The Hospitality Hangout
The Hospitality Hangout
Join Michael Schatzberg aka Schatzy (The Restaurant Guy) and Jimmy Frischling (The Finance Guy) on The Hospitality Hangout as they explore hospitality, food service, and investment trends while connecting with industry leaders. Each week, receive insider insights and funny stories that shape the hospitality landscape. They live at the intersection of hospitality, food service, technology, and investment, connecting the biggest players and boldest ideas shaping the industry.Each week, they serve up funny, informative, and wildly entertaining conversations with the insiders who are leading a new era of hospitality. From emerging brands and breakthrough tech to industry trends and restaurant success stories, no topic is off the table.It’s where the who’s who of hospitality hangs out – packed with expert insights, laugh-out-loud moments, and must-know trends that keep you ahead of the game.🍽️ Tune in, grab a drink, and let’s talk shop! 🚀
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The Hospitality Hangout

Welcome to the Hospitality Hangout

Join Michael Schatzberg (The Restaurant Guy) and Jimmy Frischling (The Finance Guy) on The Hospitality Hangout for bold, hilarious, and insight-packed conversations with the power players redefining hospitality. From hot trends and tech breakthroughs to behind-the-scenes stories, no topic is off the table.

Recent Episodes

People First, Pizza Always: The Donatos Growth Playbook
143
June 30, 2026

People First, Pizza Always: The Donatos Growth Playbook

Donatos Pizza President and CEO Kevin King joins Hospitality Hangout to share the people-first growth playbook behind one of America’s most enduring pizza brands. From 100 pieces of pepperoni on every large pizza to sauce automation, employee retention, restaurant technology, and scaling a legacy brand without losing its identity, this episode explores what it takes to keep people first and pizza always.
Boba Isn’t a Fad: How Gong cha Is Scaling Bubble Tea With Automation
142
June 23, 2026

Boba Isn’t a Fad: How Gong cha Is Scaling Bubble Tea With Automation

Boba is no longer a niche menu item. On this episode of Hospitality Hangout, Chris Noffze, Director of Direct Franchising and Operations at Gong cha Americas, joins Jimmy and Schatzy to break down how Gong cha is scaling bubble tea in a cold, customizable beverage market that continues to pull in younger consumers.
Five Guys on AI, Automation, Loyalty and the Future of Restaurants
141
June 16, 2026

Five Guys on AI, Automation, Loyalty and the Future of Restaurants

What does the future of restaurant technology really look like? For Five Guys VP of Technology M.J. Worsham, it’s not about chasing the newest shiny tool, it’s about finding tech that actually works for operators, improves the guest experience, and makes life easier for restaurant teams.
Paris Baguette Isn’t From Paris: How a Korean Bakery Café Went Global
140
June 9, 2026

Paris Baguette Isn’t From Paris: How a Korean Bakery Café Went Global

Paris Baguette may sound French, but its story begins in South Korea. On this episode of Hospitality Hangout, hosts Jimmy Frischling and Michael Schatzberg sit down with Cathy Chavenet to explore how a Korean-born, French-inspired bakery café brand grew into a global powerhouse with more than 4,000 locations worldwide.
Rock & Brews CEO on the Future of Restaurants and the Power of Experience
139
June 2, 2026

Rock & Brews CEO on the Future of Restaurants and the Power of Experience

Rock & Brews CEO Adam Goldberg joins Hospitality Hangout at the Restaurant Leadership Conference to talk about how restaurants are competing for traffic with music, sports, big screens, live entertainment, hospitality, and a reason for guests to actually show up.
Boozy Brunch, Protein Pancakes & the Rise of Snooze Eatery
138
May 26, 2026

Boozy Brunch, Protein Pancakes & the Rise of Snooze Eatery

Breakfast is no longer just breakfast. Live from the Restaurant Leadership Conference, Josh Kern joins the Hospitality Hangout Podcast to break down why brunch culture, protein trends, social media, and hospitality are reshaping the restaurant business. From protein pancakes and breakfast burritos to brunch cocktails, loyalty, restaurant marketing, influencer culture, and why younger diners are changing the way America eats, this conversation dives deep into one of the hottest categories in food

Recent Blog Posts

Restaurant Voice AI in 2026: What's Real at the Drive-Thru?
June 30, 2026

Restaurant Voice AI in 2026: What's Real at the Drive-Thru?

Burger King now has an AI named "Patty" listening in. In February 2026 the chain began piloting an AI voice assistant—built on an OpenAI base model—inside employee headsets across 500 restaurants. It is the kind of headline that makes op…
AI Search Visibility: Why 83% of Restaurants Are Invisible to AI
June 30, 2026

AI Search Visibility: Why 83% of Restaurants Are Invisible to AI

A guest pulls out their phone, opens ChatGPT, and types "where can I get a good pizza near me tonight." Five years ago that search happened on Google Maps. Today it increasingly happens inside an AI assistant—and a new benchmark suggests most …
Agape Capitalism: Leading with Love in the Restaurant Industry
June 30, 2026

Agape Capitalism: Leading with Love in the Restaurant Industry

Introduction: What is Agape Capitalism and Why it Matters in RestaurantsWelcome back to the blog, everyone! In our latest episode of the podcast, we had the incredible opportunity to sit down with Kevin King, President and CEO of Donatos Pizza. Th…

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