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Choppin’ It Up by Bloomberg Intelligence

Bloomberg

“Choppin’ It Up” by Bloomberg Intelligence features conversations with analysts, executives and entrepreneurs that are shaping the future of the restaurant industry. Topics include human capital, ghost kitchens, menu pricing, the FAST Act and everything in between. The podcast is hosted by Senior Restaurant and Foodservice Analyst Michael Halen.

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August 20 · 23 min
Hershey’s Rothman on Re-Skilling the Workforce
This is a really exciting time to be in HR as we figure out how to re-skill employees so they can use new tools and fit into new roles, Hershey Chief Human Resources Officer Natalie Rothman tells Bloomberg Intelligence. In this episode of the Choppin’ It Up podcast, Rothman sits down with BI’s senior restaurant and foodservice analyst Michael Halen to discuss how the company’s HR department is using AI to re-train employees, shorten the hiring process, help with scheduling and even interview candidates. She also comments on Hershey’s fun culture, attracting talent, employee engagement and the qualities of the company’s best leaders. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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August 4 · 26 min
McWin Capital Partners on Investing in Europe
Europe is a complex market, so the cookie-cutter approach to international expansion doesn’t work, Vaibhav Juneja, a principal at McWin Capital Partners, tells Bloomberg Intelligence. In this episode of the Choppin’ It Up podcast, Juneja sits down with BI’s senior restaurant and foodservice analyst, Michael Halen, to discuss how McWin analyzes potential investments and the do’s and don’ts of expanding a restaurant brand into new markets. He also comments on Subway’s prospects outside the US, the M&A market in Europe, and why Spain, Poland and Central Europe are more attractive target markets than Germany and France. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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July 16 · 32 min
TGI Friday CEO’s Plans for Top-Line Growth
TGI Friday’s is eliminating busy work from their general manager’s plates, allowing them to focus on the team members, Sugarloaf Holdings Founder and CEO Ray Blanchette tells Bloomberg Intelligence. In this episode of the Choppin’ It Up podcast, Blanchette sits down with BI’s senior restaurant and foodservice analyst Michael Halen to discuss TGI Friday’s focus on four-wall execution, hospitality and food quality to boost US same-store sales. Blanchette also comments on value, international store development, Middle East sales and the impact of gasoline prices on restaurant spending. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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July 7 · 31 min
Fooda’s CEO on Its Asset-Light Foodservice Model
Employers are increasingly paying for more and more food to boost recruitment, productivity, retention and “earn the commute” of their workers, Fooda Founder and CEO Orazio Buzza tells Bloomberg Intelligence. In this episode of the Choppin’ It Up podcast, Buzza sits down with BI’s senior restaurant and foodservice analyst Michael Halen to discuss the foodservice company’s unique, asset-light business model. He also comments on workplace attendance trends, catering growth and the benefits of owning their own tech stack. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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June 15 · 32 min
Quality, Portions Feed Handel’s Ice Cream Sales
If you do something well with consistency and discipline in the food business, guests will come back, according to Handel’s Ice Cream CEO Jennifer Schuler. In this episode of the Choppin’ It Up podcast, Schuler and Chief Marketing Officer Hillary Frei sit down with Bloomberg Intelligence’s senior restaurant and foodservice analyst, Michael Halen, to discuss the chain’s strong top-line growth. They also comment on product sourcing, innovation and training, as well as their three corporate values: craftsmanship, generosity and community. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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June 1 · 31 min
Piada Italian Street Food’s Sales Outperform
Our comparable sales over the last six years are a reflection of the brand, menu and execution of the concept by our team, Piada Italian Street Food’s founder and CEO Chris Doody tells Bloomberg Intelligence. In this episode of the Choppin’ It Up podcast, Doody sits down with BI senior restaurant and foodservice analyst Michael Halen to discuss the chain’s sales-growth outperformance versus fast casual peers. He also comments on the health of the fast-casual industry and the company’s disciplined approach to new restaurant development. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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May 11 · 31 min
Matternet CEO Raptopoulos on Drone Delivery
The return on investment for drone delivery is attractive today and is going to get way more attractive over the next few years as the industry scales, Matternet founder and CEO Andreas Raptopoulos says on this episode of Bloomberg Intelligence’s Choppin’ It Up podcast. Raptopoulos joins BI senior restaurant and foodservice analyst Michael Halen to explore the cost and environmental benefits of autonomous drone networks. Raptopoulos also discusses an investment by SoftBank Robotics in Matternet and the US regulatory climate. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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May 4 · 38 min
SignalFlare’s Lukianoff on Gas, Fast Casual, AI
Fast-casual chains are most exposed to the gas-price spike as their menu prices have crept up to rival full-service, SignalFlare.ai’s founder and CEO Michael Lukianoff tells Bloomberg Intelligence. In this episode of the Choppin’ It Up podcast, Lukianoff sits down with BI’s senior restaurant and foodservice analyst Michael Halen to chat about the impact that higher gasoline prices and inflation will have on the restaurant industry. He also discusses menu management, population growth and, of course, AI. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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April 15 · 38 min
Craftable’s Cantu on Boosting Restaurant Profits
“We have taught restaurant employees to focus on prime costs, but there are so many other ways to lose money,” Craftable’s CEO David Cantu tells Bloomberg Intelligence. In this episode of the Choppin’ It Up podcast, he sits down with BI’s Senior Restaurant and Foodservice Analyst Michael Halen to discuss why it’s so important to build financial acumen at the manager level. He also comments on food waste and why the back office is the next big thing in restaurant tech. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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April 2 · 36 min
Smashburger’s Co-Founder, CEO on Improved Sales
If you aren’t playing the value game, you’re turning a blind eye to a big trend in the marketplace that isn’t going away soon, Smashburger’s co-founder Tom Ryan tells Bloomberg Intelligence. In this episode of the Choppin’ It Up podcast, Ryan and CEO Jim Sullivan sit down with BI senior restaurant and foodservice analyst Michael Halen to discuss how Smashburger’s $4.99 menu has contributed to its same-store sales turnaround. They discuss efforts to improve branding, operations and innovation and comment on the new marketing campaign slated for April 7. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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March 23 · 26 min
BJ’s CEO on Simplification, Store Development
At a high level, there are two questions I ask our teams to consider: Is what we’re doing making things better or easier for our team members, or better or easier for our guests? BJ’s Restaurants’ Chief Executive Officer Lyle Tick tells Bloomberg Intelligence. In this episode of the Choppin’ It Up podcast, Tick sits down with BI’s senior restaurant and foodservice analyst Michael Halen to discuss the company’s simplification efforts. They also explore BJ’s culture and new restaurant development as well as alcohol consumption trends. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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March 9 · 30 min
Dog Haus Aims to Disrupt the Franchised Model
Dog Haus’ new franchisee deals “mutually align incentives” between the brand and its operators, CEO Michael Montagano tells Bloomberg Intelligence. In this episode of the Choppin’ It Up podcast, Montagano sits down with BI’s senior restaurant and foodservice analyst Michael Halen to discuss how the company signed development agreements for 1,500 stores by offering partners a 20% equity stake, board representation and senior management roles. He also highlights the chain’s focus on quality proteins, strong unit economics and how its deal with Jake Paul boosted brand awareness. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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February 17 · 40 min
858 Partners' George on SaaS, AI and Robotics
All-in-one software solutions didn’t work before and aren’t going to work this time, Juan George, co-founder of 858 Partners, tells Bloomberg Intelligence. In this episode of the Choppin’ It Up podcast, George sits down with BI’s senior restaurant and foodservice analyst Michael Halen to discuss why modular, open systems that allow operators to innovate are the best option. He also gives advice on negotiating software-as-a-service (SaaS) contracts and comments on investments in AI, robotics, point-of-sale systems, customer data platforms and solutions to help control back-of-house spending. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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February 2 · 20 min
SupplyCaddy CEO Stein on Packaging Strategy
Custom packaging is a brand impression at scale and quality equates to retention for restaurant chains, SupplyCaddy co-founder and CEO Zachary Stein says on this episode of Bloomberg Intelligence’s Choppin’ It Up podcast. Stein sits down with BI senior restaurant and foodservice analyst Michael Halen to discuss how marketing, operations, price and predictability factor into purchasing decisions for foodservice packaging. He also comments on innovation, sustainability and the hidden labor costs restaurants face when managing a fragmented supplier base. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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January 20 · 34 min
Loop’s Tumuluru on Restaurant Delivery Trends
The way diners are discovering restaurants has shifted away from reviews and to social media, Loop’s co-founder Anand Tumuluru tells Bloomberg Intelligence. In this episode of the Choppin’ It Up podcast, Tumuluru sits down with BI’s senior restaurant and foodservice analyst Michael Halen to discuss changing trends in the restaurant industry, particularly the delivery channel. He also comments on the importance of right-sizing delivery marketing spending and maximizing flow-through on those sales. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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January 9 · 35 min
Service Perception Hurt Restaurant Traffic
Three out of 10 restaurant customers believe food quality is deteriorating and stores are understaffed, Lisa Miller, founder and president of Lisa W. Miller & Associates tells Bloomberg Intelligence. In this episode of the Choppin’ It Up podcast, Miller sits down with BI’s senior restaurant and foodservice analyst Michael Halen discuss the state of restaurant spending in the US. Miller also comments on attracting Gen Z customers and getting the most out of Gen Z employees. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Dec 15, 2025 · 39 min
Brooklyn Dumpling Shop CEO on Fast-Casual Sales
There’s a lot of talk about how soft the consumer is, but our third-party delivery same-store sales are up 50% year over year, Brooklyn Dumpling Shop CEO Jeff Galletly tells Bloomberg Intelligence. In this episode of the Choppin’ It Up podcast, Galletly sits down with BI’s senior restaurant and food-service analyst Michael Halen to discuss how the company is performing amid soft spending by fast-casual customers, particularly millennial and Gen Z consumers. He also comments on Brooklyn Dumpling Shop’s packaged-food business, value approach and a planned reverse takeover. Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Dec 1, 2025 · 26 min
Liberty Ventures CEO on Conscious Leadership
If a leader wants to run a business that’s more focused on taking care of its people, he or she has to reflect on their own values and how they embody them, Liberty Ventures Founder and CEO Alexander McCobin tells Bloomberg Intelligence. In this episode of the Choppin’ It Up podcast, McCobin sits down with BI senior restaurant and foodservice analyst Michael Halen to discuss how the principles of conscious capitalism can help restaurant leaders leverage their values and company culture to achieve greater success. He also comments on the benefits of community, collaboration and creating value for all stakeholders. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Nov 18, 2025 · 32 min
Golden Corral’s Improved Operations Boost Sales
Value is more than just price — you have to give the guests an experience that exceeds their expectations, Golden Corral CEO Lance Trenary tells Bloomberg Intelligence. In this episode of the Choppin’ It Up podcast, Trenary sits down with BI’s senior restaurant and foodservice analyst Michael Halen to discuss how the buffet chain is growing same-store sales in a difficult consumer environment. He also covers operational improvements, managing food costs and weak spending by Hispanic and Gen Z consumers. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Nov 6, 2025 · 37 min
Bikky’s Kapur on Saturation of Third-Party Ads
Survey data show third-party delivery ads are hitting a saturation point and 45% of chains expect to invest less in the channel in 2026, Bikky Co-Founder Abhinav Kapur tells Bloomberg Intelligence. In this episode of Choppin’ It Up, Kapur sits down with BI’s senior restaurant and foodservice analyst, Michael Halen, to discuss the findings of Bikky’s chief marketing officer survey. He also comments on US consumer spending, loyalty promotions, personalization and shrinking marketing budgets. Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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