Restaurant Brands International is on the cusp of major growth—40,000 restaurants within five years. How will it get there? We’ll gather the presidents of Burger King, Popeyes, Tim Hortons U.S., and Firehouse Subs in one place, at the same time, for a wide-ranging and blockbuster chat from some of the most iconic restaurant chains in the world that you simply won’t find anywhere else.
A hallmark of fast casual has always been its entrepreneurial spirit. We gather four leaders who started their brands, how they did it, and how they’ve had to adjust to life when growth entered the picture.
Fast Casual: The Next Act
10:30 AM - 11:30 AM
The Investor Manifesto: 3 Strategies to Win Partners and Power Players
By Andrew K. Smith Managing Director and Co-Founder | Savory Fund
Savory has wasted no time building a portfolio of differentiated, growth-ready brands. We'll step inside that journey as well as learn what it takes to get your restaurant noticed, what's going on in the broader investment world, and why relationships make all the difference in this industry.
10:30 AM - 11:00 AM
Cracking the Code on AI: Revolution or Reason for Caution?
By Nabeel Alamgir CEO and Co-Founder | Lunchbox, Kent Asaki Dining Industry Lead | Publicis Sapient North America, Jon Asher Chief Marketing Officer | Nékter Juice Bar, Aaron Nilsson CIO | Jets Pizza, Vish Thirumurthy Founder & Chief Executive Officer | Tev5
Is AI really the path to the “smart restaurant?” We’ll get into the true applications and what’s possible for the future. Expect this talk to get fired up.
Operations Playbook
11:30 AM - 11:45 AM
Networking Break
11:45 AM - 12:45 PM
How to Attract the Right Franchisees/and Zors
By Graham Chapman Chief Growth Officer | 919 Marketing, Kelly Crummer Senior Director of Franchising | Firehouse Subs, Jon Fischer Head of Development | Wetzel’s Pretzels, Seth Lederman Frannexus, Kevin Moran CDO | Blaze Pizza, Bobby Morena Senior Vice President of Franchise Development | TexasGoTo Foods, Sam Stanovich SVP, Franchise Leadership | Big Chicken
Whether it’s paid/organic social outreach, digital, AI websites, and more, we explore the tools franchisors are deploying to find the best-fit operators, and for zees, which resources to plug into to connect with the ideal opportunity.
The Front Lines of Franchising
11:45 AM - 12:45 PM
Chipotle: Power of People and Food
By Haris Khan Vice President, Operations Services | Chipotle Mexican Grill
How Chipotle is staying true to its culinary heritage while building a brand that meets the demands employees and guests, today, and into the future.
When it comes to dynamic pricing, there’s no shortages of opinions or strategies. We’ll gather some of the leading minds on the topic to discuss the ins-and-outs, if it makes sense for your brand, and how you can implement in real time.
Most fast casuals started with a clear vision of who they were and why, from a one-shop dream to something bigger. But can you hold onto those ideals as you scale?
Unified solutions. Outsourced. In-house. With so many options flooding the market, where do you even begin piecing together technology that only makes your restaurant run better, but doesn’t break the bank.
Operations Playbook
3:00 PM - 3:15 PM
Networking Break
3:15 PM - 4:15 PM
Deciphering the FDD
By Tarji Carter Founder and President | The Franchise Player, Graham Chapman Chief Growth Officer | 919 Marketing, Van Ingram VP Franchise Recruitment | Jack in the Box, Kris McDonald VP of Development | Checkers and Rally’s, Neil Newcomb CEO | Kelly’s Roast Beef, Sam Rothschild COO | Slim Chickens, Scott Temme Director of Franchise Development | Honey Baked Ham
Trying to pick a franchise can feel like reading another language. Here’s an inside look at what matters most in the discovery process, and how restaurants are positioning themselves to get in front of the best candidates.
The Front Lines of Franchising
3:15 PM - 4:15 PM
Women in Restaurant Leadership: State of the Union
By Jodi Boyce CMO | Teriyaki Madness, Alice Crowder Vice President of Marketing | Krispy Krunchy Chicken, Natalie Green Chief Operating Officer | Nékter Juice Bar, Kristen Hartman President of Specialty Brands | GoTo Foods, Kelly McCutcheon Group Director of Training & Development | Whataburger Restaurants LLC., Anne Pritz CMO | Bobby’s Burgers by Bobby Flay, Abby Taylor Co-Founder & Chief Branding Officer | Playa Bowls
Ahead of the WiRL cocktail hour, women restaurant leaders will take questions and talk about their experiences and best practices for not only climbing the ladder in this industry, but for thriving at each step along the way.
Take the Lead
3:15 PM - 4:15 PM
Social Media and the Changing Rules of Engagement
By Tom Carr CMO | Chicken Salad Chick, Lauran Driver Head of Industry, Dining | TikTok, Dawn Nielsen COO | Kolache Factory, Laura Rueckel Chief Marketing Officer | Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers, Julie Wade Senior Director of Marketing | Taziki's, James Walker CEO | Frisch
From the latest TikTok craze and beyond, how and where restaurants reach today's customer is constantly evolving. Here’s how to keep up and find your brand’s voice.
Operations Playbook
4:15 PM - 4:30 PM
Networking Break
4:30 PM - 5:30 PM
KFC Global and the Guide to Driving Brand DNA at Scale
KFC Global CEO Sabir Sami will take us through how the legendary brand reached 30,000 locations across the world, and how it’s done so while remaining true to KFC’s differentiators, franchisees, and creating a profitable model that works in every market.
Keynote
5:30 PM - 6:30 PM
Women in Restaurant Leadership Networking Reception
6:30 PM - 9:00 PM
Post-Labor Day Bash
Savvy restaurant operators know the QSR Evolution Conference is the place to be right after Labor Day. And our Post–Labor Day Bash is the perfect opportunity during the conference to unwind, network, dine, drink, and just have a little fun all around!
From 6:00-9:00 p.m., attendees will mingle on the 8th floor of the stunning, famous atrium of Atlanta’s Marriott Marquis, where they’ll indulge in a feast of Southern culinary favorites and enjoy live music while connecting with fellow restaurant operators. The Post–Labor Day Bash is the networking highlight of the conference and is included with registration.
8:00 AM
Check in Opens
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
Breakfast
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Inspire and Innovate
By Scott Murphy Chief Brand Officer | Inspire Brands
Inspire Brands’ chief brand officer Scott Murphy oversees 32,000 locations across Buffalo Wild Wings, Dunkin’, Jimmy John’s, Sonic Drive-In, Arby’s, and Baskin-Robbins. He’ll share the journey and where the fastest-growing restaurant group on record heads from here. Hint: It’s a constant story of evolution.
Keynote
10:00 AM - 10:30 AM
Networking Break
10:30 AM - 11:30 AM
Invest and Be Invested
By Jim Balis Managing Director | Strategic Operations Group, David ‘Rev’ Ciancio Hospitality Marketing Consultant | Branded Strategic Hospitality, Lauren E. Fernandez CEO and Founder | Full Course, Geoff Henry President | Gong cha Americas, Ashley Robinson Chief Strategist and Founder | Seaker Group, Michael Schatzberg Cofounder and managing partner | Branded Hospitality Ventures, Andrew K. Smith Managing Director and Co-Founder | Savory Fund
So you’ve decided to grow. Where will you get capital? How do you find the right partner? What are both sides looking for? Let's hear from both sides.
With help from Intouch Insights, we preview results from our annual Drive-Thru Report, plus take a look at what it all means. Who was the fastest, most accurate, and friendliest drive-thrus in America?
Whether your brand is an upstart or has been around decades, weighing the decision to franchise has a lot of layers. We’ll ask the experts some pros and cons, what it actually takes to get started, and if this is, in fact, the right path to take.
The Front Lines of Franchising
11:45 AM - 12:45 PM
Fireside Chat: Wendy's
By Lindsay Radkoski Senior Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer, U.S. | The Wendy’s Company
11:45 AM - 12:45 PM
Voice-Automated Ordering and the Drive-Thru: Friend or Foe?
More and more brands are signing up to have drive-thru orders taken by AI. But is it the right option? And if so, what should you expect, from rollout to results, and everywhere in between.
Operations Playbook
12:45 PM - 1:45 PM
Lunch
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Trending on the Menu
By Paul Fabre Senior Vice President, Culinary and Innovation | Subway, Dan Harmon CEO | Playa Bowls, Tripp McLaughlin Chief Marketing Officer | The Honey Baked Ham Company, Alexis Parra Co-Founder and Chief Visionary Officer | Nékter Juice Bar, James Sanchez Executive Chef, Research & Development | Whataburger, Marshall Scarborough VP of Menu Innovation & Chief Culinary Officer | Bojangles, Venecia Willis Director of Culinary | Velvet Taco
Fast casual is where niche categories and global cuisines shine. Are smoothies still hot? What about poke? Here’s what customers are looking for today in their fast-casual choices.
Going from franchisee to franchisor can come with growing pains. But there are lessons and opportunities aplenty from taking the leap.
The Front Lines of Franchising
3:15 PM - 4:15 PM
Fireside Chat: Dave's Hot Chicken
By Jim Bitticks President & COO | Dave's Hot Chicken
3:15 PM - 4:15 PM
Delivery: The Road to Profitability
By Allen Beck Director of Off-Premise and Catering | Costa Vida Fresh Mexican Grill, Luke Christian Chief Executive Officer | Surcheros, Eric Knott Chief Operating Officer | People Dedicated to Quality, Andrew Maxwell Director | Boojum Ltd, Shanna Prevé Vice President of Enterprise Sales and Business Development | DoorDash
All these years removed from its meteoric rise, has the third-party delivery space become any easier to navigate? Is it more difficult? We take a status check on where it’s going and how to make it work in a new era of off-premises.
Jim Holthouser, the CEO of GoTo Foods (formerly Focus Brands) shares the why behind the name change and what’s driving one of the most consequential transformation projects in recent memory at the Auntie Anne’s, Carvel, Cinnabon, Jamba, McAlister’s Deli, Moe’s Southwest Grill, and Schlotzsky’s parent company.