rd+d - Q&A

Freddy’s Frozen Custard’s Path to the Future

In this Q&A with Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers’ Co-Founder and COO, Scott Redler explains the company’s vision and long-term plans to grow the brand — and encourages other operators to establish founding visions to lead the way.

Tijuana Flats' VP of Development Talks Long-Term Goals and Prototype Design

Eric Taylor, Vice President of Development, recounts the wild ride that was 2020, Tijuana Flats’ new prototype and what the future holds for the chain’s development pipeline.

One Designer Shares her Thoughts on Designing on a Budget and Trends that Should Probably Just go Away

Compiling an impressive portfolio that spans more than a decade, Julie Babcock is recognized for her inventive sense of design that scales from intimate projects to imposing volume.

CEO Breaks Down A&W's Approach to the Pandemic and Beyond

Under CEO Kevin M. Bazner's leadership, A&W has developed a new brand strategy, the result of which has been nine years of same-store sales growth. The pandemic upended some plans, but the chain still ended the year on a massive upswing.

CEO of Jersey Mike’s Subs Plots a Course to Further the Brand's Success

Despite a pandemic and a recession, Peter Cancro, CEO of Jersey Mike’s Subs, has been giving back, plotting a course to further success and upending what a brand is willing to do for its franchisees.

CEO Talks COVID-19, Expansion Plans and Authentic Greek Cuisine

It didn’t take long for Greek from Greece (GFG) Café-Cuisine to make apparent its intent to become a strong player on the U.S. fast-casual restaurant scene.

The Future is Now

While much of the discussion surrounding COVID-19 has focused on how dining room shutdowns aimed at slowing the spread of the virus also slowed the restaurant businesses, the pandemic also accelerated a variety of trends that were already in play.

What Disaster Preparedness Can Teach Us Now

Traditional disaster preparedness involves creating a plan for when chaos strikes, whether it’s brought forth by Mother Nature or manmade. As COVID-19 continues to shape our world, we talked with two experts in disaster planning in the foodservice industry.

Peer to Peer: Philip N. Kaplan of GameWorks

At the start of the year, GameWorks, Inc., an eight-unit “eatertainment” chain that pairs gaming and dining, had plans to add five units and dramatically increase its presence in the esports segment.

Q&A with Jeff Vickers

Jeff Vickers, senior vice president of franchise development for Which Wich and Paciugo, talks about the company’s plans.

Q&A with Terry Eaton, Eaton Fine Art

Furnishings and finishes set the stage, but it’s often the art pieces displayed that really bring restaurant interiors to life and create brand differentiation.

A Q&A with Dustin Glasscoe, Founder & CEO, Vermont Farm Table

A Q&A with Bart Kulish, President, MTS Seating

Q&A with Al Hank, Senior Director at Famous Dave's

Famous Dave’s has long been a staple in the American barbecue scene. The restaurant chain has 27 company-owned and 109 franchise-operated locations spanning 33 states and 3 countries.

New FOH and BOH design brings changes to 35-year-old chain

There’s a new look at Beef ‘O’ Brady’s. The Tampa, Fla.-based brand is remodeling both franchised and corporate locations and seeing a related sales increase.

The goal of the remodel was to refresh the 35-year-old brand, improve service and food quality. Beef ‘O’ Brady’s has 150 units, 22 of which are corporately-owned.

CEO Chris Elliott talks to rd+d about the remodel.

4 Surprising Facts from Grand Rapids Chair Company

A Q&A with Dean Jeffery, Head of Marketing and New Product Development, Grand Rapids Chair Company

Peer to Peer: Q&A with Karen Eadon of Farmer Boys Restaurants

Talk about hot industry trends like farm-to-table, better burgers, local sourcing, all-day breakfast, even fine-casual service, and the folks at Farmer Boys Restaurants might seem a bit smug. After all, these trends have been core elements of the Riverside, Calif.-based brand since its founding in 1981 by five “farmer boy” brothers who emigrated to the U.S. from Cyprus.

Greenwood Offers Urban Sophistication in the Suburbs

In this Q&A, Dwayne MacEwan, principal and creative director of DMAC Architecture, provides insight into his firm’s design for Greenwood American Kitchen and Bar, which co-owners Josh Kaplan and Mark Newman opened earlier this year in Highwood, Ill., a northern Chicago suburb. The 5,300-square-foot restaurant seats 250, with 150 indoor and 100 out. Greenwood is intended to be an elevated neighborhood spot with an expansive patio.

How to Get to 100 Restaurants: A Q&A with Scott Deviney, CEO, Chicken Salad Chick

Founded in Auburn, Ala., in 2008, Chicken Salad Chick serves a dozen kinds of chicken salad across four flavor profiles — traditional, spicy, savory and fruity/nutty — as well as soups and other healthful dishes. Today, the fast-growing fast casual has 105 restaurants across 13 states and is in the midst of a push to rapidly expand throughout the Southeast and across the country. The chain serves two dayparts — lunch and dinner — and is closed on Sundays.

Silva's Offers Lighter Take on the Brazilian Steakhouse

Silva’s Fresh Eatery + Churrascaria in Santa Ana, Calif., a Brazilian-style steakhouse that opened last year, spans 3,800 square feet and seats 80. We found out how designer Susan Devall, principal of Devall Design + Home, created a fresh space that still paid tribute to the food’s origins.

B.GOOD Revamps, Focuses on Clean Lines and Efficient Design

In this Q&A, Gina Venezia, vice president of construction and development at B.GOOD, discusses the updated design why the chain chose to make some BOH line changes.

Tradd’s Marries Modernity and Southern Traditions

Tradd’s, a fine-dining restaurant in Charleston, S.C. opened at the end of 2018 in a freshly renovated space that brought southern tradition and modernity together in one coherent space.

Supermarket Kiosks Prove Successful for Saladworks

Saladworks CEO Patrick Sugrue is taking an unconventional approach to nontraditional development by putting Saladwards inside grocery stores, among other innovative ideas.

Fast-Casual BBQ Mighty Quinn's Updates Design

Mighty Quinn's Barbecue has updated its look to better accommodate both flow of service and its catering/takeout business. Check out this Q&A with founder Micha Magid.

Q&A with KAIYŌ’s John Park

San Francisco's KAIYŌ restaurant design blends contemporary decor with natural elements, and art.

Sette Osteria Offers Lush Green Space in Miami

Iraklis Karabassis, restaurateur and founder of IK Retail Group in Washington, D.C., has opened his first concept in South Florida, Sette Osteria, an authentic Italian restaurant and bar in Miami’s Wynwood Art District designed by Miami-based Saladino Design Group. We caught up with Karabassis to learn more.

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