Operations
QSRweb’s most-clicked feature stories in 2023
These are the most-clicked feature stories for 2023.
December 27, 2023 by Mandy Wolf Detwiler — Editor, Networld Media Group
QSRweb's feature stories look at QSR brands both big and small. We covered marketing, franchising, restaurant design and more. We took a look at the most-clicked feature stories in the last 12 months and here's what we found:
Krispy Krunchy Chicken opened its first location in 1989 in a convenience store. The founders wanted a superior product that was easy to get home and tasted as good as it looked. The Cajun seasoning was just a bonus. I talked to the brand's president to learn how the brand grew to 2,800 stores, what sets it apart from others in the chicken field and how the leadership team is modernizing operations to take Krispy Krunchy Chicken to the next level.
"We're taking this brand that was founder-led and really putting in systems and processes," said Jim Norberg, president of Krispy Krunchy Chicken.
With four company-owned stores, two licensed airport units and five franchised restaurants in New England and Florida, Kelly's Roast Beef is poised to bring roast beef to the dinner table in a big way. Company officials expect to open six to eight units in the next year alone. Neil Newcomb, CEO of Kelly's Roast Beef, expects franchising to take off.
"I've never had a more talented group of initial franchisees in my life," Newcomb said. "They are both well-financed and hire extremely talented operators."
Smalls Sliders may have a small footprint and even smaller menu, but the brand is kicking off its growth in a big way. I log in to LinkedIn every day and see the Atlanta-based slider brand announcing yet another new market they're entering or another restaurant opening.
The brand opened its first unit, called a "can," in 2019. It's the brainchild of Brandon Landry, who founded Walk On's Sports Bistreaux. Landry got the backing of former NFL player Drew Brees as the first investor for the first can. But by the time the second can was built, the brand had garnered the attention of 10 Point Capital, which invested in the brand on a national level.
"That first unit did $2.4 million out of 800 square feet," Maria Rivera, CEO of Smalls Sliders, told QSRweb in a phone interview. "Then they knew they had something pretty remarkable."
Each year, the QSRweb team talks to industry experts for a look ahead at the next year. Last year's article found that operations will continue to be simplified despite digital experiences expansion. We expected to see brands pursue simplification across all aspects of operations from how they manage payment processing to how they manage their digital expansion.
"End-to-end payment processing removes complexity and PCI compliance demands for operators," Chris Adams, VP of strategy for Oracle, a food and beverage company, said. "Having a single supplier and point of support for all the store technology and payment processing functions also reduces administrative burden and risk. In addition, we see the point of sales platform as taking on more of the master data management role of the business, and configuring all the content needed for any digital experience from a single platform."
Phil Quackenboss, VP of restaurants and growth at Fetch, a rewards app and engagement platform, found that value doesn't have to come at the cost of quality.
"For example, rather than giving heavy discounts on items they're already seeing margin hits from, restaurants can incentivize customers to purchase other items that provide better returns," Quackenboss said. "Related, restaurants can look to new ways to offset pressures on margins by leaning more into higher-margin offerings like catering and delivery direct through owned channels versus third party delivery."
About Mandy Wolf Detwiler
Mandy Wolf Detwiler is the managing editor at Networld Media Group and the site editor for PizzaMarketplace.com and QSRweb.com. She has more than 20 years’ experience covering food, people and places.
An award-winning print journalist, Mandy brings more than 20 years’ experience to Networld Media Group. She has spent nearly two decades covering the pizza industry, from independent pizzerias to multi-unit chains and every size business in between. Mandy has been featured on the Food Network and has won numerous awards for her coverage of the restaurant industry. She has an insatiable appetite for learning, and can tell you where to find the best slices in the country after spending 15 years traveling and eating pizza for a living.
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