How do you grow from a single taco joint to a 50+ location brand without losing the soul of your company? For Joe Kahn and Chris Artinian of Condado Tacos, the answer is simple: QUESO. In this episode, Founder Joe Kahn and CEO Chris Artinian share the origin story of Condado Tacos, built on the principle of creating a restaurant where people would want to work forever. They detail their unique &quot;QUESO&quot; framework—Quality, Unique, Empowered, Service, and Opportunity—that serves as the lens for every business decision. From making tough calls on ingredient quality to fostering a pipeline of internal talent (with 66% of promotions from within), they provide a masterclass in scaling a people-first culture in the face of rapid expansion.Key Takeaways<ul><li>Culture as a Foundation: Learn how Condado Tacos was founded with the mission to correct the &quot;injustice&quot; of the restaurant industry by creating a respectful and opportunity-rich environment.</li><li>Codifying Your Values: Discover the &quot;QUESO&quot; (Quality, Unique, Empowered, Service, Opportunity) framework and how it provides a clear guide for decision-making across the organization.</li><li>Values-Driven Decisions: Hear real-world examples of how their values led them to absorb costs rather than compromise on quality, mirroring the famous &quot;In-N-Out&quot; philosophy.</li><li>Scaling Culture: Understand the challenges of maintaining a strong culture during rapid growth and the strategies they use, including a focus on internal promotion and robust communication.</li><li>Hiring for Heart: Find out what Condado looks for in new hires, prioritizing friendliness, integrity, and a desire to make a difference above all else.</li></ul>Resources Mentioned<ul><li>Condado Tacos: <a href='https://condadotacos.com/'>https://condadotacos.com/</a></li><li>Feeding America: <a href='https://www.feedingamerica.org/'>https://www.feedingamerica.org/</a></li></ul><a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1937749/open_sms">Send us a text</a>📲 Connect with D.J. DJ&apos;s <a href='mailto:dj@7shifts.com'>Email</a> Follow on <a href='https://www.linkedin.com/in/d-j-costantino/'>LinkedIn</a> More 7shifts <a href='https://open.spotify.com/show/51OugIoAKrSjYSDhUxjF65?si=fb2a6fd60f114294'>Spotify</a> | <a href='https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-pre-shift-podcast/id1534369183'>Apple Podcasts</a> | <a href='https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy8zOTgyY2RlNC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw'>Google Podcasts</a> Subscribe to <a href='https://www.7shifts.com/food-runner-restaurant-newsletter-signup/?utm_source=pre-shift&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=aw-podcast-promo-food-runner-subscription'>Food Runner</a>, our Monthly Restaurant Newsletter<a href='https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy8zOTgyY2RlNC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw'> </a><a href='https://www.youtube.com/@7shifts-scheduling'>7shifts on YouTube</a> Follow us on <a href='https://www.tiktok.com/@7shifts.com?lang=en'>TikTok</a> Read the <a href='https://www.7shifts.com/?utm_source=pre-shift&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=aw-2025-podcasts'>7shifts Blog</a> About Us 7shifts is a scheduling, payroll, and employee retention app designed to help restaurants thrive. With an easy-to-use app and industry-specific solutions, 7shifts saves time, reduces errors, and helps keep costs in check for more than 50,000 restaurants.

<description>&lt;p&gt;How do you grow from a single taco joint to a 50+ location brand without losing the soul of your company? For Joe Kahn and Chris Artinian of Condado Tacos, the answer is simple: QUESO. In this episode, Founder Joe Kahn and CEO Chris Artinian share the origin story of Condado Tacos, built on the principle of creating a restaurant where people would want to work forever. They detail their unique &amp;quot;QUESO&amp;quot; framework—Quality, Unique, Empowered, Service, and Opportunity—that serves as the lens for every business decision. From making tough calls on ingredient quality to fostering a pipeline of internal talent (with 66% of promotions from within), they provide a masterclass in scaling a people-first culture in the face of rapid expansion.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Key Takeaways&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;Culture as a Foundation:&lt;/b&gt; Learn how Condado Tacos was founded with the mission to correct the &amp;quot;injustice&amp;quot; of the restaurant industry by creating a respectful and opportunity-rich environment.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;Codifying Your Values:&lt;/b&gt; Discover the &amp;quot;QUESO&amp;quot; (Quality, Unique, Empowered, Service, Opportunity) framework and how it provides a clear guide for decision-making across the organization.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;Values-Driven Decisions:&lt;/b&gt; Hear real-world examples of how their values led them to absorb costs rather than compromise on quality, mirroring the famous &amp;quot;In-N-Out&amp;quot; philosophy.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;Scaling Culture:&lt;/b&gt; Understand the challenges of maintaining a strong culture during rapid growth and the strategies they use, including a focus on internal promotion and robust communication.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;Hiring for Heart:&lt;/b&gt; Find out what Condado looks for in new hires, prioritizing friendliness, integrity, and a desire to make a difference above all else.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Resources Mentioned&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;Condado Tacos:&lt;/b&gt; &lt;a href='https://condadotacos.com/'&gt;https://condadotacos.com/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;Feeding America:&lt;/b&gt; &lt;a href='https://www.feedingamerica.org/'&gt;https://www.feedingamerica.org/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1937749/open_sms"&gt;Send us a text&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;📲 &lt;b&gt;Connect with D.J.&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br/&gt;DJ&amp;apos;s &lt;a href='mailto:dj@7shifts.com'&gt;Email&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Follow on &lt;a href='https://www.linkedin.com/in/d-j-costantino/'&gt;LinkedIn&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;b&gt;More 7shifts&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;a href='https://open.spotify.com/show/51OugIoAKrSjYSDhUxjF65?si=fb2a6fd60f114294'&gt;Spotify&lt;/a&gt; | &lt;a href='https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-pre-shift-podcast/id1534369183'&gt;Apple Podcasts&lt;/a&gt; | &lt;a href='https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy8zOTgyY2RlNC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw'&gt;Google Podcasts&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Subscribe to &lt;a href='https://www.7shifts.com/food-runner-restaurant-newsletter-signup/?utm_source=pre-shift&amp;amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;amp;utm_campaign=aw-podcast-promo-food-runner-subscription'&gt;Food Runner&lt;/a&gt;, our Monthly Restaurant Newsletter&lt;a href='https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy8zOTgyY2RlNC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw'&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;a href='https://www.youtube.com/@7shifts-scheduling'&gt;7shifts on YouTube&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Follow us on &lt;a href='https://www.tiktok.com/@7shifts.com?lang=en'&gt;TikTok&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Read the &lt;a href='https://www.7shifts.com/?utm_source=pre-shift&amp;amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;amp;utm_campaign=aw-2025-podcasts'&gt;7shifts Blog&lt;/a&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;b&gt;About Us&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/b&gt;7shifts is a scheduling, payroll, and employee retention app designed to help restaurants thrive. With an easy-to-use app and industry-specific solutions, 7shifts saves time, reduces errors, and helps keep costs in check for more than 50,000 restaurants. &lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

How do you grow from a single taco joint to a 50+ location brand without losing the soul of your company? For Joe Kahn and Chris Artinian of Condado Tacos, the answer is simple: QUESO. In this episode, Founder Joe Kahn and CEO Chris Artinian share the origin story of Condado Tacos, built on the principle of creating a restaurant where people would want to work forever. They detail their unique "QUESO" framework—Quality, Unique, Empowered, Service, and Opportunity—that serves as the lens for e...

The QUESO Framework: how Condado Tacos built a culture-first restaurant empire | 072

In an industry struggling with retention and wage disparity, how can operators build a business that is both profitable and truly equitable? In this episode, we talk to Ji Hye Kim, the celebrated chef-owner of Miss Kim and a leading advocate for One Fair Wage. She shares the innovative and practical systems she uses to foster a transparent and engaged team culture. From daily &quot;Best Next Time&quot; conversations that empower staff voices to &quot;Gross Games&quot; that make open-book finance an exciting team sport, Ji Hye offers a blueprint for a new kind of restaurant management. She details the evolution of her compensation model—from no-tip to a base pay plus tip-share system—and explains how it has eliminated the front-of-house/back-of-house divide, creating a unified and motivated team.Key Takeaways<ul><li>Simple Tools for Engagement: Learn about &quot;Best Next Time,&quot; a simple post-shift framework to encourage open, constructive, and action-oriented feedback from the entire team.</li><li>Making Open-Book Finance Fun: Discover how &quot;Gross Games&quot; transforms the abstract concept of sales numbers into a fun, daily competition that connects the team&apos;s effort directly to the restaurant&apos;s performance.</li><li>A Fair Compensation Model: Ji Hye breaks down her base pay plus tip-share model, which ensures all staff earn well above minimum wage and fosters collaboration between the kitchen and dining room.</li><li>Transparency Builds Trust: Understand why creating a simple, easy-to-understand pay structure is crucial for building trust and ensuring everyone feels valued.</li><li>Retention Through Empowerment: Hear Ji Hye’s philosophy on retention—that creating a safe, empowering environment where personal goals are discussed is key to making restaurant jobs a viable long-term career.</li></ul>Resources Mentioned<ul><li>Miss Kim Restaurant: <a href='https://www.misskimannarbor.com/'>https://www.misskimannarbor.com/</a></li><li>Zingerman&apos;s Community of Businesses: <a href='https://www.zingermanscommunity.com/'>https://www.zingermanscommunity.com/</a></li><li>One Fair Wage: <a href='https://onefairwage.site/'>https://onefairwage.site/</a></li></ul><a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1937749/open_sms">Send us a text</a>📲 Connect with D.J. DJ&apos;s <a href='mailto:dj@7shifts.com'>Email</a> Follow on <a href='https://www.linkedin.com/in/d-j-costantino/'>LinkedIn</a> More 7shifts <a href='https://open.spotify.com/show/51OugIoAKrSjYSDhUxjF65?si=fb2a6fd60f114294'>Spotify</a> | <a href='https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-pre-shift-podcast/id1534369183'>Apple Podcasts</a> | <a href='https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy8zOTgyY2RlNC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw'>Google Podcasts</a> Subscribe to <a href='https://www.7shifts.com/food-runner-restaurant-newsletter-signup/?utm_source=pre-shift&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=aw-podcast-promo-food-runner-subscription'>Food Runner</a>, our Monthly Restaurant Newsletter<a href='https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy8zOTgyY2RlNC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw'> </a><a href='https://www.youtube.com/@7shifts-scheduling'>7shifts on YouTube</a> Follow us on <a href='https://www.tiktok.com/@7shifts.com?lang=en'>TikTok</a> Read the <a href='https://www.7shifts.com/?utm_source=pre-shift&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=aw-2025-podcasts'>7shifts Blog</a> About Us 7shifts is a scheduling, payroll, and employee retention app designed to help restaurants thrive. With an easy-to-use app and industry-specific solutions, 7shifts saves time, reduces errors, and helps keep costs in check for more than 50,000 restaurants.

<description>&lt;p&gt;In an industry struggling with retention and wage disparity, how can operators build a business that is both profitable and truly equitable? In this episode, we talk to Ji Hye Kim, the celebrated chef-owner of Miss Kim and a leading advocate for One Fair Wage. She shares the innovative and practical systems she uses to foster a transparent and engaged team culture. From daily &amp;quot;Best Next Time&amp;quot; conversations that empower staff voices to &amp;quot;Gross Games&amp;quot; that make open-book finance an exciting team sport, Ji Hye offers a blueprint for a new kind of restaurant management. She details the evolution of her compensation model—from no-tip to a base pay plus tip-share system—and explains how it has eliminated the front-of-house/back-of-house divide, creating a unified and motivated team.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Key Takeaways&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;Simple Tools for Engagement:&lt;/b&gt; Learn about &amp;quot;Best Next Time,&amp;quot; a simple post-shift framework to encourage open, constructive, and action-oriented feedback from the entire team.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;Making Open-Book Finance Fun:&lt;/b&gt; Discover how &amp;quot;Gross Games&amp;quot; transforms the abstract concept of sales numbers into a fun, daily competition that connects the team&amp;apos;s effort directly to the restaurant&amp;apos;s performance.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;A Fair Compensation Model:&lt;/b&gt; Ji Hye breaks down her base pay plus tip-share model, which ensures all staff earn well above minimum wage and fosters collaboration between the kitchen and dining room.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;Transparency Builds Trust:&lt;/b&gt; Understand why creating a simple, easy-to-understand pay structure is crucial for building trust and ensuring everyone feels valued.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;Retention Through Empowerment:&lt;/b&gt; Hear Ji Hye’s philosophy on retention—that creating a safe, empowering environment where personal goals are discussed is key to making restaurant jobs a viable long-term career.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Resources Mentioned&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;Miss Kim Restaurant:&lt;/b&gt; &lt;a href='https://www.misskimannarbor.com/'&gt;https://www.misskimannarbor.com/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;Zingerman&amp;apos;s Community of Businesses:&lt;/b&gt; &lt;a href='https://www.zingermanscommunity.com/'&gt;https://www.zingermanscommunity.com/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;One Fair Wage:&lt;/b&gt; &lt;a href='https://onefairwage.site/'&gt;https://onefairwage.site/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1937749/open_sms"&gt;Send us a text&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;📲 &lt;b&gt;Connect with D.J.&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br/&gt;DJ&amp;apos;s &lt;a href='mailto:dj@7shifts.com'&gt;Email&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Follow on &lt;a href='https://www.linkedin.com/in/d-j-costantino/'&gt;LinkedIn&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;b&gt;More 7shifts&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;a href='https://open.spotify.com/show/51OugIoAKrSjYSDhUxjF65?si=fb2a6fd60f114294'&gt;Spotify&lt;/a&gt; | &lt;a href='https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-pre-shift-podcast/id1534369183'&gt;Apple Podcasts&lt;/a&gt; | &lt;a href='https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy8zOTgyY2RlNC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw'&gt;Google Podcasts&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Subscribe to &lt;a href='https://www.7shifts.com/food-runner-restaurant-newsletter-signup/?utm_source=pre-shift&amp;amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;amp;utm_campaign=aw-podcast-promo-food-runner-subscription'&gt;Food Runner&lt;/a&gt;, our Monthly Restaurant Newsletter&lt;a href='https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy8zOTgyY2RlNC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw'&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;a href='https://www.youtube.com/@7shifts-scheduling'&gt;7shifts on YouTube&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Follow us on &lt;a href='https://www.tiktok.com/@7shifts.com?lang=en'&gt;TikTok&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Read the &lt;a href='https://www.7shifts.com/?utm_source=pre-shift&amp;amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;amp;utm_campaign=aw-2025-podcasts'&gt;7shifts Blog&lt;/a&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;b&gt;About Us&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/b&gt;7shifts is a scheduling, payroll, and employee retention app designed to help restaurants thrive. With an easy-to-use app and industry-specific solutions, 7shifts saves time, reduces errors, and helps keep costs in check for more than 50,000 restaurants. &lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

In an industry struggling with retention and wage disparity, how can operators build a business that is both profitable and truly equitable? In this episode, we talk to Ji Hye Kim, the celebrated chef-owner of Miss Kim and a leading advocate for One Fair Wage. She shares the innovative and practical systems she uses to foster a transparent and engaged team culture. From daily "Best Next Time" conversations that empower staff voices to "Gross Games" that make open-book finance an exciting team...

How to get your team to actually care about the numbers with Ji Hye Kim | 071

What if your dishwasher earned the same as your most tenured line cook? At bartaco, that’s not a hypothetical—it’s the reality. In this episode, we sit down with Anthony Valletta, President of bartaco, to discuss the innovative strategies fueling their nationwide growth. Anthony pulls back the curtain on their revolutionary compensation structure, where every hourly employee receives the same base wage and an equal share of tips, eliminating pay disparity between the front and back of house. He explains how this model has not only provided a true living wage but also fostered unprecedented teamwork and a self-managing labor force. We also dive into bartaco&apos;s philosophy on technology as a tool to enhance hospitality and their unique leadership academy that invests in developing the whole person, not just the employee.Key Takeaways<ul><li>Tech as an Enabler: Learn bartaco&apos;s philosophy on using technology to handle transactional tasks, giving staff more time to engage with guests and enhance the human element of hospitality.</li><li>A Radical Pay Structure: Discover how bartaco implemented a system where every hourly employee—FOH and BOH—earns the exact same base wage and receives an equal percentage of tips.</li><li>The Unintended Benefits of Equal Pay: Hear how the equal-pay model has led to remarkable teamwork and a culture where the team holds each other accountable, creating a self-managing labor model.</li><li>Developing People, Not Just Managers: Explore the &quot;bartaco Leadership Academy,&quot; a program that provides executive-level coaching on life skills to every salaried employee, leading to profound personal and professional growth.</li><li>Career Pathing That Works: Understand their &quot;edible carrots&quot; approach to career development, which provides clear, accessible, and attainable steps for advancement within the company.</li></ul>Resources Mentioned<ul><li>bartaco: <a href='https://bartaco.com/'>https://bartaco.com/</a></li></ul><a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1937749/open_sms">Send us a text</a>📲 Connect with D.J. DJ&apos;s <a href='mailto:dj@7shifts.com'>Email</a> Follow on <a href='https://www.linkedin.com/in/d-j-costantino/'>LinkedIn</a> More 7shifts <a href='https://open.spotify.com/show/51OugIoAKrSjYSDhUxjF65?si=fb2a6fd60f114294'>Spotify</a> | <a href='https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-pre-shift-podcast/id1534369183'>Apple Podcasts</a> | <a href='https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy8zOTgyY2RlNC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw'>Google Podcasts</a> Subscribe to <a href='https://www.7shifts.com/food-runner-restaurant-newsletter-signup/?utm_source=pre-shift&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=aw-podcast-promo-food-runner-subscription'>Food Runner</a>, our Monthly Restaurant Newsletter<a href='https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy8zOTgyY2RlNC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw'> </a><a href='https://www.youtube.com/@7shifts-scheduling'>7shifts on YouTube</a> Follow us on <a href='https://www.tiktok.com/@7shifts.com?lang=en'>TikTok</a> Read the <a href='https://www.7shifts.com/?utm_source=pre-shift&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=aw-2025-podcasts'>7shifts Blog</a> About Us 7shifts is a scheduling, payroll, and employee retention app designed to help restaurants thrive. With an easy-to-use app and industry-specific solutions, 7shifts saves time, reduces errors, and helps keep costs in check for more than 50,000 restaurants.

<description>&lt;p&gt;What if your dishwasher earned the same as your most tenured line cook? At bartaco, that’s not a hypothetical—it’s the reality. In this episode, we sit down with Anthony Valletta, President of bartaco, to discuss the innovative strategies fueling their nationwide growth. Anthony pulls back the curtain on their revolutionary compensation structure, where every hourly employee receives the same base wage and an equal share of tips, eliminating pay disparity between the front and back of house. He explains how this model has not only provided a true living wage but also fostered unprecedented teamwork and a self-managing labor force. We also dive into bartaco&amp;apos;s philosophy on technology as a tool to enhance hospitality and their unique leadership academy that invests in developing the whole person, not just the employee.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Key Takeaways&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;Tech as an Enabler:&lt;/b&gt; Learn bartaco&amp;apos;s philosophy on using technology to handle transactional tasks, giving staff more time to engage with guests and enhance the human element of hospitality.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;A Radical Pay Structure:&lt;/b&gt; Discover how bartaco implemented a system where every hourly employee—FOH and BOH—earns the exact same base wage and receives an equal percentage of tips.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;The Unintended Benefits of Equal Pay:&lt;/b&gt; Hear how the equal-pay model has led to remarkable teamwork and a culture where the team holds each other accountable, creating a self-managing labor model.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;Developing People, Not Just Managers:&lt;/b&gt; Explore the &amp;quot;bartaco Leadership Academy,&amp;quot; a program that provides executive-level coaching on life skills to every salaried employee, leading to profound personal and professional growth.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;Career Pathing That Works:&lt;/b&gt; Understand their &amp;quot;edible carrots&amp;quot; approach to career development, which provides clear, accessible, and attainable steps for advancement within the company.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Resources Mentioned&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;bartaco:&lt;/b&gt; &lt;a href='https://bartaco.com/'&gt;https://bartaco.com/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1937749/open_sms"&gt;Send us a text&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;📲 &lt;b&gt;Connect with D.J.&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br/&gt;DJ&amp;apos;s &lt;a href='mailto:dj@7shifts.com'&gt;Email&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Follow on &lt;a href='https://www.linkedin.com/in/d-j-costantino/'&gt;LinkedIn&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;b&gt;More 7shifts&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;a href='https://open.spotify.com/show/51OugIoAKrSjYSDhUxjF65?si=fb2a6fd60f114294'&gt;Spotify&lt;/a&gt; | &lt;a href='https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-pre-shift-podcast/id1534369183'&gt;Apple Podcasts&lt;/a&gt; | &lt;a href='https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy8zOTgyY2RlNC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw'&gt;Google Podcasts&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Subscribe to &lt;a href='https://www.7shifts.com/food-runner-restaurant-newsletter-signup/?utm_source=pre-shift&amp;amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;amp;utm_campaign=aw-podcast-promo-food-runner-subscription'&gt;Food Runner&lt;/a&gt;, our Monthly Restaurant Newsletter&lt;a href='https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy8zOTgyY2RlNC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw'&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;a href='https://www.youtube.com/@7shifts-scheduling'&gt;7shifts on YouTube&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Follow us on &lt;a href='https://www.tiktok.com/@7shifts.com?lang=en'&gt;TikTok&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Read the &lt;a href='https://www.7shifts.com/?utm_source=pre-shift&amp;amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;amp;utm_campaign=aw-2025-podcasts'&gt;7shifts Blog&lt;/a&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;b&gt;About Us&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/b&gt;7shifts is a scheduling, payroll, and employee retention app designed to help restaurants thrive. With an easy-to-use app and industry-specific solutions, 7shifts saves time, reduces errors, and helps keep costs in check for more than 50,000 restaurants. &lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

What if your dishwasher earned the same as your most tenured line cook? At bartaco, that’s not a hypothetical—it’s the reality. In this episode, we sit down with Anthony Valletta, President of bartaco, to discuss the innovative strategies fueling their nationwide growth. Anthony pulls back the curtain on their revolutionary compensation structure, where every hourly employee receives the same base wage and an equal share of tips, eliminating pay disparity between the front and back of house. ...

Anthony Valletta on tech, training, and tearing up the traditional pay model | 070

Do you ever wonder if your restaurant&apos;s technology is ahead of the curve, just keeping pace, or falling behind the competition? In a tough environment where 44% of restaurants are missing their labor targets, knowing where you stand is the first step to getting ahead.In this special solo episode, host D.J. Costantino walks you through the four distinct stages of a restaurant&apos;s digital journey: from &quot;Analog&quot; paper-and-pen operations to a fully &quot;Optimized&quot; and integrated tech stack. Discover where your restaurant fits in this framework and get a clear, practical roadmap for what comes next.In this episode, you&apos;ll discover:<ul><li>How to identify your restaurant&apos;s current stage of tech maturity, from Analog to Optimized.</li><li>Why 44% of restaurants are missing labor targets and how real-time data can give you back control.</li><li>The direct link between modern tools, a positive employee experience, and improving your team&apos;s retention rate.</li><li>How automating manual tasks can free up hours of your time to work on your business, not just in it.</li></ul><a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1937749/open_sms">Send us a text</a>📲 Connect with D.J. DJ&apos;s <a href='mailto:dj@7shifts.com'>Email</a> Follow on <a href='https://www.linkedin.com/in/d-j-costantino/'>LinkedIn</a> More 7shifts <a href='https://open.spotify.com/show/51OugIoAKrSjYSDhUxjF65?si=fb2a6fd60f114294'>Spotify</a> | <a href='https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-pre-shift-podcast/id1534369183'>Apple Podcasts</a> | <a href='https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy8zOTgyY2RlNC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw'>Google Podcasts</a> Subscribe to <a href='https://www.7shifts.com/food-runner-restaurant-newsletter-signup/?utm_source=pre-shift&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=aw-podcast-promo-food-runner-subscription'>Food Runner</a>, our Monthly Restaurant Newsletter<a href='https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy8zOTgyY2RlNC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw'> </a><a href='https://www.youtube.com/@7shifts-scheduling'>7shifts on YouTube</a> Follow us on <a href='https://www.tiktok.com/@7shifts.com?lang=en'>TikTok</a> Read the <a href='https://www.7shifts.com/?utm_source=pre-shift&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=aw-2025-podcasts'>7shifts Blog</a> About Us 7shifts is a scheduling, payroll, and employee retention app designed to help restaurants thrive. With an easy-to-use app and industry-specific solutions, 7shifts saves time, reduces errors, and helps keep costs in check for more than 50,000 restaurants.

<description>&lt;p&gt;Do you ever wonder if your restaurant&amp;apos;s technology is ahead of the curve, just keeping pace, or falling behind the competition? In a tough environment where 44% of restaurants are missing their labor targets, knowing where you stand is the first step to getting ahead.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In this special solo episode, host D.J. Costantino walks you through the four distinct stages of a restaurant&amp;apos;s digital journey: from &amp;quot;Analog&amp;quot; paper-and-pen operations to a fully &amp;quot;Optimized&amp;quot; and integrated tech stack. Discover where your restaurant fits in this framework and get a clear, practical roadmap for what comes next.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In this episode, you&amp;apos;ll discover:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;How to identify your restaurant&amp;apos;s current stage of tech maturity, from Analog to Optimized.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Why 44% of restaurants are missing labor targets and how real-time data can give you back control.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;The direct link between modern tools, a positive employee experience, and improving your team&amp;apos;s retention rate.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;How automating manual tasks can free up hours of your time to work &lt;em&gt;on&lt;/em&gt; your business, not just &lt;em&gt;in&lt;/em&gt; it.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1937749/open_sms"&gt;Send us a text&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;📲 &lt;b&gt;Connect with D.J.&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br/&gt;DJ&amp;apos;s &lt;a href='mailto:dj@7shifts.com'&gt;Email&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Follow on &lt;a href='https://www.linkedin.com/in/d-j-costantino/'&gt;LinkedIn&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;b&gt;More 7shifts&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;a href='https://open.spotify.com/show/51OugIoAKrSjYSDhUxjF65?si=fb2a6fd60f114294'&gt;Spotify&lt;/a&gt; | &lt;a href='https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-pre-shift-podcast/id1534369183'&gt;Apple Podcasts&lt;/a&gt; | &lt;a href='https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy8zOTgyY2RlNC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw'&gt;Google Podcasts&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Subscribe to &lt;a href='https://www.7shifts.com/food-runner-restaurant-newsletter-signup/?utm_source=pre-shift&amp;amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;amp;utm_campaign=aw-podcast-promo-food-runner-subscription'&gt;Food Runner&lt;/a&gt;, our Monthly Restaurant Newsletter&lt;a href='https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy8zOTgyY2RlNC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw'&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;a href='https://www.youtube.com/@7shifts-scheduling'&gt;7shifts on YouTube&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Follow us on &lt;a href='https://www.tiktok.com/@7shifts.com?lang=en'&gt;TikTok&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Read the &lt;a href='https://www.7shifts.com/?utm_source=pre-shift&amp;amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;amp;utm_campaign=aw-2025-podcasts'&gt;7shifts Blog&lt;/a&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;b&gt;About Us&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/b&gt;7shifts is a scheduling, payroll, and employee retention app designed to help restaurants thrive. With an easy-to-use app and industry-specific solutions, 7shifts saves time, reduces errors, and helps keep costs in check for more than 50,000 restaurants. &lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Do you ever wonder if your restaurant's technology is ahead of the curve, just keeping pace, or falling behind the competition? In a tough environment where 44% of restaurants are missing their labor targets, knowing where you stand is the first step to getting ahead. In this special solo episode, host D.J. Costantino walks you through the four distinct stages of a restaurant's digital journey: from "Analog" paper-and-pen operations to a fully "Optimized" and integrated tech stack. Discover w...

Where are you on the restaurant tech journey? | 069

How do you take six distinct fast-casual brands and scale them under a single, efficient operational umbrella? In this episode, we sit down with Lauriena Borstein, Chief Operating Officer, and Kyle Mark, Chief Information Officer of WOWorks—the restaurant group behind Saladworks, Frutta Bowls, and Garbanzo, among others.They share the &quot;One WOW Way,&quot; their philosophy for unifying operations, technology, and communication across their entire portfolio. Lauriena details how creating repeatable systems while maintaining flexibility is the key to scaling, and why franchisee profitability is their non-negotiable north star metric. Kyle explains the monumental task of consolidating disparate systems into a single tech stack and how proving the ROI—like a 30-35% increase in digital sales—is crucial for getting franchisee buy-in. This conversation is a masterclass in managing growth, the c between operations and technology, and why a strong culture is built on communication.Key takeaways<ul><li>Building repeatable systems. Scaling any brand requires creating consistent, repeatable systems with flexibility for local execution.</li><li>The &quot;one WOW way&quot; is A core philosophy for shared services like tech and supply chain, which creates efficiency across a multi-brand portfolio.</li><li>Franchisee profitability is #1. Franchisee profitability is the primary metric for success, as no initiative is scalable if it isn&apos;t profitable.</li><li>Unify your tech stack for growth. A single tech stack (POS, online ordering, loyalty) simplifies operations, reduces training, and unifies data analysis.</li><li>Communicate, communicate, communicate. Build a strong culture with a consistent communication cadence, ensuring franchisees hear a unified message from all leadership.</li><li>Don&apos;t be afraid to fail fast. Growth-minded operators must try new things and be willing to fail fast, dropping what doesn&apos;t work to move on quickly.</li></ul>Resources<ul><li>Learn more about <a href='https://woworksusa.com/'>WOWorks</a> and their family of brands: </li><li>Connect with the guests on LinkedIn:<ul><li><a href='https://www.linkedin.com/in/kylemark/'>Kyle Mark</a></li><li><a href='https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauriena-borstein-a6502211'>Lauriena Borstein</a></li></ul></li></ul><a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1937749/open_sms">Send us a text</a>📲 Connect with D.J. DJ&apos;s <a href='mailto:dj@7shifts.com'>Email</a> Follow on <a href='https://www.linkedin.com/in/d-j-costantino/'>LinkedIn</a> More 7shifts <a href='https://open.spotify.com/show/51OugIoAKrSjYSDhUxjF65?si=fb2a6fd60f114294'>Spotify</a> | <a href='https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-pre-shift-podcast/id1534369183'>Apple Podcasts</a> | <a href='https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy8zOTgyY2RlNC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw'>Google Podcasts</a> Subscribe to <a href='https://www.7shifts.com/food-runner-restaurant-newsletter-signup/?utm_source=pre-shift&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=aw-podcast-promo-food-runner-subscription'>Food Runner</a>, our Monthly Restaurant Newsletter<a href='https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy8zOTgyY2RlNC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw'> </a><a href='https://www.youtube.com/@7shifts-scheduling'>7shifts on YouTube</a> Follow us on <a href='https://www.tiktok.com/@7shifts.com?lang=en'>TikTok</a> Read the <a href='https://www.7shifts.com/?utm_source=pre-shift&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=aw-2025-podcasts'>7shifts Blog</a> About Us 7shifts is a scheduling, payroll, and employee retention app designed to help restaurants thrive. With an easy-to-use app and industry-specific solutions, 7shifts saves time, reduces errors, and helps keep costs in check for more than 50,000 restaurants.

<description>&lt;p&gt;How do you take six distinct fast-casual brands and scale them under a single, efficient operational umbrella? In this episode, we sit down with Lauriena Borstein, Chief Operating Officer, and Kyle Mark, Chief Information Officer of WOWorks—the restaurant group behind Saladworks, Frutta Bowls, and Garbanzo, among others.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;They share the &amp;quot;One WOW Way,&amp;quot; their philosophy for unifying operations, technology, and communication across their entire portfolio. Lauriena details how creating repeatable systems while maintaining flexibility is the key to scaling, and why franchisee profitability is their non-negotiable north star metric. Kyle explains the monumental task of consolidating disparate systems into a single tech stack and how proving the ROI—like a 30-35% increase in digital sales—is crucial for getting franchisee buy-in. This conversation is a masterclass in managing growth, the c between operations and technology, and why a strong culture is built on communication.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Key takeaways&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;Building repeatable systems.&lt;/b&gt; Scaling any brand requires creating consistent, repeatable systems with flexibility for local execution.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;The &amp;quot;one WOW way&amp;quot;&lt;/b&gt; is A core philosophy for shared services like tech and supply chain, which creates efficiency across a multi-brand portfolio.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;Franchisee profitability is #1.&lt;/b&gt; Franchisee profitability is the primary metric for success, as no initiative is scalable if it isn&amp;apos;t profitable.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;Unify your tech stack for growth.&lt;/b&gt; A single tech stack (POS, online ordering, loyalty) simplifies operations, reduces training, and unifies data analysis.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;Communicate, communicate, communicate.&lt;/b&gt; Build a strong culture with a consistent communication cadence, ensuring franchisees hear a unified message from all leadership.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;Don&amp;apos;t be afraid to fail fast.&lt;/b&gt; Growth-minded operators must try new things and be willing to fail fast, dropping what doesn&amp;apos;t work to move on quickly.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Resources&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Learn more about &lt;a href='https://woworksusa.com/'&gt;&lt;b&gt;WOWorks&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt; and their family of brands: &lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Connect with the guests on LinkedIn:&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href='https://www.linkedin.com/in/kylemark/'&gt;&lt;b&gt;Kyle Mark&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href='https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauriena-borstein-a6502211'&gt;&lt;b&gt;Lauriena Borstein&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1937749/open_sms"&gt;Send us a text&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;📲 &lt;b&gt;Connect with D.J.&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br/&gt;DJ&amp;apos;s &lt;a href='mailto:dj@7shifts.com'&gt;Email&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Follow on &lt;a href='https://www.linkedin.com/in/d-j-costantino/'&gt;LinkedIn&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;b&gt;More 7shifts&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;a href='https://open.spotify.com/show/51OugIoAKrSjYSDhUxjF65?si=fb2a6fd60f114294'&gt;Spotify&lt;/a&gt; | &lt;a href='https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-pre-shift-podcast/id1534369183'&gt;Apple Podcasts&lt;/a&gt; | &lt;a href='https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy8zOTgyY2RlNC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw'&gt;Google Podcasts&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Subscribe to &lt;a href='https://www.7shifts.com/food-runner-restaurant-newsletter-signup/?utm_source=pre-shift&amp;amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;amp;utm_campaign=aw-podcast-promo-food-runner-subscription'&gt;Food Runner&lt;/a&gt;, our Monthly Restaurant Newsletter&lt;a href='https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy8zOTgyY2RlNC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw'&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;a href='https://www.youtube.com/@7shifts-scheduling'&gt;7shifts on YouTube&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Follow us on &lt;a href='https://www.tiktok.com/@7shifts.com?lang=en'&gt;TikTok&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Read the &lt;a href='https://www.7shifts.com/?utm_source=pre-shift&amp;amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;amp;utm_campaign=aw-2025-podcasts'&gt;7shifts Blog&lt;/a&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;b&gt;About Us&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/b&gt;7shifts is a scheduling, payroll, and employee retention app designed to help restaurants thrive. With an easy-to-use app and industry-specific solutions, 7shifts saves time, reduces errors, and helps keep costs in check for more than 50,000 restaurants. &lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

How do you take six distinct fast-casual brands and scale them under a single, efficient operational umbrella? In this episode, we sit down with Lauriena Borstein, Chief Operating Officer, and Kyle Mark, Chief Information Officer of WOWorks—the restaurant group behind Saladworks, Frutta Bowls, and Garbanzo, among others. They share the "One WOW Way," their philosophy for unifying operations, technology, and communication across their entire portfolio. Lauriena details how creating repeatable ...

The WOWorks growth playbook for repeatable systems and unified tech | 068

Great teams make great restaurants. On The Pre-Shift, restaurant operators and industry experts dive into what it takes to build great restaurant teams. We explore their stories, the strategies they use, and valuable lessons on running restaurant teams. Hosted by D. J. Costantino. Presented by 7shifts.

The Pre-Shift

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