Sam Oches

He’s the architect of one of the most impressive turnarounds in restaurant history, but he has his sights set on something bigger: building a restaurant dynasty

Buckets will serve as a training center for young people involved with the LeBron James Family Foundation’s I Promise program

Buckets will serve as a training center for young people involved with the LeBron James Family Foundation’s I Promise program

As cofounder of some of the group’s most popular concepts, including Velvet Taco and Sixty Vines, Gibbons has cracked the code on what resonates in the marketplace

Restaurant founders are the heart and soul of the brands they build, offering a powerful resource for their teams to tap into

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On this week’s Extra Serving, NRN editor in chief Sam Oches and executive editor Alicia Kelso discuss the latest restaurant industry news, including the latest earnings results from Chipotle, Starbucks, Taco Bell, Domino’s, Chili’s, and Wingstop. First up is Chipotle, which earned positive same-store sales (albeit ever so slightly) after a negative 2025. Even more noteworthy: a quarter of all transactions included a protein add-on. Sam and Alicia discuss the results and why Chipotle should be bullish on the rest of the year. Next up is Starbucks, which impressed with 7.1% same-store sales growth in the latest quarter. CEO Brian Niccol declared that the company was putting the “turn” in “turnaround,” as the results are the culmination of nearly two years’ worth of changes that the coffee giant has made to get back to growth. Sam and Alicia dive into the results and how they set Starbucks up in the ever-crowded beverage category. They then speed through several other companies’ results — including Chili’s, Taco Bell, KFC, and Domino’s — before jumping into a conversation on Wingstop, which disappointed with an 8.7% same-store sales decline. The company blamed the results on inclement weather events and a cautious consumer, but if that’s the case, why are other chains turning out positive results? Sam and Alicia attempt to answer the question. Finally, in the Quick Fire portion of the episode, they tackle Papa Johns’ new AI assistant, Subway’s first-ever value menu, and Sweetgreen’s familiar “Faces of the Farm” campaign.

On this week’s Extra Serving, NRN editor in chief Sam Oches and executive editor Alicia Kelso discuss the latest restaurant industry news, including Inspire Brands’ plans to go public plus earnings results from 18 currently public restaurant companies. First up is the news that Inspire had filed documents with the SEC to go public — a move that Sam and Alicia have anticipated for a few years, yet nevertheless feels huge for a restaurant industry that has been fairly dormant as far as IPOs are concerned. The editors discuss what this means for Inspire and whether it could nudge other companies to jump into the public markets. Then they take a dive into the crazy spate of restaurant earnings, of which there were 18 over the course of the week. They start with the burger category, where McDonald’s, Burger King, and Shake Shack reported positive results, while Wendy’s continued a run of negative sales. How are McDonald’s and Burger King leveraging operations and marketing to build momentum, while Wendy’s keeps taking the hits? Sam and Alicia break it down. Next, they move into the full-service sector, where it’s mostly good news, as Texas Roadhouse, BJ’s, and First Watch continue to thrive while Applebee’s and Bloomin’ Brands are showing signs of life. Why does casual dining in particular seem to be succeeding in the midst of this economy? Sam and Alicia discuss. They then dig into other brands that reported this week, including Noodles & Co. and El Pollo Loco — both of which wowed with their results — plus Sweetgreen, which posted a staggering -12.8% sales drop the same week it introduced wraps to the menu. Finally, we share an interview between managing editor Leigh Anne Zinsmeister and Jeff’s Bagel Run cofounders Jeff and Danielle Perera, recorded live at the Restaurant Leadership Conference.

The industry’s leading event for emerging restaurateurs is heading to California this July 20-22

On this week’s Extra Serving, NRN editor in chief Sam Oches and executive editor Alicia Kelso discuss the latest restaurant industry news, including Jack in the Box’s CEO transition, Papa Johns’ big retail play, and results from the most recent Top 500. First up is Jack in the Box, which replaced CEO Lance Tucker after just over a year on the job with interim CEO Mark King — former CEO of Taco Bell. Sam and Alicia share whether they’re surprised by this move and discuss what King may need to do to get Jack in the Box back on track. Next they tackle Papa Johns, which has made several moves lately, from testing drone delivery to partnering with the “Toy Story” franchise to providing a home for stranded Spirit Airlines loyalty points. This week it also announced that it would roll out its signature garlic sauce to retail shelves. Will this sway loyal fans — or cannibalize restaurant sales? Sam and Alicia discuss. They then turn their attention to the most recent Technomic Top 500, which reveals sales and unit count information for the 500 biggest chains in the U.S. Sam and Alicia unpack the results, and particularly performance in the pizza, burger, and chicken categories. Which brands and categories won in 2025 — and which are on the fence? Listen to find out. Finally, we share an interview between senior food and beverage editor Bret Thorn and Naya head of R&D Khalfani Coicou.