Give an Ovation: The Restaurant Guest Experience Podcast with Zack Oates

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Brandon Landry, founder of Walk-On's Sports Bistreaux and Smalls Sliders, joins Zack Oates to discuss how lessons from his days as an LSU basketball walk-on helped shape his approach to restaurant leadership. From launching Walk-On's after receiving a C on his college business plan to developing a rapidly expanding slider concept and a fine-dining restaurant, Brandon shares why building great teams is the foundation of great hospitality.
Zack and Brandon discuss:
How an LSU basketball experience inspired Walk-On's
Building strong teams across different restaurant concepts
Why hospitality matters just as much in quick service as fine dining
Reducing restaurant footprints without sacrificing the guest experience
Rethinking the traditional sports bar for today's consumers
Why human connection is becoming more important in restaurants
Thanks, Brandon!
Links:
https://www.instagram.com/branland11/?hl=en
https://www.instagram.com/walkons/?hl=en
https://www.facebook.com/walkonssportsbistreaux/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandon-landry-b58793132/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/walkons/home/
https://walk-ons.com/

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Nick Vojnovic, president and majority partner of Little Greek Fresh Grill, joins Zack Oates to talk about what decades of restaurant growth have taught him about franchising, guest experience, and building for the long haul. After helping grow Beef 'O' Brady's from roughly 30 to 260 locations, Nick is taking a different approach with Little Greek, prioritizing owner-operators, lower investments, and franchisee success over growth for growth's sake.
Zack and Nick discuss:
Lessons from growing a restaurant brand too quickly
 Why Little Greek prioritizes owner-operators and lower debt
 How delivery has changed restaurant footprints
 Protecting food quality and accuracy off-premise
 Adapting menus to changing consumer habits
 The growing opportunity in catering
Thanks, Nick!
Links:
https://www.instagram.com/littlegreekfreshgrill/?hl=en
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-vojnovic/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/little-greek-fresh-grill/
https://littlegreekfreshgrill.com

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Skeeter Miller, founder and president of County Line Barbecue, joins Zack Oates to share how a Texas barbecue restaurant has continued evolving after more than five decades in business. From going from just 10 to 20 dinners a day to hundreds after a Texas Monthly write-up, to building a multimillion-dollar private events business, Skeeter shares the stories and ideas that have kept County Line relevant for 51 years.
Zack and Skeeter discuss:
How County Line became a Texas barbecue institution
 Why successful restaurants have to be willing to change
 Turning employee ideas into new revenue opportunities
 Growing private events from $100,000 to nearly $4 million
 Creating memorable experiences beyond the food
 Why great service still makes the biggest difference
Thanks, Skeeter!
Links:
https://www.instagram.com/countylinebbqsa/?hl=en
https://www.linkedin.com/in/skeeter-miller-61716926/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/county-line-incorporated/
https://countyline.com/

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John Owen, CEO of Blaze Pizza, joins Zack Oates to discuss how restaurants can create memorable guest experiences through personalization, consistency, and strong execution. With more than three decades of leadership experience across brands like McDonald's, Subway, and Scooter's Coffee, John shares why understanding the difference between customization and personalization is critical for today's restaurants.
Zack and John discuss:
Why personalization matters more than ever in hospitality
 The difference between customizing a product and personalizing an experience
 How brands should approach innovation and market disruption
 Why customer feedback must guide restaurant decisions
 Building consistency across hundreds of locations
 What restaurants can learn from Chick-fil-A's guest experience strategy
Thanks, John!
Links:
https://www.instagram.com/blazepizza/?hl=en
https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-o-73422325/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/blazepizza/
https://www.blazepizza.com/

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Jim Mazany, CEO of P.F. Chang's, joins Zack Oates to discuss how one of America's most iconic restaurant brands continues to evolve while staying true to its hospitality roots. From creating memorable dining experiences to balancing value with premium quality, Jim shares why every guest interaction is an opportunity to build lasting loyalty.
Zack and Jim discuss:
Creating memorable experiences that guests return for years later
 Balancing value with an elevated dining experience
 Why consistency builds long-term guest loyalty
 Using menu innovation to keep the brand relevant
 How small hospitality moments create lasting emotional connections
 The importance of staying authentic while evolving with guest expectations
Thanks, Jim!
Links:
https://www.instagram.com/pfchangs/?hl=en
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmazany/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/pfchangs/
https://www.pfchangs.com/