Maple Street Biscuit Co.

When customers order at the counter at Maple Street Biscuit Co., they don't give their names. Instead, they provide an answer to the question of the month. It helps employees get to know diners and is part of the chain's mission of helping people, serving others and being part of the community, says CEO and co-founder Scott Moore. The fast-casual biscuit chain teaches all employees to make eye contact with guests and to try to connect with them. "They're not just a number, they're our guest," Moore says. Before store leaders are hired at the company, prospective recruits must spend three days working in a store—including a Saturday—to see what the business is like. In lieu of store managers, Maple Street has "community leaders" who run their stores for a base salary and a variable percentage of the profits, depending on the unit's success.