Recently, CREATE, the Event for Emerging Restaurateurs, produced by Nation’s Restaurant News, took place in Nashville. For three days, some of the brightest entrepreneurs in the industry and those looking to start the next big brands came together. If you’ve been in the industry for long, you can only imagine the excitement generated by those with the power and intention to succeed in this fast-paced, ever-changing environment.
Here, we’ll explore some of the hot topics, including branding and marketing lessons from the Big Kahunas, operator spotlights, and rising brands sharing their success strategies and stories.
Let’s get started.
Branding Strategies
One of the emerging brands that took front and center is L&L Hawaiian Barbecue, a company that is 100% franchised. The challenge with this format is maintaining the company culture and consistency across all operations and operators. To help accomplish this, L&L Hawaiian Barbecue requires all its franchisees to visit Hawaii before opening their restaurant. Not a bad requirement.
According to Elisia Flores, the CEO behind this 200-plus unit franchise, “When you think about foundational Hawaiian values—you hear aloha and ohana—we live it every day.” These community and family-first values are what they look for in their franchisees, attributes that are as important to them as financial fit.
Pricing Strategies
Pricing has been up for debate for some time. Are we pricing ourselves out of the market, trying to stay profitable in the face of higher costs? Others are turning to deep discounting to drive more customers to their establishments. Firebirds Wood Fired Grill, a polished-casual brand with over 60 locations, has taken the strategy of providing quality food instead of leaning into LTOs and discounts. For instance, they may add a specially priced three-course meal to the menu.
Michael Halen, Bloomberg Intelligence’s senior restaurant analyst, suggested varying menu prices based on the market instead of straight discounting. This avoids reducing a guest’s perception of the value. Chili’s, a brand on the upswing, reported cutting 25% of its menu over the last two years, focusing on its core categories, including burgers, fajitas, Crispers or chicken tenders, and margaritas.
Marketing Strategies
El Pollo Loco, well-known for its citrus-marinated, fire-grilled chicken and fresh ingredients, discussed its approach when entering new markets. Their approach to introducing potential customers to their brand is through word-of-mouth, particularly social media word-of-mouth. They provide opportunities and suggestions for brand-loyal fans, new and recently acquired, to naturally promote their brand in an organic fashion.
And the Winner Is
Not surprisingly, the winner of NRN’s “Brand Icon” award went to Texas Roadhouse. This award recognizes establishments that balance legacy and innovation. The legacy is found in Kent Taylor, the founder who envisioned a place known for legendary food and service.
While the brand has remained fairly conservative, they see their innovation in their approach to their managing partners, giving them the space and tools to provide great experiences to both guests and employees. They’ve also remained true to their made-from-scratch model and the everyday offerings that have made the brand stand out among a crowded field.
Learning from the Best
Sam Oches, editorial director for NRN, moderated a panel that included Cameron Mitchell, founder and CEO of Cameron Mitchell Restaurants. Today, the company has 64 restaurants with 21 brands in 16 states. The nationally acclaimed seafood and steakhouse, Ocean Prime, sees locations that can total as much as $22 million a year in revenue.
Mitchell started out as a fry cook before pursuing an education at the Culinary Institute of America. He opened his first restaurant in 1993, Cameron’s Bistro. His suggestion to up-and-coming entrepreneurs is to set your goals, write them down, and then communicate them to everyone.
The Rising Brands
NRN spotlighted six rising brands. These brands from the 2024 Hot Concepts winners included Toastique, Puttshack, Mecha Noodle Bar, Rodney Scott’s Whole Hog BBQ, Angry Chickz, and Tacombi.
Interestingly, knowing their category’s competitiveness, Angry Chickz focused on three principles: seven items of the highest quality, maintaining its value proposition by sticking to the same portion sizes and prices over the last four years, and promoting the guest experience via word of mouth. Apparently, it’s working. The brand currently has 28 restaurants in California and spends no money on advertising.
Those who missed this year’s event can catch CREATE from October 15-17, 2025, at the Omni Nashville Hotel.
