Restaurant Franchising & Innovation Summit

Pizza vs. Chicken: The ultimate industry 'vibe check' at RFIS

Executives in the pizza and chicken restaurant fields will answer questions about feedback in a 'Family Feud'-style game at the Restaurant Franchising and Innovation Summit in March.

Photo: Gemini

February 17, 2026 by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

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In the restaurant world, we spend a lot of time looking at spreadsheets and consumer sentiment reports. But how much of that data actually sticks when you're put on the spot? This year at the Restaurant Franchising & Innovation Summit (RFIS), we decided to step away from the traditional PowerPoint presentations and try something a bit more... competitive.

Welcome to the Feedback Family Feud: Pizza v. Chicken.

A battle for bragging rights

We've invited some of the industry's top executives to leave their titles at the door and step behind a game show podium. Hosted by Zack Oates, CEO of Ovation, the session pits pizza powerhouses against chicken experts to see who actually knows what the modern customer is thinking.

The lineup features a mix of marketing gurus, HR leaders and digital innovators:

Team Pizza: Mandy Wolf Detwiler (editor of Pizza Marketplace), Stacey Gelber (Blaze Pizza), Scott Goldberg (Fresh Bros Pizza) and Yvonne Lara (Pizza Inn).

Team Chicken: Joe Fontana (Fry The Coop), Jay Jhun (Church's Texas Chicken), Brian Simowitz (Houston TX Hot Chicken) and Sam Stanovich (Big Chicken)

Why it actually matters

While the format is meant to be fun, the underlying data is serious. We're digging into the real-world expectations of today's diners. Whether it's loyalty hurdles, delivery frustrations or the shifting definition of "value," this "feud" is a fast-paced way to see where the industry is aligned — and where we're missing the mark.

It's a rare chance to see these leaders think on their feet and talk about customer feedback in a way that's candid and unscripted.

Join us

If you've been to RFIS before, you know the goal is always to find high-level insights in a way that doesn't feel like a lecture. This session is going to be a highlight of the week, offering a look at the data that drives our biggest brands, wrapped in a bit of friendly rivalry.

You can see the full schedule and the rest of our speaker lineup on the official agenda here. Register here.

I'm curious to see who comes out on top — and if the "survey says" what we think it does.

About Cherryh Cansler

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Cherryh Cansler is VP of Events for Networld Media Group and publisher of FastCasual.com. She has been covering the restaurant industry since 2012. Her byline has appeared in Forbes, The Kansas City Star and American Fitness magazine, among many others.

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