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Artwork for Fast Casual Nation

Fast Casual Nation

Savor.fm
Fast Casual Dining
Franchising
Gen Z
Fast Casual
Catering
Fast Casual Industry
Menu Innovation
Restaurant Industry
Customer Loyalty Programs
Shake Shack
Chipotle
Marketing Strategies
Penn Station East Coast Subs
Smashburger
Starbucks
Social Media Marketing
Community Engagement
Hospitality
Millennials
Technology

Join the #1 Restaurant Business Podcast Shaping the Future of The Restaurant Industry! Hosted by Paul Barron—industry pioneer, investor, and author of The Chipotle Effect—alongside Cherryh Cansler, the editorial force behind Fastcasual.com, this is where restaurant operators get the competitive edge. Every week, this power duo decodes the trends, strategies, and innovations transforming the restau... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes214Founded7 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
EntrepreneurshipBusiness

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Artwork for Fast Casual Nation

Latest Episodes

On this episode of Fast Casual Nation, hosts Paul Barron and Cherryh Cansler sit down with Daniel Ceniceros, Founder & CEO of Connect Media, to unpack how commercial real estate is reshaping the restaurant industry. Daniel breaks down why "treasure h... more

Dave's Hot Chicken CMO Brandon Rhoten joins Fast Casual Nation to break down how the fast-growing chicken chain uses AI on the back end for customer data and financial analysis while deliberately keeping it out of creative and content production. Rho... more

YouTube

Bonchon CEO Suzie Tsai joins Fast Casual Nation hosts Paul Barron and Cherryh Cansler to talk candidly about the Korean fried chicken brand's AI journey, from admitting its tech stack needed work to building smarter supply chain forecasting, localize... more

What does it take to scale a beloved regional icon into a fast-casual powerhouse with over 240 locations?

In this episode, hosts Paul and Cherryh sit down with Elisia Flores, CEO of L&L Hawaiian Barbecue, to unpack the strategy, culture, and operati... more

YouTube

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Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Elisia Flores
CEO of L&L Hawaiian Barbecue
L&L Hawaiian Barbecue
Episode: The Secret Strategy Behind L&L Hawaiian Barbecue’s Massive Expansion
Kelly O'Rourke
Executive/representative of FiiZ beverage brand
FiiZ
Episode: Mocktails are Winning
Tal Clark
Executive of Instant payments platform
Instant
Episode: Mocktails are Winning
Pinky Cole
Founder of Slutty Vegan
Slutty Vegan
Episode: The "Slutty" Empire: How Pinky Cole Turned a $100M Burger Brand Into a Religion
Alicia Mowder
Chief Marketing Officer, Mendocino Farms
Mendocino Farms
Episode: Winning the Fast-Casual Sandwich Wars
Casey Hilder
Director of Restaurant Growth, Loop AI
Loop AI
Episode: Winning the Fast-Casual Sandwich Wars
Mike Smith
CBO of Moe's Southwest Grill
GoTo Foods / Moe's Southwest Grill
Episode: Growth Strategies: Shared Resources Without Diluting Brand DNA
Donna Varner
CBO of Schlotzsky's
GoTo Foods / Schlotzsky's
Episode: Growth Strategies: Shared Resources Without Diluting Brand DNA
Jason Kidd
COO of Chipotle
Chipotle
Episode: Gamifying the Burrito: The "Rewards on Repeat" Strategy

Hosts

Paul Barron
Host of the show with industry leadership in restaurant innovation and branding
Chera Cansler
Host and editorial force behind industry coverage and guest curation
Cherryh Cansler
Editorial host and co-host/editorial force behind coverage

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 35 ratings
  • Food Industry insights

    Really glad to have a show that talks to the leaders and shares great restaurant insights on operations.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    I Live For Cooking
    United States4 years ago
  • Food Industry Insights

    Incredible interviews with top leaders in the industry. Very educational for those needing insight and tips on staffing an day to day operations.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Asila H
    United States4 years ago
  • High content and low calories

    New to the fast casual food business after a long hiatus (30 yrs) in the pizza busting and this podcast is loaded with information that is crucial if you are in or entering the food industry, the informal is served in a low calorie yet filling format so no need to set aside hours for tasteless boring info you can swing by for half hour or so and leave full of info . Caution it’s addictive

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Gennotti R
    United States4 years ago
  • Really great show about the fast/casual food industry.

    Podchaser
    5
    jfpodcasts
    5 years ago
  • Owner operator

    Each time I wonder when Paul will say “cool” or mention his 20 plus years of tracking industry. Just being funny. Like the podcast with duration of 30 minutes or more.. gives time to explore subjects. Keep up good work

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    gumbobaker
    United States6 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Praise for depth and breadth of industry insights and guest expertise.
High quality interviews with top restaurant leaders across topics like ops, branding, and tech.
Sponsorships noted as valuable for reaching decision-makers in fast casual.
Listeners appreciate concise episodes with actionable takeaways for operators and sponsors.
submitted notes show strong affinity for the show's brand and expertise.
Audience growth and consistency praised by listeners.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

AI Winners in 2026 in Restaurant & Hospitality
Q: What is your vision for privacy and data security with AI tools?
We emphasize private enterprise versions of tools, training team members on privacy best practices, and choosing solutions that keep brand data contained and protected to avoid external data leakage.
AI Winners in 2026 in Restaurant & Hospitality
Q: Are kiosks and AI integrated together, and can they enhance the ordering experience?
Yes, AI-enabled kiosks can suggest add-ons and increase average check, while still keeping human staff engaged for hospitality; the aim is to coexist and enhance the guest experience rather than replace staff.
AI Winners in 2026 in Restaurant & Hospitality
Q: How is AI being used in marketing, and is automation replacing creatives?
AI is used to guide media investment locally and understand market tendencies; it's not about generating all creative content but about making marketing spend more efficient and targeted while still leveraging human creativity and local insights.
AI Winners in 2026 in Restaurant & Hospitality
Q: What gaps did you uncover in your tech stack and what are you doing to fix them?
We found gaps across data, processes, and usage; we are approaching tech in phased, problem-focused steps rather than one monolithic solution, improving data cleanliness and workflow integration step by step.
AI Winners in 2026 in Restaurant & Hospitality
Q: What does AI actually do for operators, and is there a real takeaway?
AI should improve productivity and profitability by solving specific, well-defined problems; if data is messy or processes are inconsistent, AI can amplify the chaos unless you fix those foundations first.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Fast Casual Nation

What is Fast Casual Nation about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show concentrates on fast casual and broader restaurant industry trends, with a strong focus on brand growth, franchising, technology integration (including AI, digital ordering, and hardware), and innovative guest experiences. Episodes frequently explore how operators differentiate through menu strategy, store design, partnerships, and data-driven decision making, often featuring multi-brand platforms, celebrity-backed concepts, and viral growth case studies. Notable is the consistent emphasis on practical takeaways for operators and sponsors, plus guest perspectives from founders, CXOs, and technology partners that illuminate scalable paths in a competitive landscape.

Where can I find podcast stats for Fast Casual Nation?

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How many listeners does Fast Casual Nation get?

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What are the audience demographics for Fast Casual Nation?

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How many subscribers and views does Fast Casual Nation have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Fast Casual Nation has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Fast Casual Nation?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Fast Casual Nation:

1. QSR Uncut
2. Founders
3. Freakonomics Radio
4. How I Built This with Guy Raz
5. A Deeper Dive

How many episodes of Fast Casual Nation are there?

Fast Casual Nation launched 7 years ago and published 214 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Fast Casual Nation?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Fast Casual Nation?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Fast Casual Nation from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

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What guests have appeared on Fast Casual Nation?

Recent guests on Fast Casual Nation include:

1. Elisia Flores
2. Kelly O'Rourke
3. Tal Clark
4. Pinky Cole
5. Alicia Mowder
6. Casey Hilder
7. Mike Smith
8. Donna Varner

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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