🍽️ Restaurant leaders shaking up the industry (+Valentine cards!)
Good morning! Valentine’s Day is just around the corner — time to create a cozy vibe with low lights, candles, and mood music. ❤️
In the spirit of the upcoming Restaurant Facility Management Association Conference, we’re tipping our hats to restaurant industry leaders who aren’t afraid to be disruptors, and it shows. 🙌
What’s on tap in this issue:
- SPB is bringing Krystal back to its glory days
- Honeygrow: 50 locations & counting
- Potbelly uses value perception to boost points
Industry news
What’s cookin’ in the industry?
More like who’s cooking? We’re giving a shoutout to leaders making waves in the restaurant biz. 🌊
SPB Hospitality: mapping out strategic success
SPB Hospitality is making bold moves — cutting inventory time by 50% and saving $7M annually on food costs, just 2 of many achievements that won them CrunchTime's Ops Excellence Award.
Under CEO Josh Kern, the group has scaled to 500+ units across 40 states, driving growth through acquisitions, brand reinventions, and strong leadership.
Ways they’re killing it:
💪 Keeping the core strong — SPB sold off 5 brewery and specialty concepts (Adios Rock Bottom Brewery and Gordon Biersch) to focus on legacy brands like Krystal, Logan’s Roadhouse, and J. Alexander’s.
♨️ Adding Zizzle with hip new brands — Acquired Chef Jose Garces’ Amada and Village Whiskey to bring their magic to new markets.
🤝 A people-first approach — Boosted their team’s strength with Ellen Rockwell as EVP of People & Culture and Amanda Hyde as SVP of Operations for Krystal.
Honeygrow: stirring up expansion with smart tech and fan favs
Honeygrow is on a roll — hitting 50 locations, expanding to its 8th state, and feeding football fans with 50% off playoff deals in key markets. Innovation, customer favorites, and regional expansion continue to fuel its fast-paced growth.
Ways they’re killing it:
🤖 Smart kitchen tech — Using an AI-powered prep assistant, Honeygrow has cut back-of-house prep time by 4-5 hours a week and reduced food waste, tightening up operations.
🍜 Customers asked & Honeygrow listened — They brought back their famous Buffalo Chicken Stir-fry and added a new Buffalo Chicken Salad at their customers’ requests.
🌆 New places, new spaces — They recently signed leases in 4 states. All part of Honeygrow’s Northeast expansion plan.
Success on a sub-roll: Potbelly’s growth and innovation
Potbelly is stacking up wins — Q4 same-store sales growth of 0.2% to 0.3% exceeded expectations, which drove a 5.12% stock surge, hitting an intraday high of $11.35. With bold flavors and smart expansion, this brand’s serving up success. One sammie at a time.
Ways they’re killing it:
🥳 Expanding the Potbelly party — Signed 6 multi-unit franchise agreements in 2024 to open 32 new shops across Arizona, Illinois, Missouri, North Carolina, Texas, and Virginia. And locked in 192 new development commitments nationwide.
🥪 Dishing out deals — They introduced a $7.99 combo meal that lifted value scores by 7 points and return intent by 5 points, enhancing value perception and customer frequency without deep discounting.
❤️ Reunited & it feels so good — Potbelly returned to The Ohio State University’s University District after nearly a decade, with 15% of opening weekend proceeds supporting the campus food pantry.
Timely tips
Avoid preventable problems by staying ahead of Winter Woes 🥶 with these tips:
🌡️ Assess heating systems. Schedule a pre-season checkup and swap out filters to prevent costly breakdowns and keep customers comfy.
💧 Prevent frozen pipes. Insulate exposed plumbing, keep a slow trickle running in extreme cold, and maintain a steady indoor temp to avoid bursting pipes.
❄️ Inspect & block drafts. Check doors, windows, and vents for drafts that can lead to heat loss and higher energy bills. Use weather stripping or door sweeps to keep the cozy vibes in and icy air out.
🚨 Prep emergency plans. Create a plan for power outages, severe weather, or supply chain disruptions. Make sure your team knows emergency procedures and has a reliable way to receive communication about last-minute closures or schedule changes.
🌨️ Maintain safe entrances. Keep walkways, parking lots, and entrances free of snow and ice to prevent slips and falls. Stock up on de-icing materials and assign a team to monitor and clear paths during operating hours
From the community
Hai Hospitality: setting the stage for scalability
Hai Hospitality, the award-winning group behind renowned restaurants like Uchi, Uchiko, Uchibā, and Loro, struggled with their previous maintenance system, which regularly led to problems falling through the cracks and causing operational delays.
They partnered with ResQ to enhance efficiency through QR codes, mobile alerts, and enhanced vendor relations.
This integration refined their maintenance workflows, allowing managers to address work orders promptly and focus more on delivering exceptional dining experiences.
Terry Ubl, VP of Facilities, played a pivotal role in this transformation, ensuring that all operations now run more smoothly and efficiently to set them up for scalable growth.
With leader moves like this, it’s no surprise that Terry nabbed the RFMA SuperHero Award a few years ago.
Break time
With Valentine’s Day approaching, here’s a little inspo for you…👇
We've whipped up 11 v-day cards for you to use. Send them to your love.
Violets don't stink
May your Valentine's crowd
Spend more than you'd think. 😉
— Kareem at ResQ
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Shameless plug
What does ResQ do?
ResQ is the ONLY facilities management platform that streamlines restaurant R&M operations and enhances oversight.
Operators can efficiently track assets, create work orders quickly, and choose from a network of quality trades businesses to work with.
ResQ makes it possible to cut costs, save time, and scale — all at the same time
Love free samples? We do, too. Schedule a FREE demo to see how ResQ can help you kick R&M chaos to the curb.
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