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.
Episodes
446 episodes
From Farmer to Restaurateur: Scott Henderson's Salad Station Success Story
In this episode of Give an Ovation, host Zack Oates talks to Scott Henderson, CEO and co-founder of Salad Station. Scott shares how his agricultural roots in South Louisiana inspired him to create a fast, healthy restaurant concept tha...
From Lost to Loyal: Winning Back Your Customers with Dan Pfister of Winback Labs
Unlock the secrets to rekindling lost customer relationships with expert insights from Dan Pfister, Founder of WinBack Labs. Discover proven strategies for understanding why customers leave and how to effectively bring them back. Dan highlights...
Jill Raff on the Power of Employee Investment
Can a great customer experience truly begin with how you treat your employees? In this fascinating episode of Give an Ovation, we host Jill Raff, the dynamic Founder and CEO of the Jill Raff Group, who makes a compelling case for her EX2CX® app...
Turning Failure into Success: Perry Rogers on Humility, Resilience, and Meaningful Conversations
What does it take to turn failure into a stepping stone for success? Perry Rogers, the legendary sports marketing executive and agent behind iconic athletes like Shaquille O'Neal and his restaurant Big Chicken, shares his incredible career jour...
Improving Operations Through Relationships with Chris Treloar of PLNT Burger
In this episode of Give an Ovation, Zack Oates interviews Chris Treloar, CEO of PLNT Burger, to uncover his secrets to creating a standout guest experience in the restaurant industry. From his roots at Friendly's to leading a successful plant-b...
The Legendary San Pedro Fish Market Story with Michael Ungaro
Join us for another episode of Give an Ovation, the Restaurant Guest Experience Podcast, as we dive into the fascinating journey of Michael Ungaro, CEO of San Pedro Fish Market. From setting Guinness World Records to becoming one of the most In...
Personalized Experiences: Insights from Jason Ganahl of GQue Championship Barbecue
Ever wondered what goes into creating a dining experience so memorable that guests can't stop talking about it? Join us as we sit down with Jason Ganahl, the genius behind GQue Championship Barbecue, Denver’s first and only championship barbecu...
The Power of People: Matt Rolfe on Hospitality Leadership
In this episode of Give an Ovation, we learn about effective hospitality leadership with Matt Rolfe, a hospitality leadership coach, speaker, and author of "You Can't Do it Alone." Matt shares his insights on helping multi-unit restaurant opera...
From Busboy to President: George Kalogridis Shares His Disney Journey and Secrets to Exceptional Guest Experience
Disney is known for some of best guest experiences in the world, and today we learn some of the magic formula as we chat with George Kalogridis, who shares his remarkable 50-year journey in Disney.As a busboy who later became President ...
The Power of Authentic Engagement in Restaurants with Ken McGarrie and Mark Braver
On this episode, authenticity takes the spotlight as we explore what it means to provide genuine care and high-quality service in the hospitality industry with Ken McGarrie and Mark Braver of Fifty/50 Consulting.Listen to an inspiring s...
How to Use Direct Mail with Kevin Slaughter of Mailwise Solutions
Today we're learning about an often overlooked restaurant marketing channel, direct mail. Kevin Slaughter, Director of Operations at Mailwise Solutions debunks the myth that direct mail is a relic of the past, proving its remarkable ROI in 2024...
Consistency and Culture: Andy Rebhun of CAVA on Elevating Guest Experience
Join us on this episode of Give an Ovation as we welcome back Andy Rebhun, the Chief Experience Officer at CAVA. With a rich background in leadership roles at Ford Motor Company, McDonald's, and El Pollo Loco, Andy shares invaluable insights in...
Mastering Hospitality Marketing with Marlo Fogelman
In this episode of Give an Ovation, Zack Oates sits down with Marlo Fogelman, the Founder and CEO of Marlo Marketing. With a unique background that combines marketing expertise and a law degree, Marlo shares her insights on the intricacies of h...
The Balancing Act of Cost and Revenue in Hospitality with Tim Murphy
In this episode of Give an Ovation, Tim Murphy, CEO of Boomers Parks and Big Kahuna's, shares his extensive experience in turning around businesses. From his days at Walt Disney World to managing financial turnarounds at various restaurant chai...
Unlocking the Power of Relationships with Patrick Ewers
In this episode of Give an Ovation, we sit down with Patrick Ewers, CEO and founder of MindMaven, an executive coaching firm that has transformed leaders from top companies like Reddit, Roblox, and Sequoia Capital. Patrick shares his insights o...
How Staffing and Efficiency Drive Restaurant Performance with Joe Guszkowski
In this episode of Give an Ovation, we turn the mic around to interview Joe Guszkowski, a Senior Editor at Restaurant Business covering technology and casual-dining chains. He also hosts RB Daily, a restaurant news podcast.Joe shares hi...
Healthy Eats, Happy Guests: Darden Coors on Salad Collective's Success
In this episode of Give an Ovation, host Zack Oates sits down with Darden Coors, the CEO of Salad Collective. With over a decade of experience, Darden has been a driving force behind better-for-you fast-casual brands like Mad Greens, Snappy Sal...
Honoring Solomon Choi: Lessons from the 16 Handles Founder
Note: This episode was recorded before the recent passing of Solomon Choi. He was a dear friend to Zack and the Ovation team, and though we are saddened and shocked by his passing, we were grateful to share this conversation with him. Our t...
Building a Winning Team with Andrew Smith of Savory Fund
In this special episode of Give an Ovation, host Zack Oates chats with Andrew Smith, Managing Director and Co-Founder of the Savory Fund. Andrew shares invaluable insights into building a successful team, the importance of decisive action, and ...
From Core Menu to LTOs: How Slim Chickens Keeps Guests Coming Back
Today, we're thrilled to welcome Tom Gordon, CEO of Slim Chickens. With nearly 22 years at the helm, Tom has been instrumental in transforming Slim Chickens into a beloved brand known for its innovative LTOs and consistently delicious offerings...
From Shark Tank to Sweet Success: Jeremy Carlson’s Journey with Crispy Cones
In this Crispy episode of "Give an Ovation," Zack Oates sits down with Jeremy Carlson, founder and CEO of Crispy Cones, to talk about the rollercoaster journey from starting a business to appearing on Shark Tank and beyond. Jeremy shares the hi...
From PepsiCo to Blaze Pizza: Jim Mizes on Restaurant Growth
In this episode of "Give an Ovation," Zack Oates welcomes Jim Mizes, a restaurant industry legend with an impressive track record, including roles as VP of PepsiCo, President of brands like Einstein Bros and Blaze Pizza, and various advisory ro...
Next Level Loyalty with Olga Lopategui
In this 300th episode of "Give an Ovation," host Zack Oates welcomes back Olga Lopategui, a seasoned restaurant marketing consultant and the Founder of Restaurant Loyalty Specialists. Olga shares her expertise in setting up and optimizing loyal...
Pioneering Poke: How Seth Cohen Built Sweetfin
In this episode of "Give an Ovation," host Zack Oates sits down with Seth Cohen, President and Co-founder of Sweetfin. Seth shares the inspiring journey of Sweetfin's inception, its innovative approach to fast-casual dining, and the emphasis on...
Juicing Up Operations: Natalie Green’s Strategies for Success
In this episode of "Give an Ovation," Zack Oates sits down with Natalie Green, the dynamic COO of Nekter Juice Bar. With over 200 locations, Natalie shares insights from her 12-year journey at Nekter, focusing on the importance of supply chain ...
