Restaurant Advertising and marketing Workshop
We’re proud to honor the 2026 Restaurant Advertising and marketing High 30 Movers & Shakers, who will probably be acknowledged on the Restaurant Advertising and marketing Workshop on June 2–3 in Boston. Registration is open.
April 10, 2026 by Cherryh Cansler — Writer, FastCasual.com
The restaurant advertising and marketing panorama is evolving sooner than ever, and immediately’s most impactful leaders aren’t simply adapting; they’re redefining what’s attainable. From data-driven loyalty engines to culture-forward storytelling and viral social methods, these 30 standout entrepreneurs are shaping the way forward for visitor engagement, digital innovation, and model progress.
We’re proud to honor the 2026 Restaurant Advertising and marketing High 30 Movers & Shakers, who will probably be acknowledged on theRestaurant Advertising and marketing Workshop on June 2–3 in Boston. Here is a better take a look at every honoree, sorted alphabetically by final title. We’ll reveal the highest vote getter on the workshop; Register right here to attend.
The 2026 Restaurant Advertising and marketing High 30
Doug Baker | Wing Shack
Doug merges advertising and marketing and tech to construct automated lifecycle packages that drive repeat orders and retention. His segmented flows convert as much as 10.8% of latest visitors and switch main occasions just like the Tremendous Bowl into measurable return visitors.
Alexander Barwin | Bushfire Kitchen
Alexander drives progress via UGC-led promoting, neighborhood partnerships, and a tech stack that unifies visitor knowledge. His technique decreased CPM/CPC by ~35% and generated main catering and native activation income.
Kathryn Bleeker | Ziggi’s Espresso
Kathryn constructed Ziggi’s communications engine from scratch, incomes 1,900+ media mentions and 5.44B in attain whereas elevating franchisee communications for 110+ areas and relaunching TikTok with constant success.
Rev Ciancio | Salad Home
Rev developed a data-first lifecycle technique that lifted loyalty income seize from 48% to 64%, doubled routine visitor charges, and stored low cost prices far beneath trade benchmarks, driving sustainable, predictable progress.
Kim Collura | Jason’s Deli
Kim modernizes Jason’s Deli with data-driven loyalty initiatives, refreshed digital platforms, and high-performing seasonal promotions like 12 Days of Deli-cious, which lifted check-ins 56% and supply redemptions 2x.
Hillary Frei | Handel’s Ice Cream
Hillary blends legacy authenticity with trendy advertising and marketing, boosting systemwide gross sales previous $130M, supporting 20+ openings, and propelling Handel’s up 50 spots within the Franchise Occasions High 400.
Jessie Galioto‑Grebe | Through 313
Jessie constructed Through 313’s digital and neighborhood infrastructure, launched its first loyalty app, grew catering 40%, and drove the highest-grossing opening in model historical past.
Alexis Gillette | Craveworthy Manufacturers
Alexis integrates loyalty, LTO technique, and omnichannel commerce throughout a 20‑model portfolio, delivering measurable progress, akin to 100% year-over-year welcome supply utilization and main cross-brand engagement features.
Catriona Harris | Jeff’s Bagel Run
Catriona constructed scalable advertising and marketing programs that fueled enlargement from 2 to 30 retailers, grew loyalty to 25%+ of orders, and delivered robust LTO efficiency like a ten% beverage raise over 12 weeks.
Carmela Hughley | Rita’s Italian Ice & Frozen Custard
Carmela drives insight-led decision-making, strengthening product innovation, visitor engagement, and model relevance. Her management positions Rita’s for sustainable, data-backed progress.
Jennifer Jackson | Hungry Howie’s
Jennifer elevated a legacy model via Nationwide Flavored Crust Day, garnering 4M+ media impressions, 160K social impressions, and a nationwide Detroit-style pizza launch with 490M+ impressions.
Ryan Jones | Olga’s Kitchen
Ryan drove important progress in off-premise by leveraging AI-driven insights, optimizing third-party supply technique, and increasing digital channels—delivering a 40% enhance in off-premise and DSP income.
Jami Kimbrough | Surcheros
Jami drives community-first enlargement, producing report opening-day gross sales and serving to earn the model a spot on the Bulldog 100 record whereas increasing digital attain throughout 30+ areas.
Shawn Lalehzarian | The Pink Chickz
Shawn constructed a large natural following — 1.2M TikTok followers and 40M+ likes — turning viral content material into real-world gross sales regardless of working solely six areas.
Missy Maio | Gong cha Americas
Missy drives global-to-local cultural relevance with viral partnerships like Peanuts and Neopets, boosting loyalty downloads 30% and supporting enlargement towards 500 American shops.
Raul Martinez | The Taco Spot
Raul scaled the model from 11 to 26 areas and 1M to 1.7M followers via viral campaigns like Birria Pizza challenges, turning digital buzz into measurable visitors and franchise progress.
Jane McPherson | Penn Station East Coast Subs
Jane fuels significant gross sales progress via loyalty (almost +9% on-line gross sales), Barstool partnerships (12M+ impressions), and charitable initiatives elevating $330K+ in 2025.
Evan Pardue | Condado Tacos
Evan led the “Uncommon Your Standard” model refresh, fueling a 75% enhance in loyalty participation, 55% loyalty-driven gross sales progress, and new initiatives like every day offers that raise weekday visitors.
Amanda Parker | Vicious Biscuit
Amanda constructed franchise-ready advertising and marketing programs and launched a Rewards app that almost doubled loyalty-driven income whereas supporting robust new-store efficiency and 32% systemwide gross sales progress.
CJ Ramirez | Canine Haus
CJ leads inventive, tech, and model innovation, launching high-impact LTOs, movie star partnerships, and loyalty enhancements that strengthen cultural relevance and increase multi-concept attain.
Leah Schultz | Krispy Krunchy Hen
Leah modernized branding throughout 3,000+ areas, drove a 15% LTO spike via influencer activations, and boosted digital engagement 22% whereas rising LinkedIn organically by 4,150+ followers.
Lindy Simmons | Smalls Sliders
Lindy formed Smalls’ daring social voice, tripling progress on Instagram, growing engagement 162%, and driving 11,700+ shake gross sales together with her award-winning King Cake Shake marketing campaign.
Dan Sokolik | Lee’s Well-known Recipe Hen
Dan modernized a 60-year-old model with a humorous nationwide marketing campaign and refreshed identification, boosting on-line ordering 23% and growing sentiment 10% throughout 125+ models.
Tamara Stanley | Capriotti’s Sandwich Store
Tamara drives Capriotti’s fiftieth Anniversary technique and “Greater, Higher” worth initiatives, growing parts, strengthening franchise satisfaction, and supporting progress towards 500 models.
Brittney Stephens | Velvet Taco
Brittney brings a pointy mix of strategic rigor and daring creativity to Velvet Taco. In beneath a 12 months, she delivered standout campaigns like “Wreck the Halls,” driving a 438% 12 months‑over‑12 months enhance in reward card gross sales whereas elevating social technique to gas consciousness and engagement.
Jodi‑Ann Stewart | Cafe Blue
Jodi‑Ann blends social consciousness with efficiency advertising and marketing. Her Males’s Day and April Fools campaigns generated as much as 72K+ views, 4,500+ interactions, and powerful profile engagement via significant, culturally resonant content material.
Brenna Trumper | Playa Bowls
Brenna drives omnichannel storytelling and main LTO success. The Tidal Wave Smoothie grew to become the top-selling LTO since 2023 and generated 1.18M+ UGC views and standout social engagement.
Pedro Uchoa | TAP
Pedro builds a cultural way of life model round TAP, rising loyalty to 33K members and activating neighborhood occasions, wellness partnerships, and experiential campaigns that entice a visitor base that is 88% non-Brazilian.
Peter Wiley | Scorching Head Burritos
Peter blends inventive, digital, and operational management, driving 159% loyalty spend raise, 30% catering progress, and a significant social uptick with high-performing LTO campaigns.
Isabella Zagni | Vale Wholesome Kitchen
Isabella drives considerate model positioning, community-rooted storytelling, AI-powered workflow enhancements, and seasonal campaigns that enhance engagement and visitors whereas preserving premium model fairness.
Closing Ideas
These 30 leaders symbolize the creativity, self-discipline, and innovation reshaping restaurant advertising and marketing in 2026. Their work proves that progress is not nearly greater budgets — it is about daring concepts, data-driven execution, cultural resonance, and staying relentlessly guest-focused.
Congratulations to this 12 months’s honorees. The way forward for restaurant advertising and marketing is brighter due to you.
Your Playbook for Constructing Buzz & Driving Site visitorsRestaurant Advertising and marketing Workshop will equip you with the newest methods, ways, and insights to drive model consciousness, buyer engagement and income progress. |
About Cherryh Cansler
