229. Growth Brands of 2023

The Restaurant Report

Breaking down some of the emerging and fast growing brands in the fast-casual space had always been a passion of mine; even when I founded fastcasual.com, some of the most memorable takeaways from the segment were always in my conversations with CEO's and founders. This convo was no different with my long-time friend Clay Dover, CEO of the Dallas-based Velvet Taco.
So much has changed for the fast casual segment, and one of the areas that present the most curiosity is the evolution of drive-thru - Clay and I break down what is working and why this is a big strategy for fast growth for Velvet Taco.
Since Clay assumed leadership in March 2017, Velvet Taco has grown from 4 to 36 company-owned restaurants with 21 more in development and continues to see consecutive quarters of positive restaurant comparative sales. Dover attributes the brand’s success to quality, chef-driven recipes inspired by flavors worldwide served in a tortilla and a strong “Tribe” culture that allows Team Members to be bold, curious, and unconventional. Dover has successfully led the brand during recent unprecedented times, maintaining positive cash flow, improving margins, and continuing the development growth plan.
Takeaways from this conversation with Clay Dover

• Unit growth and the unit eco strategy?
• Recent consumer trends of dining more at home?
• How can restaurants continue attracting in-person dining experiences as more people dine at home/takeout?
• How have restaurants, particularly Velvet Taco, adapted to changes in restaurant technology to attract all ages?
• When planning to position itself for continued growth, what approach will the brand take?

Big Fast Casual News Coming here on Foodable, but if you're not following some of our hottest podcasts you should be!
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