Join us for a special edition of Hospitality Hangout as we take a trip down memory lane with a special REWIND episode! Michael Schatzberg “The Restaurant Guy” and Jimmy Frischling “The Finance Guy” chatted with R.J. Melman, President of Lettuce Entertain You, a fifty-one year old restaurant group that is privately held with over one hundred and twenty restaurants across the country in thirteen different states. It is based out of Chicago, Illinois.

Melman’s dad, Rich Melman started the company back in 1971 when he opened a restaurant with his best friend Jerry Orzoff. Melman’s siblings Jarrod and Molly are both part of the Lettuce Entertain You Restaurants team.

The guys share breaking news and say that Lettuce has just opened their first restaurant in Florida. It is Aba, a Mediterranean restaurant that brings cooking influences from the Mediterranean, including Israel, Lebanon, Turkey and Greece. Also the group is opening RPM Italian in West Palm Beach and Summer House in Orlando.

In Chicago in 2023 Melman talks about the new collaboration between Tao Group Hospitality. The partnership will bring a new private members club. The guys also talk about the Lettuce loyalty program that has been around for more than three decades. Now the program is free through the app. Recently they announced that Lettuce has partnered with DoorDash for a first of its kind loyalty program. The program powered by DoorDash will now allow guests to receive loyalty points and redeem gift cards for takeout and delivery.

Melman’s goal when he became President was to use tech to transcend hospitality in dining rooms, bringing hospitality and technology together. Melman says they are in the process of switching over our general ledger, HR solution and more.

Melman shares how the company continues to keep things going well with all of the expansion. They have been consistent on expansion over the last thirty years and said that the team has played a role in the growth.

Key Takeaways:

– RJ Melman offers a compelling introduction to himself and Lettuce Entertain You, providing a glimpse into the company’s illustrious history rooted in Chicago and the impressive network of 120 restaurants it currently oversees.
– RJ’s first job as a restaurant host
–  Stay in the loop with the latest developments as Aba, Lettuce Entertain You’s Mediterranean masterpiece, opens its doors in the bustling Bal Harbor Shops of Miami.
– Discover the exciting venture into Florida and the unique opportunity to create a restaurant for the renowned Disney Corporation, showcasing Lettuce Entertain You’s versatility and strategic partnerships.
– Delve deeper into the collaboration with Tao Hospitalities, exploring the dynamics of working alongside RJ’s brother and sister, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the family’s synergistic approach.
– Uncover the details of Lettuce Entertain You’s groundbreaking partnership with DoorDash, powering their menu and introducing a pioneering loyalty program that allows patrons to redeem points on delivery orders—a seamless integration of technology and hospitality.
–  Explore the ethos of Lettuce Entertain You as a family business, emphasizing growth and autonomy. RJ sheds light on how his father’s role as a cheerleader has been instrumental in managing the restaurants and fostering a culture of success.
– A family business that has focused on growth. RJ’s dad gave them autonomy and acted as their cheerleader in managing the restaurants
– Learning from RJ’s store success, “Someone ahead of you never stops you from growing in this company…And developing someone below you never makes you be replaced either.”