Key Regional Shifts for 2026 Growth

Thank you. And we also have Clinton Anderson, the CEO of 4th, who will be moderating the discussion with Jason. So Jason, how about I let you provide the audience some info about your background and you can also inform them a bit about Chop Store. And after that I'll let you take it from there, Clinton.

Thanks Christina. My name is Jason Morgan, CEO of Original Chop Store. I've been doing this for about 9 years now. We purchased the brand in 2016three unitsand I have actually grown it to 26. Prior to this, I have actually invested the majority of my profession in hospitality in some shape or kind. After a short stint of trying to be an accountant for about a year and a half, I transitioned into gambling establishment residential or commercial property and operated in business finance.

I was the very first employee there after private equity bought the organization. Helped grow that from 20 to 150 areas, took it public in 2014, and after that left about a year and a half after going public to do this at Chop Store. My hope is that we can reproduce the success we had at Zos, and we're off to an actually good start.

We're at the counter, we bring the food to the table. The key to the program is we have a drink part as well with fresh-squeezed juices and protein shakes.

Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

A little more complicated than a few of the walk-the-line concepts that are out there, however we believe we've got something quite unique. We're going to add another shop this year and a minimum of 4 stores next year. So we will be 31 or so shops by the end of next year.

The Benefits of Fast Casual Expansion in 2026

Hey, everybody. It's great to be with you again. My name is Clinton Anderson. I'm the CEO here at Fourth. I've remained in this role for about 6 years. 4th, as much of you know, is a leading provider of software application services to the dining establishment and hospitality industry. Our goal is to assist our clients achieve success in driving profitability and being efficientmanaging labor, managing stock, and basically providing them with tools they need to deliver their vision.

It's uncommon to have business that are cherished and growing quickly, that can repeat that success every year. Jason, one of the reasons I was so excited to have you join our session is the success at Zos was remarkable. I've just satisfied a handful of brands where there was such a strong client affinity for the brand name.

And now you're doing the very same thing at Chop Shop. When you speak with customers about Chop Shop, they love the place. They discuss its distinction. And to be able to take what is a reasonably complex concept in terms of providing a great experience for the consumer, and be able to grow that from a couple of shops to now north of 30 stores next yearit's remarkable.

We're going to talk about how to scale a dining establishment service. Every restaurateur I ever talk with has imagine taking one shop, two stores, five stores, and turning it into something much biggerexpanding across the city, across the state, into numerous states, and ultimately nationwide, even global reach. It's not easy, particularly in today's environment.

Labor is hard. Stock expenses remain high. It's not a simple time to drive success and growth at the same time. We're grateful to have you here today, Jason, due to the fact that we're going to dig into that topic. The concerns are going to be truly around: how do you grow a service? How do you scale it and make it successful? How do you replicate early success? And from there, after we talk about your experience and the lessons you've found out, we 'd enjoy to then state: well, appearance, how could technology assist? How can you utilize innovation as a multiplier to duplicate early success to far-reaching success? Second, beyond innovation, how do you scale great teams? And last but not least, AI.

Profitable Business Ventures Arising in 2026

The very first question I have for you, Jasonlook, you've done this two times now in the restaurant market. What has your experience been in terms of what it takes to really drive success in broadening restaurants?

We talked a little bit before we started about LinkedIn, and I've got a post teed up to follow this next week about what the playbook is likepoint by pointfor growing a service. To me, among the crucial things, and I feel very lucky, is that both brand names I have actually been included with are unique.

And there's nothing precisely like Chop Shop in terms of what we're finishing with a big, varied menu. Most brands today are really singularly focused in terms of what they're providing from a food product. I seem like we began at a benefit with both brand names by having something special that filled a specific niche nobody else was doing.

A lot of it starts with the brand name. Does your brand name have something special that no one else is doing?

Fast Casual Market Share Growth

The second thingI came from a finance background, so a lot of my learnings are more finance and data-driven versus a lot of early start-up restaurateurs who are innovative types. They love the food, they built the menu, they constructed the brand.

They don't understand their breakeven sales. They do not comprehend how margin enhances as sales increase. I have actually seen so many companies where the numbers simply do not work.

Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

If you do not have those 2 things, you shouldn't be constructing stores. Yeah, perhaps both, right? Since as I hear your description, you have actually highlighted three things: execution, brand distinction, and financial practicality. You have actually got to start with execution. If you don't have an operating model that works, expanding it simply increases issues.

Corporate Updates: New Milestones in 2026

Second, you need an engaging brand or distinct concept that resonates with customers. And third, the math needs to work. If you don't comprehend your system economics, your fixed and variable expenses, you may be broadening blind and losing money. Exactly. And another key lesson is about entering new markets.

When we broadened to Dallas, I anticipated new stores to do 5070% of Phoenix sales in the first year. A lot of operators assume new markets will open at complete volume day one. That nearly never ever happens. And when the shops open slow, however you've signed leases and developed a monetary design based upon greater volumes, you get overextended.