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PODCAST

Give an Ovation: The Restaurant Guest Experience Podcast with Zack Oates

Give an Ovation: The Restaurant Guest Experience Podcast is your backstage pass to the minds of hospitality leaders, innovators, and operators who are redefining what it means to serve. Hosted by Zack Oates, founder of Ovation, each episode dives into real-world tactics and inspiring stories from restaurant pros who know how to create five-star guest experiences—both in-store and off-premise.From fast casual to fine dining, catering to curbside, learn how to drive loyalty, empower your staff, and

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All Episodes

16:54

From Starbucks Data to Restaurant Impact, Will...

Give an Ovation: The Restaurant Guest Experience... ·

2026/04/23

Send us Fan Mail Will Stewart, Founder and CEO of RightWork, joins Zack Oates to explore how labor decisions directly shape the guest experience. With a background as a data scientist at Starbucks, Will brings a unique perspective on how restaurants can use data to make smarter operational decisions. Zack and Will discuss: Why labor should be seen as an investment, not just a cost How understaffing impacts both guests and employees The importance of scheduling with more granul...

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21:47

Why Being Right Doesn’t Matter in Hospitality with...

Give an Ovation: The Restaurant Guest Experience... ·

2026/04/20

Send us Fan Mail Zack Oates sits down with Kevin Boehm of Boka Restaurant Group to explore the mindset behind building one of the most respected hospitality groups in the country. From early career risks to scaling multiple award-winning concepts, Kevin shares how creativity, consistency, and resilience shape long-term success. Zack and Kevin discuss: Building Boka Restaurant Group into a nationally recognized brand Why creativity matters more than ever in hospitality Lessons ...

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20:41

The CPG vs Restaurant Debate Settled by Jeff Galletly...

Give an Ovation: The Restaurant Guest Experience... ·

2026/04/16

Send us Fan Mail Zack Oates sits down with Jeff Galletly of Brooklyn Dumpling Shop to unpack what it really takes to scale a brand across both restaurants and retail. Jeff shares how the company has grown rapidly while improving guest experience, and why everything starts with getting the food right before anything else. Zack and Jeff discuss: Building Brooklyn Dumpling Shop across restaurants and CPG Why restaurants act as the “front porch” of the brand How improving food qua...

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21:55

The Secret Behind Stonefire’s 5,500-Person Catering...

Give an Ovation: The Restaurant Guest Experience... ·

2026/04/14

Send us Fan Mail David Youngberg, CEO of Stonefire Grill, and Matt Calabrese, CTO, join Zack Oates for a deep dive into what it actually takes to scale a restaurant brand without losing what makes it special. From feeding 5,500 guests in under an hour to building a business where catering drives over 20% of revenue, they share real operational insights from inside the brand. Zack, David, and Matt discuss: How catering can become a powerful growth and acquisition channel Why meeting...

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17:38

Building a Breakfast Brand That Wins the Morning with...

Give an Ovation: The Restaurant Guest Experience... ·

2026/04/09

Send us Fan Mail Jessica Serrano, CMO of Bagel Brands, joins Zack Oates to share how marketers can better understand what makes a brand truly stand out. With experience across Burger King, Taco Bell, and Dig In, Jessica brings a sharp perspective on how guest insights shape strategy. Zack and Jessica discuss: Finding what makes your brand uniquely valuable Why scrappy guest research often beats big budgets How to balance data with real world observation The importance of t...

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19:26

Why Celebration Matters in Restaurant Leadership with...

Give an Ovation: The Restaurant Guest Experience... ·

2026/04/06

Send us Fan Mail Zack Oates sits down with Chris Gannon, founder and CEO of Bolay, to discuss what it takes to build a restaurant brand that lasts. After more than a decade in business and over 20 locations, Chris shares lessons from navigating growth, challenges, and maintaining a strong culture. They explore how guest experience is shaped through small moments, why hiring the right people is critical, and how recognition and celebration drive team performance. Chris also explains how consis...

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20:22

Turning Seafood Steam Pots Into a National Brand with...

Give an Ovation: The Restaurant Guest Experience... ·

2026/03/30

Send us Fan Mail Zack Oates sits down with Danielle Mahon, founder and CEO of Topsail Steamer, to discuss how a simple seafood steam pot concept turned into a fast growing franchise brand. Danielle shares the origin story behind the idea, how she transitioned from corporate America into entrepreneurship, and what she learned while building a new restaurant category. They explore the decision to grow through franchising, the experience of pitching on Shark Tank, and how national exposure helpe...

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19:00

Teaching Through Food Content with Steven Droulis of...

Give an Ovation: The Restaurant Guest Experience... ·

2026/03/23

Send us Fan Mail Zack Oates sits down with Steven Droulis, owner of Resto Vivaldi in Montreal, to explore how a family restaurant built an enormous online following while staying authentic to its roots. With hundreds of videos and hundreds of millions of views across YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok, Steven shares how consistency, authenticity, and educational content helped his restaurant break through on social media. They discuss how content creation impacts restaurant traffic, why teaching ...

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30:34

The Persistence Behind a 12 Year Restaurant Journey...

Give an Ovation: The Restaurant Guest Experience... ·

2026/03/16

Send a text Zack Oates sits down with Kyle and Maggie Gordon, founders of Dillas Quesadillas, to discuss how they built a fast growing restaurant brand rooted in operational excellence and consistency. From bootstrapping their first location in Dallas to expanding to multiple locations across Texas, the Gordons share lessons from more than a decade in the business. They explain how focusing on execution, attention to detail, and a strong team culture helps create a reliable guest experience. ...

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17:59

Turning Food Allergy Chaos Into Clarity with Dylan...

Give an Ovation: The Restaurant Guest Experience... ·

2026/03/09

Send a text Zack Oates sits down with Dylan McDonnell, founder and CEO of Foodini, to discuss how restaurants can better serve guests with food allergies and dietary needs. Inspired by his own experience living with celiac disease, Dylan built Foodini to bridge the communication gap between restaurants and guests who need accurate allergen information. They explore how technology can simplify allergen management for operators while creating safer and more transparent dining experiences for gu...

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18:27

Building Breakout CPG Brands with John F. Maggio of...

Give an Ovation: The Restaurant Guest Experience... ·

2026/03/02

Send a text Zack Oates sits down with John F. Maggio of JM Enterprises to explore what it really takes to build enduring consumer brands. From co-founding Boulder Canyon Chips to working with brands like Justin’s, Duke’s Smoked Meats, Bigs Seeds, Jackson’s, Good Day Chocolate, and Cocktail Squad, John shares lessons from decades in CPG. They discuss how restaurant brands should evaluate entering retail, why timing and category momentum matter, and the four pillars John uses to determine wheth...

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16:38

Moving the Needle with People with Brandon Batt of...

Give an Ovation: The Restaurant Guest Experience... ·

2026/02/17

Send a text Brandon Batt, Founder and CEO of The Tabletop Group, joins Zack Oates to break down why guest experience always starts with people. After spending more than a decade leading people strategy at Savory Fund, Brandon shares what he has learned about hiring leaders, investing time in the right team members, and building consistency that guests trust. Zack and Brandon discuss: Why guest experience is the employee experience in public Where leaders should invest their time&nb...

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18:16

Fear Is a Clue, Not a Crutch with Dan Simpson of...

Give an Ovation: The Restaurant Guest Experience... ·

2026/02/09

Send a text Zack Oates sits down with Dan Simpson, CEO of Taziki’s Mediterranean Cafe, for a wide ranging conversation on leadership, fear, and building a truly people centered restaurant brand. Dan shares his unconventional path from founding a tech company to leading a growing hospitality brand and explains why technology should exist to remove friction, not replace human connection. They discuss how fear can serve as a signal instead of a blocker, why consistency has become the new luxury ...

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19:40

How Leaders Make Better Decisions Through Alignment...

Give an Ovation: The Restaurant Guest Experience... ·

2026/02/05

Send us a text Fred LeFranc and Kristina Wiltsee join Zack Oates to discuss leadership, decision making, and alignment in today’s restaurant and hospitality environment. As co hosts of The Executive and the Mystic podcast, they share how leaders can balance execution with intuition while building clarity, confidence, and stronger teams. Zack, Fred and Kristina discuss: Why intuition is already driving executive decisions How leaders break out of analysis paralysis...

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20:47

Why Easy, Effective, and Enjoyable Wins the Guest...

Give an Ovation: The Restaurant Guest Experience... ·

2026/02/02

Send us a text Chris Stevenson, Founder of The Empower Group, joins Zack Oates to explore what it really takes to create guest experiences people remember. Drawing from his background in fitness, hospitality, and live entertainment, Chris shares why empowering teams, simplifying processes, and focusing on service recovery can dramatically improve loyalty and engagement. Zack and Chris discuss: Why memorable experiences matter more than perfection How empowerment improves both emplo...

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21:31

Making AI Practical in Restaurants with Carl Orsbourn...

Give an Ovation: The Restaurant Guest Experience... ·

2026/01/20

Send us a text Carl Orsbourn of Invisible joins Zack Oates to unpack what AI really means for restaurant operators and guest experience. Rather than chasing hype, Carl explains how AI can be used practically to support teams, reduce friction, and create better outcomes for both guests and employees. Zack and Carl discuss: Why AI should support people instead of replacing them How operators can use AI to remove busywork from teams Where AI can improve consistency and execution&...

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17:38

How Investors Really Evaluate Restaurant Brands with...

Give an Ovation: The Restaurant Guest Experience... ·

2026/01/12

Send us a text Brian Fauver, Partner at Hargett Hunter Capital Management, joins Zack Oates to share how investors evaluate restaurant brands through the lens of guest experience. With nearly two decades of experience investing in hospitality, Brian explains why authenticity, hospitality, and emotional connection matter just as much as unit economics when building brands that last. Zack and Brian discuss: Why restaurants create powerful guest loyalty What investors look for beyond ...

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17:40

Building a Global Beverage Brand with Geoff Henry of...

Give an Ovation: The Restaurant Guest Experience... ·

2026/01/05

Send us a text Zack Oates sits down with Geoff Henry, President of the Americas at Gong cha, to talk about what it takes to build and scale a global beverage brand. With leadership experience at Coca Cola, Jamba Juice, and now Gong cha, Geoff shares how personalization, quality, and data shape the modern guest experience in beverage concepts. The conversation explores why bubble tea has become a defining category for younger consumers, how kiosks and digital ordering impact satisfaction, and ...

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19:37

Why Real Food Wins with Andrew Pudalov of Rush Bowls

Give an Ovation: The Restaurant Guest Experience... ·

2025/12/22

Send us a text Andrew Pudalov, founder and CEO of Rush Bowls, joins Zack to talk about how he left a high pressure finance career to build a brand centered on real ingredients and genuine guest connection. After years in global trading, Andrew wanted a more meaningful path and a healthier lifestyle for his family, which led to the creation of Rush Bowls more than 20 years ago. Zack and Andrew discuss: How a major career pivot led to Rush BowlsWhy Andrew left Wall Street to build somethi...

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18:33

The Future of Fast Casual with Frank Paci of Newk’s...

Give an Ovation: The Restaurant Guest Experience... ·

2025/12/18

Send us a text In this episode of Give an Ovation, Zack talks with Frank Paci, CEO of Newk's Eatery, about what truly drives guest experience in a world of dine in, to go, delivery, and catering. Frank shares lessons from leading brands like Burger King, Pizza Hut, McAlister's, Corner Bakery, and Einstein Bros., and how those insights shape Newk's today. Zack and Frank discuss: How convenience and consistency still win in 2025 Designing systems that are simple for teams to execute&...

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422 results

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