959 --> 00:06:15.879 But I also want to remind people, uh as we 109 00:06:16.000 --> 00:06:20.519 talk today that COVID not only had an impact on Friendlies, 110 00:06:20.959 --> 00:06:27.000 but Red Lobster t G I F. Friday's Buca di Beppa, 111 00:06:27.079 --> 00:06:30.319 which is one of my favorites. Uh, a nationwide chain, 112 00:06:30.879 --> 00:06:32.920 and you mentioned a couple of others on the border 113 00:06:33.000 --> 00:06:37.040 and Hooters, which I know is a controversial restaurant that 114 00:06:37.199 --> 00:06:41.199 that sort of lost. It's uh, it's panache, if you will. 115 00:06:41.800 --> 00:06:44.600 But then you also mentioned, like someone just told me 116 00:06:44.680 --> 00:06:47.160 that ground Round is back in business. There was I 117 00:06:47.199 --> 00:06:51.600 got an email from a listener. But, uh, are there 118 00:06:51.639 --> 00:06:53.800 any ground Round restaurants left as far as. 119 00:06:53.639 --> 00:06:57.040 You know, Well, yeah, I think there's there. There could 120 00:06:57.079 --> 00:07:00.720 be the one that they're trying to resurrect. And so 121 00:07:00.959 --> 00:07:03.319 there are some old brands out there. You mean, you 122 00:07:03.399 --> 00:07:07.120 had Benegan's right, and you had Steak and Ale, and 123 00:07:07.120 --> 00:07:11.519 there's these really old brands that people remember they unfortunately 124 00:07:11.560 --> 00:07:14.240 died out, and you know, there's there's brave souls out 125 00:07:14.279 --> 00:07:17.199 there that are trying to resurrect them. And it's it's 126 00:07:17.199 --> 00:07:18.920 hard though. The restaurant business is tough. 127 00:07:19.879 --> 00:07:23.480 Yeah, you also just to sort of flesh out your 128 00:07:24.120 --> 00:07:28.480 expertise in your background. There's a bunch of other restaurants 129 00:07:28.639 --> 00:07:31.560 that that you folks run, and some of them I'm 130 00:07:31.639 --> 00:07:35.279 familiar with, some of them, I'm not Orange Leaf, which 131 00:07:35.319 --> 00:07:40.680 is a frozen yogurt restaurant, Red mango quean juice, which 132 00:07:40.720 --> 00:07:43.720 I guess is organic juice, and that's down in the South. 133 00:07:44.519 --> 00:07:48.079 Is it Super Salad that's a buffet restaurant, Super Salad. 134 00:07:48.480 --> 00:07:52.720 That's right, super solid yep. And then we have Smoothie 135 00:07:52.839 --> 00:07:55.240 Factory plus kitchen yep, our smoothie concept. 136 00:07:56.000 --> 00:07:56.600 Yeah. Okay. 137 00:07:56.680 --> 00:07:58.639 So what I want to do when I come back, 138 00:07:58.759 --> 00:08:01.519 I want to talk with you in greater depth and 139 00:08:01.600 --> 00:08:05.399 I'm hoping callers will join us as to what restaurants 140 00:08:05.399 --> 00:08:08.439 would they like to see come back, uh, and and 141 00:08:08.519 --> 00:08:10.480 you would be able to give us some updates on them. 142 00:08:10.600 --> 00:08:12.560 But I also want to talk to you about the 143 00:08:12.600 --> 00:08:17.560 restaurant industry. And you know these these are chains which 144 00:08:18.399 --> 00:08:21.000 a lot of the chains have survived. I mean McDonald's, 145 00:08:21.040 --> 00:08:24.199 which give you give me a choice between going to 146 00:08:24.360 --> 00:08:27.120 McDonald's and a Friendly's. I'm gonna pick Friendlies every day 147 00:08:27.160 --> 00:08:28.839 of the week and twice on Sunday. 148 00:08:29.439 --> 00:08:29.600 Uh. 149 00:08:29.639 --> 00:08:31.800 And there's nothing, there's nothing to compare. 150 00:08:32.279 --> 00:08:32.519 Uh. 151 00:08:32.600 --> 00:08:35.840 The only one that has come along recently that I 152 00:08:35.879 --> 00:08:41.000 think is really a great, family style and inexpensive restaurant. 153 00:08:41.799 --> 00:08:46.039 I like Olive Garden, but Chick fil A, which has 154 00:08:46.080 --> 00:08:48.639 a little bit of controversy with it, but that's doing 155 00:08:48.720 --> 00:08:51.000 gangbusters from what I understand. 156 00:08:51.240 --> 00:08:54.279 It really is. Yeah, they've they've kind of broken the formula, 157 00:08:54.440 --> 00:08:57.240 so to speak. And uh, they're they're on a growth street. 158 00:08:58.519 --> 00:09:01.000 One other restaurant that I know a little bit about, 159 00:09:01.879 --> 00:09:06.000 how is Popeye's doing. Is that on the upside or 160 00:09:06.080 --> 00:09:07.000 is it slowing down? 161 00:09:08.080 --> 00:09:11.960 Well, you know, they they had a massive, let's call it, 162 00:09:12.080 --> 00:09:17.279 social media introduction of their new chicken sandwich and they 163 00:09:17.279 --> 00:09:19.919 were selling out within minutes. But this was, you know, 164 00:09:19.919 --> 00:09:23.240 a couple of years ago, you know, so they're still 165 00:09:23.279 --> 00:09:25.919 doing okay, you know, kind of riding that wave that 166 00:09:26.159 --> 00:09:29.159 chicken is still a very hot cuisine type. As you 167 00:09:29.159 --> 00:09:31.720 think about the wingstops of the world and the Chick 168 00:09:31.759 --> 00:09:35.120 fil haze of the world, you know, chicken is something 169 00:09:35.159 --> 00:09:38.960 that's really caught fire basically across the country and supporting 170 00:09:38.960 --> 00:09:39.879 a lot of these chains. 171 00:09:40.279 --> 00:09:42.200 Yeah, a little more healthy than some of the some 172 00:09:42.240 --> 00:09:44.200 of the meat products and all of that, So we 173 00:09:44.320 --> 00:09:48.799 get that. But my guest is a Sharif Mitt. Yes, 174 00:09:49.440 --> 00:09:53.320 he's the CEO of Brick Holdings. Bricks Holdings, which is 175 00:09:53.399 --> 00:09:58.840 going to bring back Friendlies, the restaurant chain Friendlies, which 176 00:09:59.039 --> 00:10:02.480 is going to emerge. Has it emerged already from bankruptcy 177 00:10:02.559 --> 00:10:04.159 or was the process still underway? 178 00:10:04.919 --> 00:10:07.759 No, we emerged. We bought it out of bankruptcy back 179 00:10:07.799 --> 00:10:11.200 in twenty twenty one, and so we're back on a 180 00:10:11.200 --> 00:10:13.759 growth trajectory now, okay, and. 181 00:10:14.679 --> 00:10:18.399 You will have a footprint here in Massachusetts. I see 182 00:10:18.480 --> 00:10:22.360 right now that you have one on Providence Highway, which 183 00:10:22.360 --> 00:10:28.159 I think is in Denham. There's another one here. I'm 184 00:10:28.200 --> 00:10:30.519 not sure what town. They give me the addresses, but 185 00:10:31.000 --> 00:10:32.440 they don't give me the towns. 186 00:10:32.879 --> 00:10:37.720 What are some of the and Pembrooke and South Weymouth 187 00:10:38.840 --> 00:10:42.720 and Norwood those we have four stores right now Massachusetts. 188 00:10:43.039 --> 00:10:48.559 Okay, Norwood is probably the Providence Highway address, that's right, 189 00:10:49.360 --> 00:10:51.559 I know. Yeah, Okay, I see where that one is. 190 00:10:52.440 --> 00:10:54.120 All right, We'll going to take a break if you 191 00:10:54.240 --> 00:10:57.080 like to join the conversation and ask about a favorite 192 00:10:57.080 --> 00:11:01.960 restaurant of viewers that you haven't seen. Look, I remember 193 00:11:01.960 --> 00:11:05.080 when the last I think there's finally one Howard Johnson 194 00:11:05.159 --> 00:11:09.080 that is still operational up in Maine, and that was 195 00:11:09.960 --> 00:11:13.120 it's like, how do you mess up Howard Johnson's. But somehow, 196 00:11:13.200 --> 00:11:17.279 some way it did it went out of business. 197 00:11:17.759 --> 00:11:17.879 Uh. 198 00:11:19.080 --> 00:11:22.000 You know, that was one that everybody in New England knew. 199 00:11:22.159 --> 00:11:24.320 At least I was. 200 00:11:24.360 --> 00:11:28.240 Very familiar with Howard Johnson's. It was like it was 201 00:11:28.279 --> 00:11:29.679 it was like when you were going to go out 202 00:11:29.720 --> 00:11:33.879 and have some fine dining, were you'd go to Howard Johnson's. Anyway, 203 00:11:34.240 --> 00:11:36.879 if you like to join the conversation talking about restaurants 204 00:11:36.879 --> 00:11:40.519 six one seven, two thirty six one seven, nine three, 205 00:11:41.080 --> 00:11:44.600 ten thirty And I'll tell you when I talked earlier 206 00:11:44.840 --> 00:11:49.519 today with my guests Shariff mitt Yes, I was asking 207 00:11:49.600 --> 00:11:52.639 him about restaurants all over the country, and he has 208 00:11:52.679 --> 00:11:56.639 a very good grasp on the uh the industry that 209 00:11:56.720 --> 00:12:01.159 he is in, and his company basically brings restaurants back. 210 00:12:02.080 --> 00:12:04.559 I hope you can bring Buca to Peppa back because 211 00:12:04.639 --> 00:12:08.480 I loved that restaurant. I mean I loved. I loved 212 00:12:08.480 --> 00:12:13.960 the lemon cellos for dessert. That's what I most loved. 213 00:12:15.080 --> 00:12:17.320 Take a break, coming right back on Nightside, the only 214 00:12:17.360 --> 00:12:18.840 lines open on six one seven. 215 00:12:20.480 --> 00:12:21.919 Back on Nightside right after this. 216 00:12:23.279 --> 00:12:35.639 It's night Side with Boston's News Radio. 217 00:12:38.000 --> 00:12:40.799 Our guest is Sharif Mityas Met. 218 00:12:40.879 --> 00:12:44.639 Yes, the CEO of Bricks Holdings, and amongst other things, 219 00:12:44.679 --> 00:12:48.039 they are bringing friendlies back, Friendly's restaurants back to life. 220 00:12:48.279 --> 00:12:49.919 Let's get to a phone call, see what people I 221 00:12:49.960 --> 00:12:53.360 want to talk about. Let me go to Gary in Woburn, Massachusetts. Gary, 222 00:12:53.399 --> 00:12:55.559 welcome first this hour and nightside right head Gary. 223 00:12:56.720 --> 00:12:59.960 My question is this is Papa is considered a rush? 224 00:13:00.000 --> 00:13:00.159 Thanks? 225 00:13:00.200 --> 00:13:00.399 Right? 226 00:13:02.600 --> 00:13:03.799 I considered a restaurant. 227 00:13:03.879 --> 00:13:06.480 Let's see what Scharife has to say because he can 228 00:13:06.559 --> 00:13:10.279 and I guess Papa Gino's has also gone. Scharife, are 229 00:13:10.279 --> 00:13:11.759 you familiar with Papa Gino's. 230 00:13:13.000 --> 00:13:15.960 I am yeah. And you know, basically, Gary, you know, 231 00:13:16.039 --> 00:13:19.799 any we consider any place that gets out there and 232 00:13:19.879 --> 00:13:23.919 serves guests food or beverage is a restaurant. Now, there's 233 00:13:23.960 --> 00:13:27.960 lots of different things. There's quick serve restaurants, there's food trucks, 234 00:13:28.360 --> 00:13:32.399 there's fast casual, there's fine dining, there's casual dining. But 235 00:13:32.440 --> 00:13:35.720 they're all restaurants. If they serve food, we consider them. 236 00:13:35.919 --> 00:13:39.679 You know, a place of an establishment that would be 237 00:13:39.759 --> 00:13:40.600 termed a restaurant. 238 00:13:41.840 --> 00:13:45.120 Okay, we all know that pizza is a big favorite 239 00:13:45.159 --> 00:13:48.840 among people. Of course, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday when they had 240 00:13:48.840 --> 00:13:51.879 it for about five to seven years, Sharif, it was 241 00:13:51.919 --> 00:13:54.120 the Ali can eat type of pizza in between four 242 00:13:54.159 --> 00:13:56.799 and eight o'clock, which went for six dollars. Then it 243 00:13:56.879 --> 00:13:59.679 went down to five dollars. Now they don't have it anymore. 244 00:14:00.279 --> 00:14:02.919 And I don't know if you're familiar with that. When 245 00:14:02.919 --> 00:14:04.559 they had the all you can eat for a Monday 246 00:14:04.559 --> 00:14:05.159 to Wednesday. 247 00:14:06.000 --> 00:14:11.919 Yep, Well, I say, Gary, I thought Papa Gino's was gone. 248 00:14:12.240 --> 00:14:14.399 They still Is there still a Papa Ginos that you 249 00:14:14.519 --> 00:14:15.000 go into. 250 00:14:16.039 --> 00:14:16.240 Oh? 251 00:14:16.279 --> 00:14:20.559 Absolutely, they have them in the Hayrold, Massachusetts, Settle Mahantsta 252 00:14:21.039 --> 00:14:22.399 and so top of them on that valley. 253 00:14:22.879 --> 00:14:25.879 Okay, so let me let me ask Shariff and stay 254 00:14:25.919 --> 00:14:28.879 right there, Gary, Sharif, did Papa Ginos go through a 255 00:14:28.960 --> 00:14:29.360 re York? 256 00:14:30.840 --> 00:14:33.879 They they did, but they're still around. Yeah, they're still operating. 257 00:14:34.039 --> 00:14:36.919 And but Gary, your point, you know, you see a 258 00:14:36.919 --> 00:14:38.919 lot of these folks now that I have to pull 259 00:14:38.960 --> 00:14:41.639 back on some of these deals, right because we've all 260 00:14:41.639 --> 00:14:43.679 been to the grocery store. We all see what's happening 261 00:14:43.679 --> 00:14:46.960 on prices, and unfortunately, some of these restaurants run on 262 00:14:47.080 --> 00:14:50.720 very thin margins, right, and so they're they're they're having 263 00:14:50.720 --> 00:14:53.639 a balancing act. Right, They don't want to alienate their guests. 264 00:14:53.720 --> 00:14:55.679 They want to make sure people come back and understand 265 00:14:55.720 --> 00:14:59.480 they can get a good deal. But those all you 266 00:14:59.480 --> 00:15:02.519 can eat That's what happened to Red Lobster, right, all 267 00:15:02.559 --> 00:15:05.399 you can eat shrimp. They went into bankruptcy. And so 268 00:15:05.639 --> 00:15:08.000 you've got to be careful in terms of just giving 269 00:15:08.000 --> 00:15:12.120 too much away while still providing great value for your guests. 270 00:15:14.080 --> 00:15:16.879 Okay, and before I let you go, both co I 271 00:15:16.879 --> 00:15:18.879 went to Florida twenty years ago, just give me a 272 00:15:18.919 --> 00:15:21.639 little trivia questions. It was McDonald's six o'clock on a 273 00:15:21.679 --> 00:15:22.279 Friday night. 274 00:15:22.600 --> 00:15:23.279 Who was there? 275 00:15:23.679 --> 00:15:27.120 The customers and the workers, But was there anybody else there? 276 00:15:27.399 --> 00:15:27.480 No? 277 00:15:27.879 --> 00:15:30.480 And you know the reason why you can go anywhere 278 00:15:30.519 --> 00:15:33.519 in Florida at six o'clock. And there was only me 279 00:15:33.600 --> 00:15:36.000 and my girlfriend at six o'clock on a Friday night 280 00:15:36.120 --> 00:15:40.879 in Florida. 281 00:15:37.039 --> 00:15:42.399 Which, okay, we lost care there. I don't know what 282 00:15:42.480 --> 00:15:45.039 that story of what relevance that story had, but it 283 00:15:45.080 --> 00:15:46.120 was an interesting story. 284 00:15:46.279 --> 00:15:48.480 I guess the Early Broode special was over. 285 00:15:49.720 --> 00:15:49.919 Right. 286 00:15:51.159 --> 00:15:55.080 Let's go next to Glenn in Brighton, Massachusetts. Glenn, I 287 00:15:55.080 --> 00:15:57.639 don't know if you listened earlier, but Joan from Alaska 288 00:15:57.679 --> 00:16:02.120 called in and she she mentioned your name, by the way, Oh. 289 00:16:02.120 --> 00:16:04.360 I didn't while I was taking an app earlier. 290 00:16:04.679 --> 00:16:06.240 Well, you gotta, you gotta listen. 291 00:16:06.320 --> 00:16:08.720 Then to the eleven o'clock to the ten o'clock hour, 292 00:16:09.399 --> 00:16:11.639 Joan from a last was talking about a program she 293 00:16:12.000 --> 00:16:16.519 is involved with in which she volunteers to help people 294 00:16:16.639 --> 00:16:20.000 who are non sighted or blind whichever you know word phase. 295 00:16:20.080 --> 00:16:21.919 I know you take the word blind and use that 296 00:16:22.399 --> 00:16:25.240 and we're going to do something to us in service. Yeah, 297 00:16:25.320 --> 00:16:29.039 so she was she mentioned so she said that this 298 00:16:29.120 --> 00:16:31.240 is a great program. We will talk about it sometimes. 299 00:16:31.480 --> 00:16:34.159 If not tomorrow night, we'll talk about it sometime next week. 300 00:16:34.320 --> 00:16:38.080 You're on with my guest, Shariff mid Yes, the CEO 301 00:16:38.279 --> 00:16:39.240 of Bricks Holdings. 302 00:16:39.279 --> 00:16:43.200 What's your question, Glenn, this is a great topic. The restaurant. 303 00:16:43.679 --> 00:16:45.559 I don't want this to saw like a pinting party, 304 00:16:45.600 --> 00:16:48.960 but my favorite restaurant will go on round because I 305 00:16:48.960 --> 00:16:51.320 don't have a family to go to on greasepas and 306 00:16:51.360 --> 00:16:54.240 taste even you know, the holidays are very depressing for 307 00:16:54.440 --> 00:16:57.600 me and I used to you know this, They used 308 00:16:57.600 --> 00:16:59.879 to be one in my neighborhood to oh for In fact, 309 00:16:59.879 --> 00:17:02.600 I was in I was in the ground Rattle when 310 00:17:02.639 --> 00:17:05.720 they came and proved it down. They wouldn't let anybody 311 00:17:05.759 --> 00:17:09.200 finish their food. I don't know. 312 00:17:10.480 --> 00:17:12.400 You might say, you're getting you had your food in 313 00:17:12.400 --> 00:17:14.359 front of you and they came in here and close 314 00:17:14.440 --> 00:17:15.559 it down and they. 315 00:17:15.759 --> 00:17:19.359 Give it was it was four thirty thirteenth of oh four. 316 00:17:20.079 --> 00:17:20.759 That's a little bit. 317 00:17:24.160 --> 00:17:29.440 So these these weren't like the police, Glenn. These were 318 00:17:28.799 --> 00:17:31.559 the people who were closing it. 319 00:17:31.920 --> 00:17:33.759 Were corporate monkey marcks. 320 00:17:34.960 --> 00:17:42.400 Die student ties. Glenn. By the way, have you heard 321 00:17:43.200 --> 00:17:46.319 stories like that in your experienced. 322 00:17:45.680 --> 00:17:50.920 Reief I I unfortunately have not heard stories like that. 323 00:17:50.920 --> 00:17:53.480 That's a new one for me. Yeah, so that's not 324 00:17:53.680 --> 00:17:57.000 usually normal practice we we I if if we seek 325 00:17:57.079 --> 00:17:59.720 stores closing, they usually happen at the end of the 326 00:17:59.839 --> 00:18:01.559 night when there's no guest. 327 00:18:02.799 --> 00:18:03.000 Right. 328 00:18:04.000 --> 00:18:05.440 Yeah, Well that's a tough one. 329 00:18:05.559 --> 00:18:08.279 What's the future of ground Round if any I know 330 00:18:08.319 --> 00:18:10.759 we mentioned that one today. Is that gone for good? 331 00:18:11.960 --> 00:18:12.200 Well? 332 00:18:13.319 --> 00:18:16.079 It probably is, but you know, there again, there might 333 00:18:16.079 --> 00:18:18.640 be one or two that are trying to resurrect it. 334 00:18:18.640 --> 00:18:20.799 It's it's going to be tough though, I mean, competition 335 00:18:20.880 --> 00:18:24.839 in that space is very hard, and so if you're 336 00:18:24.880 --> 00:18:26.960 a restaurant. You don't have something unique, you don't have 337 00:18:27.039 --> 00:18:30.359 something that draws guests, and it's going to be tough 338 00:18:30.400 --> 00:18:31.200 to bring that back. 339 00:18:32.000 --> 00:18:36.119 So so ground round was was I maybe I'm using 340 00:18:36.160 --> 00:18:40.119 the wrong terminology here. Help me out. Family style restaurant, right, 341 00:18:40.200 --> 00:18:44.440 family restaurant. Yes, kids, kids are welcome, So you could 342 00:18:44.480 --> 00:18:47.400 go in there with your wife and you might have 343 00:18:47.440 --> 00:18:49.599 a family with some kids next year. You knew, you 344 00:18:49.640 --> 00:18:53.200 knew you took that chance. Did that hurt them or 345 00:18:53.279 --> 00:18:58.000 I assumed that was the backbone of their their customer base? 346 00:18:59.000 --> 00:19:01.160 You No, it was, And I mean we still have lots. 347 00:19:01.160 --> 00:19:04.039 I mean there's friendlies, right, there's lots of great family dining. 348 00:19:04.119 --> 00:19:06.920 You think about Chili's, you think about Applebee's, you think 349 00:19:06.960 --> 00:19:09.799 about you know, there's still chains out there that that 350 00:19:09.880 --> 00:19:14.119 cater to that family dining experience. Still offer a little 351 00:19:14.119 --> 00:19:16.240 bit of alcohol. Obviously they have a bar right for 352 00:19:16.640 --> 00:19:19.200 the dads and the moms, but you know there's still 353 00:19:19.200 --> 00:19:22.319 a place for those. But you've got you've got to 354 00:19:22.359 --> 00:19:25.480 provide a great experience. You've got to provide something that's differentiated, 355 00:19:25.519 --> 00:19:27.599 and you've got to provide something that's going to make 356 00:19:27.599 --> 00:19:32.279 those guests come back or unfortunately again, competition is pretty stiff. 357 00:19:32.880 --> 00:19:36.240 Who's amongst those type restaurants, who's doing the best job 358 00:19:36.319 --> 00:19:36.640 right now? 359 00:19:36.640 --> 00:19:37.319 In your opinion? 360 00:19:38.279 --> 00:19:42.119 Right now? Hands down, it's Chili's. You know, Chili's has 361 00:19:42.119 --> 00:19:45.680 been able to not only keep the guests that remember 362 00:19:45.680 --> 00:19:48.599 the Chilies of old. You know, you all know the jingle, right, 363 00:19:48.720 --> 00:19:51.799 my baby back red jingle, but they've been able to 364 00:19:51.880 --> 00:19:55.000 connect with the younger generation, the Gen z ers and 365 00:19:55.119 --> 00:19:59.119 Gen xers. They're on TikTok on Instagram. They're showing, you know, 366 00:19:59.200 --> 00:20:01.680 their appetite the plates where lots of kids can share 367 00:20:01.759 --> 00:20:04.920 food and cheaply. They got a great ten ninety nine 368 00:20:04.960 --> 00:20:07.880 deal that again screams value for folks that are you know, 369 00:20:07.920 --> 00:20:09.920 they're looking at their wallets right now and saying, can 370 00:20:09.960 --> 00:20:13.240 I go out? So Chili's is hitting on all cylinders 371 00:20:13.279 --> 00:20:14.960 right now and doing a really great job in the 372 00:20:15.000 --> 00:20:16.039 casual dining space. 373 00:20:16.640 --> 00:20:19.400 All right, Glenn, we're getting close to the news here. 374 00:20:19.440 --> 00:20:20.839 You got another question of comment. 375 00:20:21.799 --> 00:20:23.759 Yeah, they have a first restaurant to give me a 376 00:20:23.759 --> 00:20:27.240 braille menu. I still have a pro prosperity, even though 377 00:20:27.319 --> 00:20:30.240 you know there's no more, there's no more. 378 00:20:30.880 --> 00:20:32.839 Okay, and good. 379 00:20:32.880 --> 00:20:36.640 Yeah, it was a traveling salesman in seventy three. We 380 00:20:36.680 --> 00:20:38.519 went to the ground, round and framing him, and my 381 00:20:38.599 --> 00:20:41.440 dad goes, do you guys throw tinut shells on the floor. 382 00:20:41.759 --> 00:20:43.200 I'd kill my son if he did that. 383 00:20:43.920 --> 00:20:46.839 Yeah, that's what they did. That's what they did. All right, Glenn, 384 00:20:46.839 --> 00:20:48.920 appreciate the call, have a good one. Talk to you soon. 385 00:20:49.319 --> 00:20:51.400 We got to take quick break here. We'll see you Sunday, 386 00:20:51.599 --> 00:20:53.920 See you Sunday, Glenn. We're got to take quick break 387 00:20:54.000 --> 00:20:56.359 six one, seven, two, five, four, ten, thirty six one 388 00:20:56.440 --> 00:21:00.880 seven ninety there's a restaurant up here. Again you probably 389 00:21:00.880 --> 00:21:04.240 are always familiar with this. We call them the ninety nine. 390 00:21:04.480 --> 00:21:07.279 Their still doing fine, right, that's right. 391 00:21:07.680 --> 00:21:09.079 They are very good. 392 00:21:10.119 --> 00:21:15.160 And they're not compete I don't know which ones compete 393 00:21:15.160 --> 00:21:19.559 with which ones. When we talk about a chili's, are 394 00:21:19.599 --> 00:21:21.720 they in the same space as in ninety nine or 395 00:21:21.799 --> 00:21:22.519 is that a difference? 396 00:21:22.599 --> 00:21:24.680 Are they able to differentiate a different space? 397 00:21:25.640 --> 00:21:30.680 They're they're slightly differentiated, right, because again they're they they've 398 00:21:30.720 --> 00:21:33.200 done a little bit broader of a menu. They're a 399 00:21:33.200 --> 00:21:36.240 little bit different clientele. But you know, again, it's it's 400 00:21:36.240 --> 00:21:38.200 their shades of Gray at that point. 401 00:21:38.319 --> 00:21:42.640