Give an Ovation: The Restaurant Guest Experience Podcast with Zack Oates
Give an Ovation: The Restaurant Guest Experience Podcast is your backstage pass to the minds of hospitality leaders, innovators, and operators who are redefining what it means to serve. Hosted by Zack Oates, founder of Ovation, each episode dives into real-world tactics and inspiring stories from restaurant pros who know how to create five-star guest experiences—both in-store and off-premise. From fast casual to fine dining, catering to curbside, learn how to drive loyalty, empower your staff, and deliver hospitality that hits home. Whether you're a restaurant owner, operator, marketer, or tech partner, this podcast will leave you with practical insights and plenty of reasons to celebrate and Give an Ovation.
Episodes
Brandon Batt, Founder and CEO of The Tabletop Group, joins Zack Oates to break down why guest experience always starts with people. After spending more than a decade leading people strategy at Savory Fund, Brandon shares what he has learned about hiring leaders, investing time in the right team members, and building consistency that guests trust.
Zack and Brandon discuss:
- Why guest experience is the employee experienc...
Zack Oates sits down with Dan Simpson, CEO of Taziki’s Mediterranean Cafe, for a wide ranging conversation on leadership, fear, and building a truly people centered restaurant brand. Dan shares his unconventional path from founding a tech company to leading a growing hospitality brand and explains why technology should exist to remove friction, not replace human connection.
They discuss how fear can serve as a signal inst...
Fred LeFranc and Kristina Wiltsee join Zack Oates to discuss leadership, decision making, and alignment in today’s restaurant and hospitality environment. As co hosts of The Executive and the Mystic podcast, they share how leaders can balance execution with intuition while building clarity, confidence, and stronger teams.
Zack, Fred and Kristina discuss:
- Why intuition is already driving executive decisions
- How lead...
Chris Stevenson, Founder of The Empower Group, joins Zack Oates to explore what it really takes to create guest experiences people remember. Drawing from his background in fitness, hospitality, and live entertainment, Chris shares why empowering teams, simplifying processes, and focusing on service recovery can dramatically improve loyalty and engagement.
Zack and Chris discuss:
- Why memorable experiences matter more t...
Carl Orsbourn of Invisible joins Zack Oates to unpack what AI really means for restaurant operators and guest experience. Rather than chasing hype, Carl explains how AI can be used practically to support teams, reduce friction, and create better outcomes for both guests and employees.
Zack and Carl discuss:
- Why AI should support people instead of replacing them
- How operators can use AI to remove busywork from teams
- Wh...
Brian Fauver, Partner at Hargett Hunter Capital Management, joins Zack Oates to share how investors evaluate restaurant brands through the lens of guest experience. With nearly two decades of experience investing in hospitality, Brian explains why authenticity, hospitality, and emotional connection matter just as much as unit economics when building brands that last.
Zack and Brian discuss:
- Why restaurants create powe...
Zack Oates sits down with Geoff Henry, President of the Americas at Gong cha, to talk about what it takes to build and scale a global beverage brand. With leadership experience at Coca Cola, Jamba Juice, and now Gong cha, Geoff shares how personalization, quality, and data shape the modern guest experience in beverage concepts. The conversation explores why bubble tea has become a defining category for younger consumers,...
Andrew Pudalov, founder and CEO of Rush Bowls, joins Zack to talk about how he left a high pressure finance career to build a brand centered on real ingredients and genuine guest connection. After years in global trading, Andrew wanted a more meaningful path and a healthier lifestyle for his family, which led to the creation of Rush Bowls more than 20 years ago.
Zack and Andrew discuss:
- How a major career pivot led to...
In this episode of Give an Ovation, Zack talks with Frank Paci, CEO of Newk's Eatery, about what truly drives guest experience in a world of dine in, to go, delivery, and catering. Frank shares lessons from leading brands like Burger King, Pizza Hut, McAlister's, Corner Bakery, and Einstein Bros., and how those insights shape Newk's today.
Zack and Frank discuss:
- How convenience and consistency still wi...
Gregorys Coffee is everywhere right now, and founder and CEO Gregory Zamfotis joins Zack to talk about what it really takes to scale a coffee brand without losing its soul. From mall food courts to multi market growth with Craveworthy Brands, Greg shares how he thinks about speed, quality, and culture in every store.
Zack and Gregory discuss:
- Why franchising is the right next step for Gregorys Coffee
- How to deliver sp...
Zack Oates sits down with Brianne Harvey, founder and CEO of Break Bread Consulting, to talk about tech that lifts hospitality without getting in the way. Brianne shares how to “bolt on” experts for system launches, train your team to own it, and use simple tools to create memorable moments.
Zack and Brianne discuss:
- Reservation notes that make guests feel known
- When to bring in a fractional implementation team
- Authen...
Zack sits down with Kayla Dillon, fractional CMO and brand consultant, to talk about why guest expectations have shifted from hospitality to humanity. Kayla explains how to pick technology that fits, set it up the right way, and connect ops, marketing, and tech so the guest actually feels known. They dig into loyalty, behavior based rewards, and the role of AI in making personalization practical.
Zack and Kayla discuss:
Zack sits down with Geoffrey Toffetti, CEO of Frontline Performance Group, to talk about why the guest experience can never exceed the employee experience. Geoffrey explains how clear standards, consistent measurement, and coachable behaviors turn service into revenue. He shares practical ways to set expectations, train for the right language, and use recognition and incentives that actually drive results.
Zack and Geoffr...
Zack sits down with Peter Gaudreau, CEO of Tacodeli, to talk about scaling a beloved founder-led brand while protecting what matters most. Peter shares how ingredient integrity, empowered managers, and thoughtful packaging make hospitality show up both on premise and off. A real service recovery story shows what guest care looks like in action and how feedback fuels better leadership.
Zack and Peter discuss:
- Balancin...
Zack sits down with Melissa Richards-Person of Third Arm Consulting to unpack brand DNA and why it is the root of lasting guest experience. From Papa John’s transformation to creating signature moments guests remember, Melissa shares how clear voice, authentic behavior, and fast service recovery turn problems into loyalty. Zack and Melissa discuss brand DNA, founder led brands, garlic sauce lessons, the peak end rule, an...
Zack sits down with Pedro Uchôa, founder and CEO of TAP, the Brazilian fast casual bringing bold flavor and genuine hospitality to New York and Miami. They discuss TAP’s Perfect Pitch win, the importance of culture-driven leadership, and how small personal touches create big loyalty.
Zack and Pedro discuss:
- Authenticity that guests can feel
- Personalization at the counter and beyond
- Fast casual speed in a New York minu...
Zack Oates sits down with Rachael Nemeth, CEO of Opus Training, to talk about turning frontline training into real-time performance. Rachael explains why most brands don’t have a completion problem — they have an adoption problem — and how Opus makes training inclusive with instant mobile access and automatic translation. She shares how Opus pairs with Ovation to detect issues early and push targeted refreshers before th...
Restaurant value is not a price point. It is the experience. In this episode, Zack sits down with Jay Bandy, President at Goliath Consulting Group, to unpack what guests really buy and how teams can deliver it consistently. With nearly four decades in foodservice, Jay shares the practical foundations that still work: hire for warmth, train relentlessly, and build a culture guests can feel.
Zack and Jay discuss:
- Why val...
Zack Oates welcomes Brock Weeks, CEO of Savi, to talk about using AI to measure and improve in-store guest experiences. Brock explains how Savi transforms existing security footage into actionable insights that help operators understand consistency, cleanliness, and engagement in real time. Together, Zack and Brock discuss the connection between AI, feedback, and the human side of hospitality.
Zack and Brock discuss:
- U...
Zack Oates welcomes Arjun Sen, marketing executive, speaker, author of Unquiet Forever, and founder of ZenMango. Arjun shares how brands win by owning the feeling of each moment and wowing one more guest at a time. He breaks down first and last impressions, the “food two-minute drill” during peak hours, and why leaders must act instead of react to competition. He also explains “unquitting” as a mindset for teams and rete...
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