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Joseph Szala

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Little Raps - Restaurant Strategy Insights and IdeasLittle Raps - Restaurant Strategy Insights and IdeasDigital Menu Hacks for Higher RevenueMost brands obsess over drive-thru and print menus—but leave their online menus untouched. In this episode, Joseph Szala unpacks why that’s a missed opportunity, and how classic menu engineering principles can drive real gains in digital ordering. Tune in for tips, examples, and ideas you can apply right now to your digital experience.2025-07-1403 minLittle Raps - Restaurant Strategy Insights and IdeasLittle Raps - Restaurant Strategy Insights and IdeasRestaurant Growth Unlocked: Digital, AI & Guest ExperienceWhere restaurant brands go to sharpen their edge. This show is your go-to source for digital strategy, AI-driven search, local SEO, and guest experience insights—all tailored for multi-unit restaurant leaders.We skip the fluff and get straight to what works. Hear real-world tactics, brand success stories, and expert advice on the tools and strategies fueling today’s most innovative restaurant brands.🎙️ SEO & AI Search Strategy🎙️ Loyalty & Guest Engagement🎙️ Mobile Tech & Ordering Innovations🎙️ Digital Experience That Drives ROIReady to take flight? Hi...2025-07-0703 minLittle Raps - Restaurant Strategy Insights and IdeasLittle Raps - Restaurant Strategy Insights and IdeasBreaking Barriers & Building Bridges: Women in Restaurant Leadership with Betsy HammWhat’s truly holding women back in the restaurant industry—and what’s propelling them forward? In this candid conversation, Betsy Hamm, former CEO of Duck Donuts and host of the Loud & Lifted podcast, joins us to explore the momentum behind women in leadership roles.Together, we unpack:Internal roadblocks (like imposter syndrome and self-doubt)The real dynamics behind “the boys’ club”Why women often struggle with visibility and self-advocacy—and how to change thatHow leaders can build stronger, more connected teams across every l...2025-07-0356 minLittle Raps - Restaurant Strategy Insights and IdeasLittle Raps - Restaurant Strategy Insights and IdeasWhy Your Fonts Are Failing YouMost restaurant brands treat typography like an afterthought—and it’s killing their digital experience. In this episode, I break down why readability drives conversion, how licensing can become a legal landmine, and why your go-to font might be doing more harm than good (looking at you, Brandon Grotesque).Whether you’re running a single shop or scaling a national brand, this is the typography gut check you didn’t know you needed.Takeaways:How bad fonts slow down customer decisionsWhat font lic...2025-06-3006 minLittle Raps - Restaurant Strategy Insights and IdeasLittle Raps - Restaurant Strategy Insights and IdeasHow 3Owl Rebuilt DuckDonuts.com to Be Faster, Smarter, and Built for JoyWhat happens when a beloved brand like Duck Donuts teams up with 3Owl for a full-stack digital transformation? A frictionless, mobile-first website that delights users and drives measurable growth.In this episode, we break down the strategy, tech stack, and UX thinking behind the new DuckDonuts.com — including:Why 1.9-second load times matter more than everHow smart defaults and custom donut builders boost AOVThe role of Olo, Radar, and other tech partners in seamless integrationsReal results: 10%+ revenue lift (and counting)...2025-05-2703 minLittle Raps - Restaurant Strategy Insights and IdeasLittle Raps - Restaurant Strategy Insights and IdeasThe Hidden Cost of Out-of-the-Box Online OrderingMost restaurants think online ordering is “solved”—orders are flowing, money’s coming in. But what if your off-the-shelf system is silently losing you sales? In this episode, we explore the ordering redirect problem: that moment when customers click “Order Now” and land on a third-party site instead of staying within your brand’s experience.You’ll learn how this small UX flaw leads to major drop-off, why custom ordering systems outperform templates, and what leading brands are doing to convert more visitors into paying customers. Whether you’re a restaurant owner, CMO, or digital experience...2025-05-1203 minLittle Raps - Restaurant Strategy Insights and IdeasLittle Raps - Restaurant Strategy Insights and IdeasWhy Your Restaurant’s Location Pages Shouldn’t Live on a SubdomainMost brands don’t realize they’re sabotaging their own SEO and guest experience by letting third-party platforms host their location pages. In this episode, I break down why subdomains like locations.brand.com are killing your discoverability—and what to do instead.You’ll learn:• Why subdomains hurt your search rankings• How to reclaim control over your digital guest experience• The hybrid “built vs. bought” strategy that actually worksIf you’re using platforms like Sochi, Chatmeter, or Momo, this episode is a must-listen. It’s...2025-04-3004 minLittle Raps - Restaurant Strategy Insights and IdeasLittle Raps - Restaurant Strategy Insights and IdeasFrom Nuclear Engineering to Restaurant Tech: What's fueling Due Cucina's Back of House BreakthroughsWhat do you do when off-the-shelf tech doesn’t cut it? You build your own. Filippo Fiori, co-founder of Due Cucina and a former nuclear engineer, shares how they developed proprietary back-of-house software to perfect pasta timing and streamline operations. Learn how small teams can build smart, user-friendly tools that actually get used—and scale with intention.2025-04-2440 minLittle Raps - Restaurant Strategy Insights and IdeasLittle Raps - Restaurant Strategy Insights and IdeasBuild vs. Buy? Why Smart Restaurant Brands Are Choosing BothThis episode unpacks the real talk from RLC around digital systems: Should you build from scratch? Buy an out-of-the-box solution? Or go hybrid?Joseph Szala of 3Owl lays out:What happens when you follow someone else’s roadmapHow decoupled architecture balances cost, control, and innovationCase studies from Duck Donuts and Great American Cookies🎧 A must-listen for restaurant marketers, digital leaders, and anyone rethinking their tech stack.2025-04-2203 minLittle Raps - Restaurant Strategy Insights and IdeasLittle Raps - Restaurant Strategy Insights and IdeasThe “Lead Singer” Rule of UX Design: Simplifying Digital Experiences That ConvertToo many focal points = digital chaos. In this episode, we explore why the most effective websites and apps center around a single, resonant message—what we call the lead singer. Using the metaphor of a concert, we unpack how to create smoother, more intuitive digital journeys that keep users engaged and reduce friction at every turn.Perfect for CMOs, UX designers, and anyone responsible for digital guest experiences.What You’ll Learn:Why clarity beats complexity in digital designHow to structure your...2025-04-1003 minLittle Raps - Restaurant Strategy Insights and IdeasLittle Raps - Restaurant Strategy Insights and IdeasInside Qu’s 2025 State of Digital Report with Brooke HeinzmannIn this episode, Joseph Szala is joined by Brooke Heinzmann, Senior Director of Product Marketing at Qu, to unpack Q’s sixth annual 2025 State of Digital report — one of the most trusted data sets on enterprise restaurant tech strategy.Together, they explore six major trends shaping the future of fast casual and QSR brands: 1. Winning back the guest 2. Tech consolidation as a mandate 3. Loyalty without unified data will fail 4. The kiosk surge continues 5. Kitchen innovation is the next frontier 6. Digital sales are stabilizing2025-03-271h 01Little Raps - Restaurant Strategy Insights and IdeasLittle Raps - Restaurant Strategy Insights and IdeasSpring Cleaning Your Restaurant’s DX: Skyrocket Orders & RevenueTime to dust off your restaurant’s digital experience (DX) and turn clicks into cash! In this episode, we’re breaking down how multi-unit restaurant leaders can spring clean their online presence to boost orders and revenue—no full redo needed. From a commerce-ready homepage to SEO-charged product pages (PDPs) and lightning-fast site speed, we’re sharing practical steps to make your DX work harder. Perfect for anyone running multiple locations who wants better guest engagement and bigger returns.Here’s what’s inside:Declutter your homepage for instant order winsAmp up PDPs with upsells and smarter UXFi...2025-03-2503 minLittle Raps - Restaurant Strategy Insights and IdeasLittle Raps - Restaurant Strategy Insights and IdeasSpeed, Simplicity, Sales: The Secret to Restaurant Websites that Maximize SalesCreativity’s cool—until it buries the ‘order now’ button in a restaurant website’s flash-fest. We’re diving into why function trumps all: speed (fast sites win), simplicity (menu, locations, boom), and sales (push what sells). Inspired by my Nation’s Restaurant News article, this ep’s for anyone who’s battled pop-ups for a burger. Love it? Follow for more digital gold!2025-03-0504 minLittle Raps - Restaurant Strategy Insights and IdeasLittle Raps - Restaurant Strategy Insights and IdeasRap Sessions: Bringing a Global Restaurant Brand to the U.S. – The Pepper Lunch Playbook with Troy HooperBuilding a multi-unit restaurant brand is hard. Now imagine bringing an already successful concept from overseas and launching it in the U.S. – where no one knows the brand, the competition is fierce, and guest expectations are sky-high. That’s exactly the challenge Troy Hooper is tackling as he leads Pepper Lunch into the American market.With 533 locations worldwide, Pepper Lunch is a sizzling success across Asia, but in the U.S., it’s a fresh startup. In this episode of Little Raps, we get into the nuts and bolts of how Troy is buildi...2025-02-1749 minLittle Raps - Restaurant Strategy Insights and IdeasLittle Raps - Restaurant Strategy Insights and IdeasSuper Bowl Lessons Every Restaurant Brand Needs for Digital Growth🏈 The Super Bowl isn’t just about football—it’s a masterclass in strategy, preparation, and execution. And guess what? The same principles apply torestaurant digital experiences! In this episode, we break down two game-changing takeaways:1️⃣Prepared teams dominate—winning brands alignmarketing, operations, tech, and leadership around a common goal.2️⃣Don’t fumble the digital experience—a massive ad spend means nothing if your websiteisn’t built for seamless ordering and ROI-driven performance.Want to create awinning playbook for your restaurant brand’s digital strategy?Hit play and get in the game! 🎧2025-02-1005 minLittle Raps - Restaurant Strategy Insights and IdeasLittle Raps - Restaurant Strategy Insights and IdeasHarnessing the Zeigarnik Effect to Boost UX & Guest EngagementUnfinished tasks stick in our minds more than completed ones—that’s the Zeigarnik Effect in action. In this episode, we break down how this powerful psychological principle can drive more order completions, increase loyalty engagement, and enhance the guest experience across your digital platforms. You’ll learn five key strategies to apply the Zeigarnik Effect to your restaurant’s digital experience: ✅ Make it easy to resume unfinished tasks – Keep abandoned orders top-of-mind. ✅ Use visual cues – Progress bars and checklists help guests complete their journey. ✅ Create engagement goals – Show guests how clos...2025-01-2705 minLittle Raps - Restaurant Strategy Insights and IdeasLittle Raps - Restaurant Strategy Insights and Ideas5 Behavioral Triggers That Shape Customer Behavior: Insights for Restaurant LeadersIn this episode of Little Raps, we’re diving into Hunter Thurman’s game-changing insights on behavioral triggers from Brandingmag.com and how they can transform your restaurant’s customer experience. 🍔💻 These five behavioral triggers—price, time, social perception, physical impact, and emotional resonance—are the keys to understanding and influencing customer decisions, both online and in-store. 🎧 What you’ll learn: ✅ How to highlight value and optimize pricing perception. ✅ The role of time in shaping customer satisfaction and loyalty. ✅ Why social signals and brand identity drive purcha...2025-01-1508 minLittle Raps - Restaurant Strategy Insights and IdeasLittle Raps - Restaurant Strategy Insights and IdeasRap Session: Unlocking New Market & Location Openings Success with Cai PalmiterCai Palmiter, the marketing powerhouse behind JINYA Ramen’s explosive U.S. expansion, joins us for an in-depth discussion on scaling restaurant brands. From JINYA’s 50% unit growth to orchestrating buzzworthy openings that captivate new markets, Cai reveals the strategies that make her a sought-after consultant for major brands like Paris Baguette and Kung Fu Tea. Learn how tailoring market strategies, building authentic community connections, and avoiding cookie-cutter grand opening templates drive long-term success. Cai shares her expertise on overcoming market entry barriers, adapting to local cultures, and crafting memorable guest experiences that fuel repe...2025-01-1340 minLittle Raps - Restaurant Strategy Insights and IdeasLittle Raps - Restaurant Strategy Insights and IdeasThe Restaurant Brand Leader’s Guide to a Clean Digital SlateReady to kick off 2025 with a bang? In this must-listen episode, we’re serving up the ultimate digital housecleaning guide for restaurant and tech leaders. From cleaning up outdated system access to streamlining GTM tags, we’re tackling the often-overlooked details that can make or break your brand’s digital presence. 🔑 Key Takeaways: • Audit your platforms and remove unnecessary users to boost security. • Optimize those bloated GTM tags for faster site performance and better data. • Ensure your brand—not an old agency—shines across every touchpoint, including unsubscribe pages. 2024-12-1904 minLittle Raps - Restaurant Strategy Insights and IdeasLittle Raps - Restaurant Strategy Insights and IdeasThe Rap Up: Mason Wiederhorn on the Magic of Great American Cookies & Marble Slab Creamery's cobrand experienceJoin us for an illuminating conversation with Mason Wiederhorn, Chief Brand Officer at FAT Brands, as we explore the groundbreaking co-branded digital strategy for Great American Cookies and Marble Slab Creamery. This episode delves into how FAT Brands is redefining online ordering and guest personalization, focusing on their revolutionary 3D Cookie Cake Builder and seamless integrations across channels. 🔑 Key Highlights: • Cookie Cake Builder Innovation: How FAT Brands leveraged cutting-edge 3D modeling and instant rendering to deliver a truly customizable experience. • Seamless Co-Branding: Streamlining multi-brand menus and unifying guest journeys under one dig...2024-12-0958 minLittle Raps - Restaurant Strategy Insights and IdeasLittle Raps - Restaurant Strategy Insights and IdeasGive the Gift of Restaurant KnowledgeIn this festive episode, Joseph Szala curates the ultimate holiday gift list for the restaurant and agency leaders in your life. Packed with insights, recommendations, and a sprinkle of holiday cheer, Joseph highlights multiple transformative books authored by industry pros that offer valuable guidance for navigating leadership challenges with finesse. Tune in to uncover why these books are perfect for fostering growth, innovation, and leadership mastery. As a bonus, Joseph shares an earnest plea to follow, like, and share the podcast to spread the holiday spirit—and helpful insights—far and wide. 🎄2024-12-0407 minLittle Raps - Restaurant Strategy Insights and IdeasLittle Raps - Restaurant Strategy Insights and IdeasGen Z Dishes Restaurant Loyalty Hot Takes - Here's What You Need to KnowIn this episode of Little Raps, we team up with our friends at Vytal and Punchh to uncover groundbreaking Gen Z insights into restaurant loyalty. Are you designing loyalty programs that truly resonate with younger generations? You’ll learn why Gen Z’s approach to mobile apps and rewards may shift your strategy. Key takeaways include: • Why Gen Z prioritizes phone storage for essential apps—and what that means for your loyalty strategy. • The rising demand for frictionless phone number lookups over app-based point collection. Whether yo...2024-12-0204 minLittle Raps - Restaurant Strategy Insights and IdeasLittle Raps - Restaurant Strategy Insights and IdeasLessons for Restaurant Brands from the Jaguar Rebrand FiascoIn this episode of Little Raps, we dive into the lessons restaurant brands can learn from Jaguar’s polarizing rebrand. It’s not just about visual identity—it’s about delivering substance. We explore how product quality, guest experience, and seamless digital integrations are the true building blocks of a lasting brand. Learn why trying to be “everything to everyone” dilutes your message and how to create loyalty by clarifying what your brand stands for. From mobile apps to drive-thrus, discover why your digital experience is central to modern guest satisfaction—and how fixing the fundamenta...2024-11-2505 minLittle Raps - Restaurant Strategy Insights and IdeasLittle Raps - Restaurant Strategy Insights and IdeasGetting catty over Jaguar's rebrandIn this episode, we break down Jaguar’s recent logo redesign and the design missteps that have left the industry divided. From inconsistent typography to a lack of cohesion between the new wordmark and the iconic leaping jaguar, we explore how poor execution undermines a brand’s legacy. We’ll discuss: The importance of aligning visual identity with brand purpose. Why design inconsistencies erode trust and credibility. How Jaguar’s approach missed the mark on communicating precision, elegance, and power. Tune in as we dissect what makes—or breaks—a legacy brand’s identity in today’s hyp...2024-11-2004 minLittle Raps - Restaurant Strategy Insights and IdeasLittle Raps - Restaurant Strategy Insights and IdeasWondering What's Next with GrubHubIn this debut episode of Little Raps, we explore Wonder’s game-changing acquisition of GrubHub. Get insights on how this major deal will reshape the food delivery industry, impact restaurant partnerships, and drive new growth opportunities. Tune in for expert analysis on what’s next for brands and the tech landscape in the ever-evolving world of digital ordering. 🎙️🚀2024-11-1803 minThe Cutting Onions PodcastThe Cutting Onions Podcast82. Joseph Szala joins us to talk about Loyalty, Digital and the UX!Welcome to The Cutting Onions Podcast, Episode 82 which features Joseph Szala in a compelling conversation to talk about all things digital, loyalty, and how to create an amazing guest experience. Joseph serves as Vice President of Digital Experience for Rapturous, a wing of 3 Owl. His hospitality-first approach and unyielding passion for creating remarkable digital restaurant experiences has positioned him as thought leader in the world of CX and UX as well as brand development and marketing. He and the Rapturous team continue to craft superior digital restaurant experiences that realize measurable lifts in order averages...2024-05-1052 minQuenchQuenchForktales Episode 70: Joseph Szala / Digital Guru & Bullhearted AuthorJoseph is a vice president of digital experience, an author of multiple books about modern marketing and brand-building and a board advisor to restaurant tech companies and startups. He’s also the former host of Forktales. In today’s episode, we meet the new host of Forktales, Michael Pavone (President and CEO of Pavone Group, which includes Vigor). Michael and Joseph talk about how to be a good podcast host, effective email marketing, the future of the restaurant industry and we play a game that tests Joseph’s knowledge of past guests and Forktales episodes.2023-08-2930 minVigorVigorForktales Episode 70: Joseph Szala / Digital Guru & Bullhearted AuthorJoseph is a vice president of digital experience, an author of multiple books about modern marketing and brand-building and a board advisor to restaurant tech companies and startups. He’s also the former host of Forktales. In today’s episode, we meet the new host of Forktales, Michael Pavone (President and CEO of Pavone Group, which includes Vigor). Michael and Joseph talk about how to be a good podcast host, effective email marketing, the future of the restaurant industry and we play a game that tests Joseph’s knowledge of past guests and Forktales episodes.2023-08-2930 minForktalesForktalesForktales Episode 70: Joseph Szala / Digital Guru & Bullhearted AuthorJoseph is the former host of Forktales and is currently working as the VP of Digital Experience for 3 Owl. He’s also the author of “Stop Blasting My Mama” (a book about effective email marketing) and “The Bullhearted Brand: Building Bullish Restaurant Brands That Charge Ahead of the Herd.” Joseph’s book, “Stop Blasting My Mama,” tackles the topic of email marketing and how modern marketing is overrun with overly aggressive terms – like blast and campaign – to describe what should be a friendly and civil interaction with consumers. Consumers today have more power today and can ignore brands – or...2023-08-2930 minOrderUp - The Restaurant Ops ShowOrderUp - The Restaurant Ops Show89 - Interview With Joseph Szala - Managing Director Vigor Branding - Part 2In this episode we interview Joseph Szala Managing Director of Vigor Branding. It was so interesting to hear how Branding and Marketing affect Operations and how Operations affect Marketing. This is part 1 of 2. To learn more - Click Here: https://vigorbranding.com
 To learn more about OpsAnalitica Click Here: OpsAnalitica.com2022-07-091h 14OrderUp - The Restaurant Ops ShowOrderUp - The Restaurant Ops Show89 - Interview With Joseph Szala - Managing Director Vigor Branding - Part 1In this episode we interview Joseph Szala Managing Director of Vigor Branding. It was so interesting to hear how Branding and Marketing affect Operations and how Operations affect Marketing. This is part 1 of 2. To learn more - Click Here: https://vigorbranding.com
 To learn more about OpsAnalitica Click Here: OpsAnalitica.com2022-07-0851 minThe Joyful Mourning - A Podcast for Women Who Have Experienced Pregnancy or Infant LossThe Joyful Mourning - A Podcast for Women Who Have Experienced Pregnancy or Infant Loss160. This Mother's Day We Want You to Know... A message of hope from 11 mothers like you.Listen into this very, very special episode, made up of 11 different women with different stories of loss, all sharing a message of hope for you as we prepare our hearts for Mother’s Day. Their words of encouragement and honesty are sure to remind you that you are not alone as they are words that come from a place of true knowing and understanding.    I am incredibly thankful to the women who so beautifully and courageously shared their stories and words of hope on this episode. Thank you to Amanda Gilmore, Amber Hanson, Halie Clark, Kara...2022-04-2817 minFULL COMP: The Voice of the Restaurant Industry RevolutionFULL COMP: The Voice of the Restaurant Industry RevolutionA Bull-Hearted Brand: Joseph Szala of Vigor BrandingPeople don't buy food, they buy a story. This will make me look thin. This will make me look cool. This will make me feel good. What story is your food telling? What does it say about someone who chooses to patronize your restaurant? If you don't know, the your guest probably doesn't know either. That's why I reached out to Joseph Szala of Vigor Branding. They specialize in telling their client's stories and today he teaches us how to tell our own. For more on Vigor visit https://vigorbranding.com2022-02-1537 minForktalesForktalesGregory Don Nasser / CEO of Borne, Data Fanatic and Restaurant Hero“A bad location can destroy an otherwise fantastic concept” – Joseph SzalaStarting with the premise and understanding within that what an occupancy budget, projected revenue, and lease is important and difficultValue is another element. How do you know if a neighborhood will value the concept and what you make.Confidence is the third way. Not just in human tuition but fuel it with data science.Discussed Borne reporting system and the difference between the single address reports and the growth and scale fuller systemBorne looks at travel into the neighborhood ending with POS spend/transaction to garner insights into demand in the ne...2022-01-2734 minForktalesForktalesGregory Don Nasser / CEO of Borne, Data Fanatic and Restaurant Hero“A bad location can destroy an otherwise fantastic concept” – Joseph SzalaStarting with the premise and understanding within that what an occupancy budget, projected revenue, and lease is important and difficultValue is another element. How do you know if a neighborhood will value the concept and what you make.Confidence is the third way. Not just in human tuition but fuel it with data science.Discussed Borne reporting system and the difference between the single address reports and the growth and scale fuller systemBorne looks at travel into the neighborhood ending with POS spend/transaction to garner insights into demand in the ne...2022-01-2734 minForktalesForktalesGregory Don Nasser / CEO of Borne, Data Fanatic and Restaurant Hero“A bad location can destroy an otherwise fantastic concept” – Joseph SzalaStarting with the premise and understanding within that what an occupancy budget, projected revenue, and lease is important and difficultValue is another element. How do you know if a neighborhood will value the concept and what you make.Confidence is the third way. Not just in human tuition but fuel it with data science.Discussed Borne reporting system and the difference between the single address reports and the growth and scale fuller systemBorne looks at travel into the neighborhood ending with POS spend/transaction to garner insights into demand in the ne...2022-01-2734 minMultiply Your Success with Dr. Tom DuForeMultiply Your Success with Dr. Tom DuFore73. The Bullhearted Brain Leading the Charge for Smart Restaurant Evolution—Joseph Szala, Founder, Vigor BrandingDo you remember the story about Ferdinand the Bull? Or how about Babe the Blue Ox, the companion of Paul Bunyan? These characters have made for great stories, but have you ever thought about how they can teach you lessons for your business? If you’re like me, you probably have not, but our guest today, Joseph Szala shares with us his concept that he calls The Bullhearted Brain and how it can help you lead your business better.  **DO YOU NEED HELP SELLING MORE FRANCHISES? Attend our Franchise Sales Training Workshop on November 17. REGISTER BY CLI...2021-11-0129 min