All Episodes

March 26, 2021 28 mins

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced restaurants to rethink how they get their food into customers' hands, and technology has allowed them to get really creative with service. That's led to a real opportunity for restaurants of all service models to innovate—which is exactly what McAlister’s Deli is doing.

Prior to the pandemic, McAlister's was doing dine-in, carryout, and third-party delivery model, while also testing curbside. After the pandemic, though, it’s expanded those service channels to include direct delivery, system-wide curbside, and even tableside delivery. It's managed all of this with a robust digital evolution, one that has led its digital sales to more than double in the last year and its loyalty program to grow seven-fold.

McAlister's president Joe Guith joins the podcast to talk about how the new service formats have changed McAlister’s growth trajectory, how the brand has found efficiencies in its model, and how it plans to become the next billion-dollar brand.

This episode is brought to you by Lamb Weston.

Subscribe to QSR at QSRmagazine.com/subscribe

QSR Magazine information
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn
QSRmagazine.com 

Have feedback or interview suggestions? Email us at sam@qsrmagazine.com.

Mark as Played

Advertise With Us

Popular Podcasts

Stuff You Should Know
Dateline NBC

Dateline NBC

Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com

CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist

CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist

It’s 1996 in rural North Carolina, and an oddball crew makes history when they pull off America’s third largest cash heist. But it’s all downhill from there. Join host Johnny Knoxville as he unspools a wild and woolly tale about a group of regular ‘ol folks who risked it all for a chance at a better life. CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist answers the question: what would you do with 17.3 million dollars? The answer includes diamond rings, mansions, velvet Elvis paintings, plus a run for the border, murder-for-hire-plots, and FBI busts.

Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc.