Regional Success in Brand Scaling

Thank you. And we also have Clinton Anderson, the CEO of Fourth, who will be moderating the discussion with Jason. So Jason, how about I let you provide the audience some info about your background and you can also tell them a bit about Chop Shop. And after that I'll let you take it from there, Clinton.

My name is Jason Morgan, CEO of Original Chop Shop. We purchased the brand name in 2016three unitsand I have actually grown it to 26. After a quick stint of attempting to be an accountant for about a year and a half, I transitioned into gambling establishment home and worked in business finance.

I was the very first employee there after personal equity purchased business. Assisted grow that from 20 to 150 locations, took it public in 2014, and then left about a year and a half after going public to do this at Chop Store. My hope is that we can reproduce the success we had at Zos, and we're off to an actually excellent start.

We're at the counter, we bring the food to the table. The key to the program is we have a beverage element as well with fresh-squeezed juices and protein shakes.

Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

A little more complicated than a few of the walk-the-line ideas that are out there, but we believe we've got something quite unique. We're going to include another shop this year and a minimum of 4 stores next year. So we will be 31 or so shops by the end of next year.

Quick Service Market Share Growth for 2026

Hey, everybody. It's fantastic to be with you once again. My name is Clinton Anderson. I'm the CEO here at 4th. I have actually been in this function for about 6 years. Fourth, as many of you understand, is a leading supplier of software application services to the dining establishment and hospitality industry. Our goal is to help our customers succeed in driving profitability and being efficientmanaging labor, managing stock, and essentially supplying them with tools they need to provide their vision.

It's uncommon to have companies that are beloved and growing rapidly, that can repeat that success year after year. Jason, one of the reasons I was so thrilled to have you join our session is the success at Zos was remarkable. I've only fulfilled a handful of brand names where there was such a strong customer affinity for the brand.

And now you're doing the very same thing at Chop Store. When you talk with customers about Chop Store, they enjoy the location. They discuss its differentiation. And to be able to take what is a relatively complex principle in terms of delivering an excellent experience for the customer, and be able to grow that from a couple of stores to now north of 30 shops next yearit's incredible.

We're going to discuss how to scale a restaurant service. Every restaurateur I ever talk with has dreams of taking one shop, two shops, 5 shops, and turning it into something much biggerexpanding throughout the city, throughout the state, into multiple states, and eventually national, even worldwide reach. It's not simple, specifically in today's environment.

Labor is hard. Stock expenses remain high. It's not a simple time to drive success and growth at the same time. However we're pleased to have you here today, Jason, because we're going to dig into that subject. The questions are going to be really around: how do you grow an organization? How do you scale it and make it successful? How do you replicate early success? And from there, after we discuss your experience and the lessons you've found out, we 'd like to then state: well, appearance, how could technology assist? How can you use technology as a multiplier to replicate early success to far-reaching success? Second, beyond technology, how do you scale terrific teams? And lastly, AI.

Regional Success in Corporate Expansion

The first question I have for you, Jasonlook, you've done this two times now in the restaurant industry. What are some of the lessons you've discovered? What has your experience remained in regards to what it takes to actually drive success in expanding restaurants? Inform me a little about your path, what you experienced along the method, and possibly a few of the harder lessons you learned.

We talked a little bit before we started about LinkedIn, and I've got a post teed as much as follow this next week about what the playbook is likepoint by pointfor growing a service. To me, among the key things, and I feel really fortunate, is that both brand names I've been involved with are special.

And there's nothing exactly like Chop Shop in terms of what we're finishing with a big, varied menu. A lot of brands today are very singularly focused in terms of what they're using from a food product. I seem like we began at an advantage with both brands by having something special that filled a specific niche nobody else was doing.

A lot of it starts with the brand name. Does your brand name have something unique that no one else is doing?

High-ROI Hospitality Investments Coming in 2026

The 2nd thingI came from a financing background, so a lot of my knowings are more financing and data-driven versus a lot of early startup restaurateurs who are creative types. They like the food, they developed the menu, they developed the brand.

They don't understand their breakeven sales. They do not comprehend how margin enhances as sales boost. They don't understand cash-on-cash returns. I have actually seen a lot of companies where the numbers just do not work. And yet individuals say: let's open 10 more. And I'll say: why? It doesn't earn money. Stop. You need to discover a principle that is distinct.

Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

If you don't have those two things, you should not be building stores. Since as I hear your description, you have actually highlighted three things: execution, brand differentiation, and monetary practicality.

How to Expand a Restaurant Concept

Second, you require a compelling brand or unique idea that resonates with clients. And another essential lesson is about entering brand-new markets.

When we expanded to Dallas, I anticipated brand-new shops to do 5070% of Phoenix sales in the first year. Too lots of operators presume brand-new markets will open at full volume day one.