WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.120 --> 00:00:03.120 We are back here on the Restaurant Mastermind podcast, and 2 00:00:03.120 --> 00:00:05.160 today we're going to be diving into something that is 3 00:00:05.200 --> 00:00:07.240 going to be close to my heart, and that is 4 00:00:07.280 --> 00:00:10.359 the fast casual sector. It is going to be a 5 00:00:10.359 --> 00:00:11.839 good one. I got a lot of data for you 6 00:00:11.880 --> 00:00:14.359 guys on this one, and we have a very special 7 00:00:14.599 --> 00:00:17.920 guest coming in from Toastique. We'll break it all down 8 00:00:17.920 --> 00:00:19.000 for you. Paul. How are you. 9 00:00:19.600 --> 00:00:21.760 I am doing well, mister Baron. It's always a pleasure 10 00:00:21.800 --> 00:00:22.280 to be with you. 11 00:00:22.839 --> 00:00:26.519 Yeah. Did you know that fast Well, we kind of 12 00:00:26.559 --> 00:00:29.960 know that fast casual is the leading sector in terms 13 00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:33.320 of growth, but I did not realize that this could 14 00:00:33.320 --> 00:00:38.000 be a three hundred billion dollar market in as early 15 00:00:38.039 --> 00:00:40.399 as twenty thirty. I mean that that would be three 16 00:00:40.479 --> 00:00:44.159 hundred billion even if the if the industry creeps up 17 00:00:44.200 --> 00:00:45.920 to say one point two to one point three. I mean, 18 00:00:45.920 --> 00:00:48.920 you're talking about thirty, maybe thirty percent of the of 19 00:00:49.000 --> 00:00:53.799 the major Western markets controlled by fast casual. Were you 20 00:00:53.840 --> 00:00:56.240 aware of that? Was that big? Idalize? 21 00:00:56.640 --> 00:00:59.479 I wasn't aware of that number. But the reality is 22 00:00:59.560 --> 00:01:02.920 just that fast casual is the sweet spot, right, This 23 00:01:03.000 --> 00:01:06.000 is this is the this is the segment of the 24 00:01:06.040 --> 00:01:09.840 industry that's not only driving the most excitement, but it's 25 00:01:09.879 --> 00:01:14.359 also driving really the most the most revenue. And I 26 00:01:14.400 --> 00:01:16.920 think and one of the things we'll talk about today, 27 00:01:16.959 --> 00:01:19.640 when I heard that you're bringing on our special guests, 28 00:01:19.840 --> 00:01:23.920 Brianna from Testique, this is one of these. This is 29 00:01:23.920 --> 00:01:25.640 one of these hot brands. This is one of those 30 00:01:25.680 --> 00:01:29.400 brands that you can kind of like look at and say, Okay, 31 00:01:29.519 --> 00:01:32.239 I get it. I understand why all all of this 32 00:01:32.359 --> 00:01:35.200 excitement and huge expectations. 33 00:01:34.480 --> 00:01:37.400 Are happening well, and a lot of it is built 34 00:01:37.439 --> 00:01:41.359 around these, uh you know, these emerging categories. And and 35 00:01:41.400 --> 00:01:44.519 when you look at fast casual, which has been a 36 00:01:44.799 --> 00:01:47.799 star studded group of brands that have grown out of 37 00:01:47.840 --> 00:01:51.480 the freshmach space. Obviously Panera Bread came out of the 38 00:01:51.560 --> 00:01:55.359 baker cafe space. We've seen almost a winner in every category, 39 00:01:55.760 --> 00:01:57.879 the good for you category, which is kind of where 40 00:01:57.879 --> 00:01:59.640 I would put this, but it has a lot of 41 00:02:00.120 --> 00:02:03.239 uniqueness to it is one of those that is really growing. 42 00:02:03.599 --> 00:02:05.640 We're gonna dive in deep, so you guys stick around. 43 00:02:05.640 --> 00:02:31.280 We'll be right back. My name is Paul Baron. As 44 00:02:31.319 --> 00:02:34.759 the early pioneer in fast casual, I've seen the industry 45 00:02:34.840 --> 00:02:37.759 evolve from just a few operators to the most sought 46 00:02:37.800 --> 00:02:42.680 after segment by consumers around the world. Now we're planning 47 00:02:42.719 --> 00:02:46.599 to shape its future. Tap into decades of my expertise 48 00:02:46.719 --> 00:02:50.759 identifying the emerging brands and tech winners in the space. 49 00:02:52.120 --> 00:02:56.120 Saber Capital will be fueling the next generation of fast 50 00:02:56.120 --> 00:03:00.680 casual innovation. All right, we are back here and today 51 00:03:00.800 --> 00:03:03.400 we are being joined by a special guest. And of 52 00:03:03.400 --> 00:03:05.759 course you guys have probably heard of this brand, but 53 00:03:06.080 --> 00:03:09.479 you may have never actually got a chance to hear 54 00:03:09.599 --> 00:03:11.479 a little bit about them. But we're going to bring 55 00:03:11.479 --> 00:03:13.800 on their CEO, Brianna Keith. How are you. 56 00:03:14.599 --> 00:03:16.840 I'm doing great? How are you guys. 57 00:03:16.479 --> 00:03:17.400 Having saked excellent? 58 00:03:18.240 --> 00:03:22.560 Yeah, So let's go into a couple of points with you, Brianna, 59 00:03:22.599 --> 00:03:24.599 Paul and I will kind of pepper you with questions 60 00:03:24.680 --> 00:03:29.479 on the concept of a brand. But what you guys 61 00:03:29.520 --> 00:03:32.240 have been able to do. First of all, for our audience. 62 00:03:32.520 --> 00:03:34.759 Some people may have heard of Toastek or have seen 63 00:03:34.879 --> 00:03:38.800 some of your locations. Give us a rundown on how 64 00:03:38.800 --> 00:03:42.039 big you guys are, what your focus is, Give me 65 00:03:42.080 --> 00:03:43.439 a kind of a foural one there. 66 00:03:44.360 --> 00:03:44.719 Sure. 67 00:03:44.960 --> 00:03:49.039 Yeah, So Toasteek we originated in Washington, d C. Back 68 00:03:49.039 --> 00:03:53.080 in twenty eighteen, and we are a gourmet toast and 69 00:03:53.159 --> 00:03:58.560 juice bar with also handcrafted coffee. Everything that we do 70 00:03:58.800 --> 00:04:01.719 is intentional at the highest quality that. 71 00:04:01.639 --> 00:04:04.280 We possibly can make things out of. 72 00:04:04.439 --> 00:04:07.120 You know, all of our juices are made in house, 73 00:04:07.159 --> 00:04:09.080 there's no added sugars or sweeteners. 74 00:04:09.360 --> 00:04:11.719 Our gourmet toasts are our specialty. 75 00:04:12.319 --> 00:04:14.680 All of our toppings are made in house, down to 76 00:04:15.080 --> 00:04:19.319 our peanut butter, pickled onions, our avocado smash. Everything on 77 00:04:19.360 --> 00:04:24.600 our toast is housemeade. And then we also have smoothies 78 00:04:24.720 --> 00:04:28.360 assay evils, again no hidden sugars sweeteners on them. 79 00:04:28.759 --> 00:04:30.879 And then we have a full express of our. 80 00:04:30.759 --> 00:04:33.720 Menu which that is actually something that we added a 81 00:04:33.720 --> 00:04:36.360 little bit later on to the brand which has really 82 00:04:36.399 --> 00:04:40.800 taken off. We partner with a local roaster that is 83 00:04:40.920 --> 00:04:42.800 hand selects their farms. 84 00:04:43.000 --> 00:04:44.839 Goes out and meets with them. 85 00:04:44.879 --> 00:04:48.240 They actually coach and train the farmers on how to 86 00:04:48.319 --> 00:04:51.839 grow their beans at the highest quality. So it's really 87 00:04:51.959 --> 00:04:55.959 just a high quality cafe. Currently we have forty two 88 00:04:56.000 --> 00:05:00.639 stores open. Yes, you can see our beautiful website on there, 89 00:05:00.879 --> 00:05:02.680 all of our beautiful toppings. 90 00:05:03.160 --> 00:05:04.759 It's really something for everyone. 91 00:05:04.879 --> 00:05:08.480 You know, we have something for someone who has dietary 92 00:05:08.560 --> 00:05:13.079 restrictions or as on a strict diet. But also we 93 00:05:13.160 --> 00:05:16.879 have something that's a little more you know, traditional breakfast 94 00:05:16.920 --> 00:05:20.120 or lunch. We have our smoked salmon toes with real 95 00:05:20.160 --> 00:05:24.720 cream cheese, pastami salmon, which is delicious. So whatever someone's 96 00:05:24.720 --> 00:05:26.600 in the mood for, we got them covered. 97 00:05:27.560 --> 00:05:28.839 Many how many total units? 98 00:05:28.920 --> 00:05:31.199 Right now we have forty two open. 99 00:05:32.519 --> 00:05:36.319 We will be opening around twenty five to twenty seven 100 00:05:36.439 --> 00:05:37.480 by the end of this year. 101 00:05:37.920 --> 00:05:39.800 Yeah, this is huge, this is wit a bide the 102 00:05:39.920 --> 00:05:45.160 end of the year, Brianna. You have to understand we're 103 00:05:45.199 --> 00:05:49.600 basically setting like land speed records the number of number 104 00:05:49.600 --> 00:05:54.000 of locations you've already opened and have in development. I 105 00:05:54.079 --> 00:05:57.000 mean a little bit bigger than a golf clap for. 106 00:05:58.600 --> 00:06:02.399 Big bigger than the golf CP. I like that one. Okay, 107 00:06:02.439 --> 00:06:04.680 So what do you attribute the growth to right now? 108 00:06:05.680 --> 00:06:11.000 I think, honestly, from the beginning, the very first location 109 00:06:11.600 --> 00:06:14.839 was to create myself a job, and it exploded obviously 110 00:06:14.879 --> 00:06:18.399 into way much more than that. But from the very beginning, 111 00:06:18.800 --> 00:06:22.519 I wanted everything to be perfect. I wanted the experience 112 00:06:22.519 --> 00:06:25.079 to be perfect, the quality to be perfect, the presentation 113 00:06:25.199 --> 00:06:28.199 to be perfect, and I think that's what really lends 114 00:06:28.199 --> 00:06:32.879 itself to the growth. You know, the details in everything 115 00:06:32.920 --> 00:06:37.680 that we do, everything that we touch really really reflects 116 00:06:37.720 --> 00:06:40.759 on the sales and the freshness and the quality. 117 00:06:40.879 --> 00:06:46.399 And I think really also, the fast casual, like. 118 00:06:46.360 --> 00:06:49.639 You mentioned, is a booming industry, and I think we 119 00:06:49.759 --> 00:06:53.560 learned how special the operation was through the pandemic because 120 00:06:53.560 --> 00:06:57.040 we actually don't have any cooking equipment, but everything's made 121 00:06:57.079 --> 00:07:00.519 in house, but just without that extra overhead, and we 122 00:07:00.600 --> 00:07:02.759 don't need to hire a cook or a chef to 123 00:07:02.879 --> 00:07:06.639 operate a toastyk, and so it makes it very scalable. 124 00:07:07.480 --> 00:07:09.360 And so starting in Washington, d C. 125 00:07:09.519 --> 00:07:12.519 Which is very touristy, we opened in the middle of 126 00:07:12.560 --> 00:07:14.519 somewhere at the Wharf, which was also a. 127 00:07:14.480 --> 00:07:15.600 New development itself. 128 00:07:15.639 --> 00:07:18.800 We saw people all across the world and people were 129 00:07:18.839 --> 00:07:22.319 just wowed by it. The feedback was amazing, and so 130 00:07:22.480 --> 00:07:25.240 that's I think really when it took off, people were like, 131 00:07:25.319 --> 00:07:26.240 I want to open one. 132 00:07:26.360 --> 00:07:28.240 How do we do this? Like you should. 133 00:07:27.959 --> 00:07:31.000 Franchise, And at that point in time, I didn't really 134 00:07:31.639 --> 00:07:35.600 understand franchising, and I never It's not something that ever 135 00:07:35.680 --> 00:07:38.000 crossed my mind. So I started to look into it 136 00:07:38.079 --> 00:07:40.759 and I think something that we're doing a little bit 137 00:07:40.800 --> 00:07:44.720 differently with franchising is really looking for owner operators, Like 138 00:07:44.800 --> 00:07:46.920 we want people that are part of the community, that 139 00:07:47.000 --> 00:07:50.639 have the same passion as I do to go represent 140 00:07:51.319 --> 00:07:53.839 Toasteek in their community. I think that's, you know, how 141 00:07:53.879 --> 00:07:56.360 we're going to be sustainable for many years to come 142 00:07:56.439 --> 00:07:57.800 with that passion behind. 143 00:07:57.480 --> 00:07:59.959 It, no doubt. What was your background. 144 00:08:01.480 --> 00:08:04.560 I had a degree or I have a degree in 145 00:08:04.639 --> 00:08:07.920 hospitality management and minor in business, but I've always worked 146 00:08:07.920 --> 00:08:10.920 in restaurants and in events, and after college I was 147 00:08:10.959 --> 00:08:13.800 working in events in downtown d C. But I think 148 00:08:13.839 --> 00:08:17.000 for me, I've always I'm very much a people person. 149 00:08:17.079 --> 00:08:20.519 I've loved enjoying talking to people, gaining to know people, 150 00:08:20.879 --> 00:08:25.480 and combining it with my passion for cooking just fresh, 151 00:08:25.879 --> 00:08:26.639 yummy food. 152 00:08:27.800 --> 00:08:29.319 It's kind of how Tosy came about. 153 00:08:29.839 --> 00:08:33.600 Yeah, I read a quick article about uh, you know, 154 00:08:33.639 --> 00:08:35.919 in preparation for this podcast today. I was doing a 155 00:08:35.960 --> 00:08:38.399 little bit of research and I read a quote from you, 156 00:08:39.000 --> 00:08:42.360 and I'll just paraphrase, but you were you had you 157 00:08:42.440 --> 00:08:45.440 always you'd worked in restaurants, and you said you said, 158 00:08:45.440 --> 00:08:48.240 if I'm going to work this hard, I might. 159 00:08:48.159 --> 00:08:51.279 As well do it for myself. 160 00:08:52.120 --> 00:08:56.279 Yeah, and I love that because I mean, that's just it. 161 00:08:56.559 --> 00:08:59.879 One does not simply open up a restaurant withoutout the 162 00:09:00.000 --> 00:09:04.000 real understanding like this is just an app. This is 163 00:09:04.039 --> 00:09:06.480 something that you have to go in with full mind, 164 00:09:06.519 --> 00:09:09.240 body and soul in order for it to succeed. 165 00:09:10.600 --> 00:09:14.799 The idea of toast, the toast concept come from because 166 00:09:14.840 --> 00:09:18.159 this is one of the few. Obviously we've seen brands 167 00:09:18.200 --> 00:09:22.360 that have integrated avocado toast and all sorts of savory 168 00:09:22.440 --> 00:09:26.159 toast elements as a menu item. But this was really 169 00:09:26.200 --> 00:09:29.080 the first true concept that I saw built around the 170 00:09:29.120 --> 00:09:33.440 idea of this as a category. Where did that come from? 171 00:09:33.879 --> 00:09:34.279 For me? 172 00:09:34.559 --> 00:09:40.039 I just loved great quality of toast and bread, you know, 173 00:09:40.240 --> 00:09:44.320 very classic bread and butter. But I love, I do 174 00:09:44.399 --> 00:09:47.720 love a good carb and I feel like having one 175 00:09:47.759 --> 00:09:51.840 piece on their artists in bread topped with nice fresh toppings. 176 00:09:51.919 --> 00:09:54.120 It always just made me feel so good. 177 00:09:54.799 --> 00:09:57.240 Somethings you eat a really big sandwich, even if there's 178 00:09:57.240 --> 00:09:59.799 some healthy things on there, it always just made it 179 00:10:00.200 --> 00:10:03.559 weigh me down a little bit. And I'm very I'm 180 00:10:03.600 --> 00:10:06.480 a very visual person. So even when I was making 181 00:10:06.519 --> 00:10:09.000 food and toast for myself at home. I wanted to 182 00:10:09.039 --> 00:10:13.080 make it be beautiful and fresh and naturally colorful, and 183 00:10:13.559 --> 00:10:16.720 I feel like there's, you know, such an opportunity for 184 00:10:16.799 --> 00:10:20.320 open based sandwiches. You know, people overseas have been doing 185 00:10:20.320 --> 00:10:23.759 it for years and years, maybe just calling it tartines 186 00:10:24.240 --> 00:10:27.639 or open based sandwiches. But I think that you can 187 00:10:28.000 --> 00:10:31.360 that you can see the freshness, see the ingredients, and 188 00:10:31.919 --> 00:10:34.200 it tastes just as good, and then it'll still fill 189 00:10:34.200 --> 00:10:36.759 you up and you feel very satisfied, but it'll keep 190 00:10:36.799 --> 00:10:38.759 fueling you instead of weighing you down for the rest 191 00:10:38.759 --> 00:10:39.159 of the day. 192 00:10:39.759 --> 00:10:45.639 Are you finding the savory products flying on the menus? 193 00:10:45.679 --> 00:10:47.120 I noticed some of the things we just showed on 194 00:10:47.159 --> 00:10:49.399 screen a little bit there. One was like more of 195 00:10:49.399 --> 00:10:53.360 a peebee with bananas, peanut butter. It had strawberries on it, 196 00:10:53.440 --> 00:10:55.399 you know, some other elements in there as far as nuts. 197 00:10:55.720 --> 00:10:59.120 Are you finding there the cat When someone walks into 198 00:10:59.120 --> 00:11:01.840 a toasteek, do they think more I won't say dessert, 199 00:11:01.879 --> 00:11:05.360 but something that is more on the treat side versus 200 00:11:05.399 --> 00:11:07.799 the savory side. Or are you seeing a mix of both. 201 00:11:08.559 --> 00:11:10.279 I would definitely say a mix of both. 202 00:11:10.440 --> 00:11:14.240 I think people because we really only have one sweet 203 00:11:14.279 --> 00:11:17.320 toast or peanut butter crunch toast, and so people who 204 00:11:17.320 --> 00:11:21.240 come in for toast normally want something savory and then 205 00:11:21.360 --> 00:11:24.080 essentially everything else on our menu, the smoothies, the juice 206 00:11:24.120 --> 00:11:26.039 in bowls are going to be on the sweeter side. 207 00:11:26.120 --> 00:11:30.480 So our toasts do make up between like thirty to 208 00:11:30.519 --> 00:11:33.000 fifty percent of our sales depending on the location. 209 00:11:33.919 --> 00:11:35.480 And that's kind of what I wanted, you know. 210 00:11:35.600 --> 00:11:38.559 I want toast to be the specialty item, the thing 211 00:11:38.639 --> 00:11:41.039 that sets us apart, and it does show in our sales, 212 00:11:41.080 --> 00:11:43.840 you know, but we definitely do get like the peanut 213 00:11:43.840 --> 00:11:46.480 our crunch is one of my favorite that it's definitely 214 00:11:46.559 --> 00:11:49.320 a little bit more popular in the morning, but it's 215 00:11:49.360 --> 00:11:51.519 so good. So I think there's a lot of people 216 00:11:51.519 --> 00:11:54.360 that kind of work their way down the menu, trying every. 217 00:11:54.159 --> 00:11:56.720 Item to see what they like best and then coming 218 00:11:56.759 --> 00:11:57.279 back from more. 219 00:11:57.960 --> 00:12:00.799 So I'm going through the in you right now. We've 220 00:12:00.799 --> 00:12:04.080 got the gourmet toast components, handcrafted coffee, which I think 221 00:12:04.120 --> 00:12:06.919 is a good slide in there in terms of beverage bowls, 222 00:12:07.000 --> 00:12:09.720 which are good. I like the wellness shot component that 223 00:12:10.480 --> 00:12:13.480 is really is that a category that you're finding some 224 00:12:13.720 --> 00:12:16.799 growth in because we've seen a lot of beverage companies 225 00:12:16.799 --> 00:12:20.039 that have started to integrate wellness shots, you know, all 226 00:12:20.080 --> 00:12:24.759 sorts of you know, additives into the beverage category. You've 227 00:12:24.759 --> 00:12:28.559 got housemaid troops, Grab and Grow Go obviously, the collagen 228 00:12:28.639 --> 00:12:31.840 lattes another you know, potential win there. How big is 229 00:12:31.879 --> 00:12:36.159 the is the category from a beverage side of things, 230 00:12:36.200 --> 00:12:38.320 Do you see that as maybe one of the bigger 231 00:12:38.720 --> 00:12:40.120 growth opportunities for you guys? 232 00:12:40.960 --> 00:12:43.720 Yeah, I think because we have a lot of beverages, 233 00:12:43.840 --> 00:12:46.279 you know, this movies, the youth, the college and lattes, 234 00:12:46.360 --> 00:12:49.720 coffee and the wellness shots. The wellness shots are actually 235 00:12:49.840 --> 00:12:53.639 huge seller and we okay develop those actually during the 236 00:12:53.679 --> 00:12:57.320 pandemic because we naturally saw people adding fresh tender into 237 00:12:57.360 --> 00:13:01.120 their smoothies and saw that demand. And truthfully, it's something 238 00:13:01.159 --> 00:13:03.120 that I've always wanted to create, but it always went 239 00:13:03.159 --> 00:13:05.399 on the back burner. And in the pandemic I had 240 00:13:05.399 --> 00:13:07.600 a little more time on my hands. We never closed 241 00:13:07.600 --> 00:13:10.519 a single day, but it allowed for us to get 242 00:13:10.519 --> 00:13:12.120 a little more creative and add. 243 00:13:11.919 --> 00:13:13.960 Some new things to the menu. 244 00:13:15.200 --> 00:13:16.960 So yeah, I mean, I think we have such a 245 00:13:17.039 --> 00:13:20.279 variety of options that even if you don't drink caffeine. 246 00:13:20.360 --> 00:13:24.120 We have juices, we have macha, we have other teas 247 00:13:24.360 --> 00:13:26.919 that you know, it doesn't have to be coffee. So 248 00:13:26.919 --> 00:13:28.799 I would say that that is a big component to 249 00:13:28.879 --> 00:13:29.639 our business. 250 00:13:29.919 --> 00:13:31.840 How big is the mix for you guys in terms 251 00:13:31.840 --> 00:13:35.480 of like third party you mentioned you didn't close during 252 00:13:35.519 --> 00:13:39.440 the pandemic. That meant it was all delivery. This seems 253 00:13:39.480 --> 00:13:42.919 like a product that travels or could travel very well, 254 00:13:43.360 --> 00:13:44.159 you know, in terms of. 255 00:13:44.759 --> 00:13:47.120 I asked, I was livery how well could it? How 256 00:13:47.159 --> 00:13:50.919 well does it travel? I mean toast, you know, when 257 00:13:50.960 --> 00:13:53.120 you have it, when it's loaded with stuff, I mean 258 00:13:53.159 --> 00:13:55.279 it could does it good? 259 00:13:55.360 --> 00:13:55.679 Soggy? 260 00:13:56.039 --> 00:13:56.200 That? 261 00:13:56.679 --> 00:13:59.039 Surprisingly? Surprisingly it does. 262 00:13:59.360 --> 00:14:02.080 And we actually the first two years of business, up 263 00:14:02.159 --> 00:14:03.559 until the pandemic, we didn't do. 264 00:14:03.519 --> 00:14:05.639 Any online ordering, no third parties. 265 00:14:06.000 --> 00:14:08.480 You physically had to be in our store to make 266 00:14:08.519 --> 00:14:11.360 a purchase because I was like, the smoothies are gonna mild, 267 00:14:11.399 --> 00:14:12.600 the toast is gonna get soggy. 268 00:14:12.639 --> 00:14:13.519 I'm not serving that. 269 00:14:14.000 --> 00:14:16.440 And then of course the pandemic came and we're like, Okay, 270 00:14:16.440 --> 00:14:18.159 we're going to do thor Dash, Uber Eats, Grip, We're 271 00:14:18.159 --> 00:14:22.480 gonna do it all. And I was very pleasantly surprised 272 00:14:22.519 --> 00:14:26.279 by the fact that no one really complained. 273 00:14:26.320 --> 00:14:28.120 Ever. We even have gotten. 274 00:14:28.200 --> 00:14:31.320 Reviews that were like, Wow, I'm actually surprised how well 275 00:14:31.360 --> 00:14:32.320 the toast traveled. 276 00:14:33.200 --> 00:14:35.200 And I think it's because we take a lot of 277 00:14:35.240 --> 00:14:36.600 care in all of our products. 278 00:14:36.679 --> 00:14:39.799 But when we're when someone orders a smoothie or a 279 00:14:39.840 --> 00:14:42.240 bowl or anything cold, we put it in the freezer 280 00:14:42.320 --> 00:14:43.879 until the driver comes. 281 00:14:44.399 --> 00:14:46.519 So we're really trying to get. 282 00:14:46.440 --> 00:14:53.000 That extra injection of coldness ASATRU exactly. Well, I like 283 00:14:53.120 --> 00:14:55.480 that is how big are the units are they in 284 00:14:55.600 --> 00:14:56.759 terms of square footage? 285 00:14:56.960 --> 00:14:59.960 Our sweet spy is around twelve hundred and fifteen hundred, 286 00:15:00.240 --> 00:15:04.440 our smallest just under one thousand, and our biggest is 287 00:15:04.480 --> 00:15:08.200 around twenty three hundred. But really where we find our 288 00:15:08.240 --> 00:15:10.919 sweet spot is around fifteen hundred. It's a nice mix 289 00:15:11.080 --> 00:15:14.200 of I would say, like sixty percent front of house 290 00:15:14.279 --> 00:15:15.720 forty percent back of house. 291 00:15:16.919 --> 00:15:21.279 You mentioned owner operator. You know you look at real estate, 292 00:15:21.480 --> 00:15:24.919 which is paramount I would think for a brand like this, 293 00:15:25.000 --> 00:15:27.399 because you've got to be in the right demographic, you're 294 00:15:27.399 --> 00:15:29.840 going to have the right kind of you know, expendable income, 295 00:15:30.320 --> 00:15:32.159 plus you're going to have to have a certain amount 296 00:15:32.200 --> 00:15:35.480 of exposure in terms of brand awareness. How do you 297 00:15:35.519 --> 00:15:38.360 guys go about that process of this many units open? 298 00:15:38.480 --> 00:15:41.159 Real estate is a big part of this whole game. 299 00:15:41.240 --> 00:15:42.279 How are you guys doing it? 300 00:15:42.679 --> 00:15:42.960 Yeah? 301 00:15:43.000 --> 00:15:47.039 Absolutely, I mean our biggest thing that we look for is, 302 00:15:47.279 --> 00:15:50.440 like you said, being in an area, a neighborhood where 303 00:15:50.559 --> 00:15:53.559 it's it's middle to upper class because we do have 304 00:15:53.600 --> 00:15:56.399 a product where you can eat every single day and 305 00:15:56.480 --> 00:15:59.080 still feel great about yourself. It's just a matter can 306 00:15:59.320 --> 00:16:01.519 can people to every single day. We don't want to 307 00:16:01.519 --> 00:16:03.639 be in a community where people will go once a 308 00:16:03.720 --> 00:16:08.320 month as a tree. And that's that's really what's most 309 00:16:08.360 --> 00:16:12.159 important to us. A very easy answer is the walkability, 310 00:16:12.240 --> 00:16:14.840 foot traffic. That's a that's a no brainer. We start 311 00:16:14.840 --> 00:16:19.320 in DC. Foot traffic's amazing for visibility. But we have 312 00:16:19.559 --> 00:16:22.559 so many locations that are in a suburb area where 313 00:16:22.559 --> 00:16:26.480 there's zero foot traffic, but it doesn't matter because it's 314 00:16:26.519 --> 00:16:29.679 you know, people will drive there because that's just the community. 315 00:16:29.679 --> 00:16:33.039 To cut it, then, looking at your your forty two 316 00:16:33.080 --> 00:16:36.679 somewhat locations, it is a nice mix of suburban and 317 00:16:36.720 --> 00:16:40.720 some other urban locations. I noticed that you you have 318 00:16:40.759 --> 00:16:43.240 a store in New York City now in Wryatte Park. 319 00:16:43.559 --> 00:16:45.519 That's that's fantastic, huge. 320 00:16:45.639 --> 00:16:46.720 Yeah, that's a good spot. 321 00:16:47.000 --> 00:16:50.120 That's a really great spot. I'm wondering how's that working 322 00:16:50.240 --> 00:16:53.600 for you? Uh and and you guys on the sum 323 00:16:53.720 --> 00:16:56.480 you're just breakfast in lunch, right, We're not open during 324 00:16:56.480 --> 00:16:57.960 dinner dinner hours. 325 00:16:57.679 --> 00:17:00.799 Or our typical hours are either seven to five or 326 00:17:00.840 --> 00:17:04.000 seven to seven. We do have a few outliers outside 327 00:17:04.039 --> 00:17:09.039 of that, but are definitely our peak hours are breakfast, brunch, lunch. 328 00:17:09.200 --> 00:17:11.400 But the stores that are open till seven, or we 329 00:17:11.440 --> 00:17:13.279 do have one store open at say till nine on 330 00:17:13.319 --> 00:17:16.799 the weekend, we get a nice afternoon pop people leaving work, 331 00:17:16.920 --> 00:17:20.440 leaving the gym that will either come in for you know, 332 00:17:20.480 --> 00:17:24.200 a light dinner or something after. But we always start 333 00:17:24.240 --> 00:17:26.839 seven to five. That's really like where our sweet spot is. 334 00:17:27.319 --> 00:17:29.200 But we do actually have a handful of stores that 335 00:17:29.279 --> 00:17:32.960 also have a liquor license with healthier cocktails, so those 336 00:17:33.119 --> 00:17:35.759 all tend to have a nice like happy hour rush 337 00:17:35.799 --> 00:17:38.160 from that five to seven period as well. 338 00:17:38.319 --> 00:17:40.839 Has that has that been a big injection for you 339 00:17:40.880 --> 00:17:44.240 guys in terms of a brand to bring in a cocktail, 340 00:17:44.640 --> 00:17:48.119 want to license the process that you have to deal 341 00:17:48.160 --> 00:17:50.880 with from a staffing side of things, anything that has 342 00:17:50.960 --> 00:17:52.839 changed for you, because we haven't seen too much of 343 00:17:52.839 --> 00:17:54.559 that in the fast casual sector yet. 344 00:17:54.880 --> 00:17:58.039 Yeah, and it's really it's it's absolutely optional and it's 345 00:17:58.079 --> 00:18:00.799 based you know, and DC was super easy to get 346 00:18:01.720 --> 00:18:04.359 and cheap where it made sense to try it out. 347 00:18:04.440 --> 00:18:06.880 But then there's places like New Jersey and Pennsylvania where 348 00:18:06.920 --> 00:18:09.680 you basically there's a limited number amount you have to spend, 349 00:18:09.759 --> 00:18:12.279 like one hundred thousand dollars, and that just doesn't make 350 00:18:12.319 --> 00:18:14.440 sense at all. So we kind of take it on 351 00:18:14.519 --> 00:18:18.720 a base by base. If one, if the franchise owner 352 00:18:18.839 --> 00:18:22.240 is interested, that's step one. Step two is looking at 353 00:18:22.240 --> 00:18:24.799 the state rules and regulations, how much it costs, to 354 00:18:24.799 --> 00:18:28.000 see if it makes sense. Because the brand obviously works 355 00:18:28.000 --> 00:18:29.519 perfectly fine without it. 356 00:18:29.519 --> 00:18:31.279 It just kind of elevates the brunch scene. 357 00:18:31.279 --> 00:18:35.799 You have opportunity to do happy hour specials, but we 358 00:18:35.920 --> 00:18:39.839 do keep it a very limited menu anyway. It's not 359 00:18:39.920 --> 00:18:41.839 a full bar where you can pretty much order any 360 00:18:41.920 --> 00:18:42.480 drink you want. 361 00:18:42.799 --> 00:18:44.880 This episode is brought to you in part by Gusto, 362 00:18:45.079 --> 00:18:49.119 the number one rated HR platform for payroll benefits and more. 363 00:18:49.720 --> 00:18:53.160 With Gusto's easy to use platform, you can empower your 364 00:18:53.200 --> 00:18:57.319 people and push your business forward. Over four hundred thousand 365 00:18:57.400 --> 00:19:01.240 businesses choose Gusto every day. Now let's get into it, guys. 366 00:19:01.359 --> 00:19:03.440 There's a couple of things you can do with Gusto 367 00:19:03.519 --> 00:19:06.279 that you should check out. Some of the solutions that 368 00:19:06.359 --> 00:19:09.680 you're just absolutely going to want to know about is, 369 00:19:09.759 --> 00:19:13.160 of course, their business type, new businesses and startups. You 370 00:19:13.240 --> 00:19:16.279 guys are welcome coming in small businesses. Maybe you have 371 00:19:16.319 --> 00:19:18.599 a mid sized business that needs an all in one 372 00:19:18.680 --> 00:19:22.640 payroll and benefit program as well as HR all of 373 00:19:22.640 --> 00:19:25.319 this scaling. The cool thing about this is it's an 374 00:19:25.400 --> 00:19:29.200 all in one platform. They can also select and punch 375 00:19:29.240 --> 00:19:32.720 in right to your accountants, so check it out. You've 376 00:19:32.720 --> 00:19:36.480 got a Gusto Pro platform. You can become a partner 377 00:19:36.519 --> 00:19:38.279 with them if you're an accountant, So if you have 378 00:19:38.319 --> 00:19:41.400 a CPA already, this is the place for you. And 379 00:19:41.480 --> 00:19:44.160 of course the best thing is pricing. The thing about 380 00:19:44.720 --> 00:19:49.400 Gusto is flexible plans and features, honest pricing, no hidden fees. 381 00:19:50.000 --> 00:19:52.079 This is the plan that we use, which is the 382 00:19:52.160 --> 00:19:55.880 Plus Plan. Sixty bucks a month, guys, you cannot go wrong. 383 00:19:55.920 --> 00:19:58.119 It's about nine bucks a person, so you guys can 384 00:19:58.119 --> 00:20:02.200 definitely afford it. Get in there, and choose Gusto with 385 00:20:02.279 --> 00:20:08.920 a full suite of tax services, HR services, time tracking, scheduling, expenses, reimbursements. 386 00:20:09.519 --> 00:20:11.960 You get the picture. Gusto is the place for you. 387 00:20:12.119 --> 00:20:14.599 Check it all out. Just go over to Gusto dot 388 00:20:14.640 --> 00:20:18.799 com use our link down below to get started. See 389 00:20:18.799 --> 00:20:24.480 you there, Paul. Have you seen many brands, especially in 390 00:20:24.480 --> 00:20:26.839 the fast casual sector, start to move into the you know, 391 00:20:26.960 --> 00:20:29.359 especially into the limited cocktail scene. 392 00:20:29.599 --> 00:20:32.680 Well, you know, from what I've been tracking, it feels 393 00:20:32.720 --> 00:20:38.240 like it's it's less alcoholic, it's going. 394 00:20:38.039 --> 00:20:41.640 Out to the under mocktails a lot. Yeah, exactly, and you. 395 00:20:41.559 --> 00:20:44.880 Know, the non alcoholic beers, the athletic brewery and you know, 396 00:20:44.960 --> 00:20:50.119 and those types of things that seem to have movement. Uh. 397 00:20:50.400 --> 00:20:52.319 But I'd like to switch gears for a second and 398 00:20:52.359 --> 00:20:55.000 talk a little bit about technology, if that's for sure. 399 00:20:55.759 --> 00:20:59.599 I'm always fascinated when I talk to franchisers about how 400 00:20:59.599 --> 00:21:03.279 they coach their tech stack. And like Brianna, when you are, 401 00:21:03.559 --> 00:21:07.920