Give an Ovation: The Restaurant Guest Experience Podcast with Zack Oates
Give an Ovation: The Restaurant Guest Experience Podcast is your backstage pass to the minds of hospitality leaders, innovators, and operators who are redefining what it means to serve. Hosted by Zack Oates, founder of Ovation, each episode dives into real-world tactics and inspiring stories from restaurant pros who know how to create five-star guest experiences—both in-store and off-premise.
From fast casual to fine dining, catering to curbside, learn how to drive loyalty, empower your staff, and deliver hospitality that hits home. Whether you're a restaurant owner, operator, marketer, or tech partner, this podcast will leave you with practical insights and plenty of reasons to celebrate and Give an Ovation.
Podcasting since 2020 • 399 episodes
Give an Ovation: The Restaurant Guest Experience Podcast with Zack Oates
Latest Episodes
Empower Your Team, Elevate Your Guests with Geoffrey Toffetti of Frontline Performance Group
Zack sits down with Geoffrey Toffetti, CEO of Frontline Performance Group, to talk about why the guest experience can never exceed the employee experience. Geoffrey explains how clear standards, consistent measurement, and coachable behaviors t...
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17:04
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Founder Spirit to Scalable Systems with Peter Gaudreau of Tacodeli
Zack sits down with Peter Gaudreau, CEO of Tacodeli, to talk about scaling a beloved founder-led brand while protecting what matters most. Peter shares how ingredient integrity, empowered managers, and thoughtful packaging make hospitality show...
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19:31
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From Brand DNA to Guest Love with Melissa Richards-Person of Third Arm Consulting
Zack sits down with Melissa Richards-Person of Third Arm Consulting to unpack brand DNA and why it is the root of lasting guest experience. From Papa John’s transformation to creating signature moments guests remember, Melissa shares how clear ...
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21:48
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Bringing Brazilian Flavor to NYC with Pedro Uchôa of TAP
Zack sits down with Pedro Uchôa, founder and CEO of TAP, the Brazilian fast casual bringing bold flavor and genuine hospitality to New York and Miami. They discuss TAP’s Perfect Pitch win, the importance of culture-driven leadership, and how sm...
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16:09
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Detect, Then Train: Rachael Nemeth of Opus Training on AI Interventions that Stick
Zack Oates sits down with Rachael Nemeth, CEO of Opus Training, to talk about turning frontline training into real-time performance. Rachael explains why most brands don’t have a completion problem — they have an adoption problem — and how Opus...
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18:11
