Cracker Barrel brought back the old logo and calmed the pearl-clutchers. But let’s not get distracted. A rebrand won’t fix long wait times, food inconsistency, or a pricing perception gap. In this episode, I break down the real reasons Cracker Barrel is losing relevance—and what it needs to do to get back in the game.

We’re talking guest expectations by age group, the myth of the logo fix, and why value and speed are the critical pressure points for restaurant brands today. If you’re in restaurant leadership, strategy, or branding, this one’s for you.

Timestamps:

00:00 - The nostalgia bait-and-switch

01:35 - Why the rebrand happened in the first place

03:10 - What each generation really wants from Cracker Barrel

06:45 - Value and speed: the red thread

08:20 - Why logos don’t fix operational problems

10:05 - What Cracker Barrel needs to do next

12:30 - Your move: how restaurant brands can learn from this

Listen, like, and share if you’re building brands that actually matter.

Follow for bold takes on restaurant branding, business strategy, and leadership.

Out-of-the-box tech systems help restaurants launch fast. Online ordering, loyalty, location pages—they’re quick, functional, and affordable. But they’re not built to carry you forever.

In this episode, Joseph Szala unpacks the lifecycle of restaurant tech adoption:

• Why out-of-the-box solutions are the right move early on

• The tradeoffs every brand eventually faces

• The $5M sales inflection point where custom experiences become critical

• How to unify your digital experience to reduce friction, maximize pull-through, and build stronger guest relationships

If you’re leading a multi-unit brand or pushing digital transformation in restaurants, this episode will give you clarity on when to optimize, not just operate.

McDonald’s new DoorDash-powered ordering flow works like a charm… but not for brand building. I break down the experience in real time, calling out what’s smooth, what’s broken, and what it teaches every multiunit restaurant leader about protecting your brand in the age of tech partnerships.

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Full custom websites deliver the highest revenue potential for restaurant brands—but they can also overwhelm budgets and timelines. In this episode of Little Raps, we unpack a phased build strategy that lets you:

• Move off monolithic platforms without disruption

• Add guest-facing features in stages

• Boost transactions and AOV faster

Perfect for multi-unit restaurant brand leaders who want digital transformation without the wait.

If your restaurant brand is operating with a split-site digital experience—like marketing.com linked to orders.brand.com—you’re not alone. But before you invest in a full custom digital build, you need to capture the right data today to prove ROI tomorrow.

In this episode, we break down:

• Why revenue alone isn’t enough

• Key metrics every restaurant brand should benchmark now (AOVs, conversion rates, drop-offs)

• How cross-domain tracking across marketing and ordering sites unlocks real performance insights

• A proprietary Olo-to-GA integration that delivers a frictionless analytics setup

This is must-know info for restaurant CMOs, marketing directors, and digital leads at multi-location brands aiming to validate growth and make smarter, data-backed decisions.

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Most brands obsess over drive-thru and print menus—but leave their online menus untouched. In this episode, Joseph Szala unpacks why that’s a missed opportunity, and how classic menu engineering principles can drive real gains in digital ordering. Tune in for tips, examples, and ideas you can apply right now to your digital experience.

Where restaurant brands go to sharpen their edge. This show is your go-to source for digital strategy, AI-driven search, local SEO, and guest experience insights—all tailored for multi-unit restaurant leaders.

We skip the fluff and get straight to what works. Hear real-world tactics, brand success stories, and expert advice on the tools and strategies fueling today’s most innovative restaurant brands.

🎙️ SEO & AI Search Strategy

🎙️ Loyalty & Guest Engagement

🎙️ Mobile Tech & Ordering Innovations

🎙️ Digital Experience That Drives ROI

Ready to take flight? Hit follow and let’s soar.

What’s truly holding women back in the restaurant industry—and what’s propelling them forward? In this candid conversation, Betsy Hamm, former CEO of Duck Donuts and host of the Loud & Lifted podcast, joins us to explore the momentum behind women in leadership roles.

Together, we unpack:

• Internal roadblocks (like imposter syndrome and self-doubt)

• The real dynamics behind “the boys’ club”

• Why women often struggle with visibility and self-advocacy—and how to change that

• How leaders can build stronger, more connected teams across every level

Expect unfiltered perspectives, strategic takeaways, and unexpected lessons about navigating leadership, ambition, and the evolving restaurant landscape. No sugar-coating. Just sharp insights and actionable ideas for anyone looking to lead with purpose—whether you’re at the ground floor or aiming for the C-suite.

Let’s take flight together.