Financing

How small restaurant chains can compete against the big guys

This week’s episode of "A Deeper Dive" features Cousins CEO Christine Specht and franchising attorney Caroline Fichter.
Photograph courtesy of Cousins Subs

a deeper dive

In a restaurant world loaded with bigger and bigger players armed with money and marketing power, it can be difficult for small concepts to compete.

But they do have advantages. This week’s edition of the Restaurant Business podcast "A Deeper Dive" features Christine Specht, CEO of 100-unit Cousins Subs, who talks about what it’s like to compete in a world loaded with giants such as Subway and fast-growing competitors Jersey Mike’s and Jimmy John’s. She also talks about the advantages local chains have in today’s market and how those companies can get their messages out.

The podcast also features Caroline Fichter, a franchising attorney with the Bundy Law Firm out of Kirkland, Wash. Fichter represents franchisees and has insight into what happens when franchise systems grow too fast and too far away from their regional markets.

Please have a listen.

Heartland

Members help make our journalism possible. Become a Restaurant Business member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.

Multimedia

Exclusive Content

Financing

Podcast transcript: Dutch Bros CEO Christine Barone

A Deeper Dive: Here is the transcript for the May 29 podcast with the chief executive of the drive-thru coffee chain, who talks real estate, boba and other topics.

Financing

McDonald's value perception problem is with its lighter users

The Bottom Line: The fast-food giant took the extraordinary step of publicizing average prices this week. It was speaking to its less-frequent customers, who are a lot less likely to say the chain is a good value.

Financing

CEO pay soared last year, despite a volatile period for restaurants

Pay for CEOs at publicly traded restaurants took off last year, but remains lower than average among public companies, even as tenure for the position remains volatile.

Trending

More from our partners