Tag: Chick Fil A



Food is big business, so the Executive MBA program hosted a delicious panel to discuss what’s “behind the counter” at four different quick-serve restaurants (QSRs) and fast casual establishments. Moderated by food blogger Lauren DeSantis-Then, the panel featured two Executive MBA alums, Toby Warticovschi (Lion’s Choice) and Eric Benting (Chick-Fil-A) along with BSBA alum Oliver Kremer (Dos Toros) and Gail Kitsis (Crazy Bowls & Wraps).

The panel brought very different perspectives to the discussion. EMBA alum Eric Benting owns a single Chick-Fil-A, which is the typical ownership within the company. His motivation to drive sales is the potential to be chosen to open a second store. Dos Toros, on the other hand, has opened 14 restaurants in the NYC area over 9 years, modeling them after a specific taqueria cuisine that the founding brothers grew up with in California. Their strategy is to build in highly dense areas (such as tall, crowded office buildings) and hit their numbers during lunch. As they expand to new markets, such as Chicago, they will focus on many units within a handful of key markets—all with a dense walking population.

The morning kicked off with talk about supply chain and operations. Consumers don’t usually think about the business of food with respect to inputs and how the food gets to the restaurants. Yet ordering, inputs, waste, and throughput are a large piece of the restaurant puzzle. Three of the panelists spoke about the challenges of being in a business that uses only fresh (not frozen) inputs, making them vulnerable to varying consumer demand and pricing fluctuations of ingredients such as broccoli and avocados. The conversation moved to how technology has played a role regarding waste in the “back of the house.” For example, Chick-Fil-A now uses iPads to direct those on the line on how many patties and nuggets to batter and fry at any given point, which prevents food from sitting for too long. It’s a balancing act between being prepared and ready, but not having food sitting out and awaiting purchase for more than 5 minutes.

Technology is a hot topic among the restaurant professionals. All spoke about the role of tech—both in the kitchen, as well as the consumer-facing technology, such as mobile apps, drive-thrus, and online ordering. Get it right, and customers will eat at your restaurants more often and with a higher ring. Get it wrong, and they may not come back. Today’s consumers (millennials especially) are “on the run” and looking for time-saving measures. Yet many of the restaurant owners and operators spoke to the fact that their food is meant to be consumed within minutes of it being prepared, which doesn’t lend itself to pre-ordering and/or delivery. Most of the speakers agreed they did not want to get into the business of delivering, so they outsource this component – yet then lose control of the final experience.

The morning flew by leaving the standing room-only audience hungry for more insights on the business of food.

Don’t miss the next Executive MBA event. Be sure to check out upcoming EMBA webinars, panels, and information sessions.




Hungry for the latest trends facing the food business? Don’t miss the Business of Food event taking place Thursday, Oct. 5, 7:15 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. at Emerson Auditorium in Knight Hall. It’s part of the St. Louis Leadership Perspectives in partnership with the St. Louis Business Journal and Olin’s Executive Education programs. There is no cost to attend, but registration is required. Click Here to Register!

Event Details:

7:15 a.m. – 8 a.m. Networking and Chick-fil-A Breakfast

8 a.m. – 9 a.m. Panel Discussion

​The Business of Food Panelists: 

Eric Benting, Owner/Operator, Chick-fil-A; EMBA Alumnus

Gail Kitsis, Owner and Founder, Crazy Bowls and Wraps

Oliver Kremer, Owner and Founder, Dos Toros Taqueria; BSBA Alumnus

Toby Warticovschi, Partner, Millstone Capital Advisors, LLC; Owner, Lion’s Choice Restaurants; EMBA Alumnus

Moderator: Lauren DeSantis-Then, Founder, Capital Cooking TV and Blog; Attorney, Polsinelli

Managing earnings and same-store revenue expectations, supply chain challenges, talent acquisition and retention, marketing, and reputation management in the age of social media – how single restaurants and regional and national chains operate is more complex than ever before.

Professionals involved in the business of food find themselves wrestling with a list of competing priorities.  Emerging technologies and the demand for a better mobile experience is at the top of the list. Changes in consumer preferences and expectations, along with health movements, food safety and FDA requirements, are forcing a new dialogue and menu choices.

The fight for a larger share of stomach has never been greater!  Join us as we cook up some lively discussion with owners, a franchisee and a food blogger – and engage in the business of food.

 Photo: Oliver and Leo Kremer of Dos Toros taquerias in NYC.