This week on the Extra Serving podcast, a product of Nation’s Restaurant News, NRN editors Holly Petre, Leigh Anne Zinsmeister, and Ron Ruggless spoke about brand activations.

This week, the writers took a break from earnings because frankly they’re all exhausted. NRN senior editor Ron Ruggless is on the pod this week and he talked about his recent experience with North Italia in Miami. He was there for a brand activation at the Formula One Grand Prix and spoke with the brand’s marketing director about where it’s going next.

That led the writers to the only earnings content this week, Cheesecake Factory. It’s perfect since Cheesecake Factory purchased North Italia’s owner Fox Restaurant Concepts in 2019 and has since been trying to fold the brands into its larger strategy. During this quarterly earnings call, executives announced another Fox Restaurant concepts brand, Flower Child, would join the company’s supply chain.

Finally, the writers talked about where quick service stands. They have seen the impact of pricing at McDonald’s on consumers, something that has pushed many to fast-casual brands instead. Many brands are struggling to gain traffic from low-income consumers who say they want to dine out more. For QSRs, that’s a large part of their business. What can they do to win customers back? Is it as simple as fixing the value equation?

This week’s guest is Garrett Kern, VP of strategy and culinary at Portillo's.