The Wall Street Journal’s Jason Riley Breaks Down the Election

Jason Riley is an American journalist, a member of The Wall Street Journal editorial board, a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute and a regular pundit on Fox News, PBS, NPR and C-SPAN. He’ll join Restaurant Finance Week attendees to break down the results of the presidential election and what it means for politics, economics, immigration and race.

COVID-19 Business Intelligence with Dr. Michael Osterholm, Director, Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP)

Dr. Osterholm is an internationally recognized expert in infectious disease epidemiology and is an expert on the public health impact of COVID-19. Hailed by CNN as “the infectious disease expert who has been warning us for a decade and a half that the world will face a pandemic,” Dr. Osterholm will update Restaurant Finance Week attendees with the latest health information on the pandemic and vaccine so you can make plans for your family, business and employees in the coming year.

A View From the C-Suite: Piper Sandler Analyst Nicolle Miller Regan Interviews Dunkin’ Brands CEO David Hoffmann

Dave Hoffmann joined Dunkin’ Brands in October 2016 as president, Dunkin’ U.S., overseeing all operations, marketing and development for the brand domestically. He was appointed to CEO in July 2018, where his responsibilities expanded to include Baskin–Robbins, as well as the international businesses of both Dunkin’ and Baskin-Robbins. Dave spent 22 years with McDonald’s Corporation and worked for the company while in high school. Join us for an all-encompassing look at Dunkin’s operation and what this restaurant operations expert sees on tap for the industry in 2021.

Leading Hospitality Universities Redesign the Restaurant of the Future

Faculty members from leading university hospitality programs have assembled four student teams to compete at this year’s Restaurant Finance Week. After months of student research and input from university faculty, the teams will present their best ideas for redesigning the restaurant of the future. Teams will present to the conference audience and questions will be asked from a panel of expert judges. The judges will pick a winner based upon a defined criteria that awards presentation, content, creativity and potential for success. Find out what the next generation wants in restaurants! Universities Include: Michigan State University; University of Nevada, Las Vegas; Florida International University; The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. Judges for the competition include Brian Geraghty, MUFG Union Bank; Keith Foster, BKD; Anand Gala, Gala Capital Partners; Sanjiv Razdan, GLEAM Network; and Boris Ochsenius, BSBC Chicken (Zaxby's franchisee).

Front Line Report—Casual Dining

Mark Twain once wrote that the announcement of his death was premature. Likewise, the conventional wisdom says that casual, family and fine dining was put to death by the reduced dining room capacity brought about by Covid-19. However, survival instincts took over, and restaurant operators mobilized alternative channels to sell their food and beverage. The result was a future that no one could have anticipated. Alice Elliot, CEO, The Elliot Group; David Deno, CEO, Bloomin’ Brands; Cheryl Henry, President & CEO, Ruth’s Hospitality Group; Tim McEnery, Founder & CEO, Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurants; and David Birzon, CEO, Snooze, an A.M. Eatery.

Around the Industry in 60 Minutes

Restaurant industry experts and analysts share their observations of the latest trends, intelligence and counsel that you can put to use in your business. John Hamburger, Restaurant Finance Monitor; Larry Reinstein, CEO, LJR Hospitality Ventures; Dave Bennett, CEO, Mirus Restaurant Solutions; and Bill McClave, Co-Managing Partner, Birchwood Resultants.

The Outlook for Restaurant M&A in 2021

Restaurant deal activity has been quiet since the March COVID shutdowns but it’s not because of a lack of buyers.To the contrary, buyers are flush with cash, but there has been a hesitancy on the part of lenders as they assess the post-COVID future of the various restaurant segments. Attendees of this session will be brought up-to-speed on the current deal environment and learn what it takes to get a deal done in 2021. David Farkas, Columnist, Restaurant Finance Monito; Glen Kunofsky, Exec. Managing Director, Investments, Marcus & Millichap; Roger Matthews, Managing Director, Bank of America Merrill Lynch; and Susan Miller, Partner, Morgan Kingston Advisors.

Everything You Wanted to Know About Bankruptcy and Distressed Investing, But Were Afraid to Ask

Estimates of restaurants that will close due to the pandemic have ranged from 10-20%. Particularly hard hit in the chain restaurant business have been restaurants in casual, family and fine dining. This panel of experienced workout professionals will first discuss options for those restaurant companies contemplating a restructuring. The second half of the panel will focus on where there might be opportunities for investors in distressed assets. Navin Nagrani, EVP, Principal-Real Estate, Hilco Global; Jonathan Tibus, Managing Director, Alvarez & Marsal; Jeffrey Crivello, CEO, BBQ Holdings (Famous Dave’s); Teri Stratton, Managing Director, Piper Sandler; and Jeff Dutson, Partner, King & Spalding.

Restaurant CFOs Tackle the COVID-19 Challenges—What Next for 2021? 

COVID-19 threw a monkey wrench into the best laid of restaurant plans. Financial, operational, and technological challenges abound. Watch top restaurant CFOs describe the challenges they faced during Covid-19, their solutions and how they intend to manage their company’s finance function in 2021. Join BDO director Dana Zukofsky as she breaks down the restaurant business with four senior finance professionals. Kate Jaspon, CFO, Dunkin’ Brands; Steve Brake, CFO, Del Taco; Matthew McGuinness, CFO, WKS Restaurant Group (Franchisee); and David Oden, President, InfoSync.

The Economics of Virtual Restaurants

Virtual kitchens have quickly become one of the primary buzzwords in the off-premises industry, with many restaurant brands and commercial property owners now seeing the possibilities of bringing additional, delivery-only concepts into underutilized restaurant kitchen spaces. Moderated by Food On Demand Editor Tom Kaiser, this panel will detail the financial implications and potential of adding virtual brands, as well as the operational challenges and synergies from streamlined operations that are providing a new source of revenue with a comparatively low barrier of entry in a historically difficult restaurant environment. Tom Kaiser, Editor, Food On Demand; Kristen Adamowski, Head of Operations for Virtual Restaurants, Uber; Aziz Hashim, Managing Partner, NRD Capital and CEO, Franklin Junction; André Vener, Dog Haus; Andrew Charles, Cowen and Co. and Ken Chong, Virtual Kitchen.

Sustaining Restaurants Through New Collaborative Relationships

The panel will show how, in this difficult business climate, restaurant operators can bolster their business by forming innovative, mutually beneficial relationships with key stake holders including: landlords; investors; employees/management and franchisors. Rick Gibson, Shareholder, Monroe Moxness Berg; Dennis Monroe, Chair, Monroe Moxness Berg; John Berg, Shareholder, Monroe Moxness Berg; and Tim Ring, Shareholder, Monroe Moxness Berg.

The Post Covid New Normal of Franchise Development

Join moderator Ryan Palmer, Partner, Lathrop GPM as he talks with three top franchise development executives on what is the new normal in franchise development. The pandemic has brought to the forefront a whole new group of franchise buyers, but what are they looking for? How do you reach them? And what can you tell them about your franchise? Is your brand really “recession resistant?” Palmer and his experts will discuss how new norms are being shaped in franchise development as the sector weaves its way through covid. Ryan Palmer, Partner, Lathrop GPM; Joe Sieve, VP Franchise Development, Inspire Brands and Madison Jobe, Chief Development Officer, Wingstop.

Automatic Gratuities: Should You Implement Them?

Take the hassle out of tipping for your restaurant customers, and put in place an automatic gratuity. It’s a no brainer, and everyone is happy. Not so fast, says Ismail Karabas, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Marketing from Murray State University. Karabas will discuss his recent research that indicates customers just may like keeping control over the gratuity process. Nancy Monroe, Editor, Foodservice News and Ismail Karabas, Ph.D, Assistant Professor of Marketing, Murray State University.

Top CFO’s Discuss How They Pivoted Towards Tech Proficiency

Despite the restaurant industry having been turned upside down during COVID, the goals of restaurant CFOs across all segments remain the same–to increase sales and EBITDA. So what’s a critical differentiating factor between brands that continue to outperform and those that underperform? Data…and how it’s put to use. Join Mike Vichich, CEO, Wisely, as he grills three leading CFOs on how they overcame analysis paralysis and began using real-time data prior to (and during) COVID-19 to build responsive financial plans, make quick decisions, improve guest experience and grow EBITDA. Mike Vichich, CEO, Wisely; Jon Howie, CFO, Chuy’s Holdings; and Paul Potvin, CFO, California Fish Grill.

PPP Loan Knowns, Unknowns, and Ambiguities–An Update

Join Moss Adams national director of restaurants and hospitality, Michael Cullom; Moss Adams restaurant practice leader and partner Justine Hunter; Cadence Bank senior vice president, Alan Thomes; and International Franchise Association SVP of Government Affairs, Matt Haller. They’ll discuss the latest in government small business aid packages including an in-depth discussion of Payroll Protection Loans, together with the tips on loan forgiveness and accounting treatment. Plus, the panel will explore the ramifications of the presidential election results on taxes and regulations and what it means for restaurant and franchise businesses.

Post-Election Tax Policy

Join RSM tax partner, Matt Talcoff, RSM National Tax Leader, James Alex, and RSM Deputy Economist, Kevin DePew as they outline anticipated tax changes, challenges and opportunities with policy that occurs post-election.

What the Restaurant Finance World Will Look Like in 2021
Caution is the order of the day in credit and just because there is plenty of dry powder on the sidelines doesn’t mean dealmakers will be as aggressive as they were pre-Covid. Restaurant Finance Monitor’s John Hamburger and a panel of experienced restaurant finance experts will examine capital market conditions, and give their predictions fo what should be a very interesting year. Panel members include Carty Davis, Partner, C-Squared Advisors; Craig Wolf, Managing Director, Fifth Third Bank; Derek Ladgenski, Partner, Katten Muchin Rosenman, Tim Morris, Chief Credit Officer, Pinnacle Commercial Capital; and Gary Chou, Executive Vice President, Matthews Real Estate Investment Services.

Tax Planning in an Uncertain World

Understanding how to use changing tax laws to your advantage, including the CARES Act and Trump vs Biden tax plan considerations. Keith Foster and Mike McDevitt, BKD CPAs & Advisors.

DIY Delivery: What it Takes to Do Native Delivery Right

Navigating the convenience economy is no easy task, but neither is building a delivery fleet. Hear from those who have done it right and what it takes to carve out space for the growing delivery demands inside your company. Nicholas Upton, Restaurant Editor, Franchise Times; Scott Absher, CEO, ShiftPixy; Nicholas Scarpino, SVP marketing and Off-Premises Dining, Portillo's Hot Dogs; and Sean Kennedy, CEO, Cowboy Chicken. .

What Do Special Acquisition Companies (SPACs) Mean for the Restaurant Business?

Special Purpose Acquisition Companies, or SPACs, have become a popular equity investment alternative to an initial public offering. FAST Acquisition Corp (FST) has raised $200 million, while Tastemaker Acquisition Corp. has filed an S-1 to raise the same amount. FAST is on the prowl to make an acquisition in the restaurant business. Join Cohn Reznick partner Cindy McLoughlin , FAST Acquisition Co-CEOs Sandy Beall and Doug Jacob, and Barcelona Restaurants Co-Founder Andy Pforzheimer, as they describe the SPAC process and what it means for restaurant companies. .

Turning Your Life Raft Into a Speedboat: Accelerating Digital Transformation in a Post-Covid Normal

As COVID pummeled the restaurant industry, the digital and off-premise channels emerged as one bright spot for many brands. Over the past months, many brands have seen these channels grow significantly, bringing new customers and occasions. But now, as the industry begins to normalize, brands are facing the question of how to maintain this digital sales layer and customer. In this session, Dylan Bolden and Mary Martin, principals at Boston Consulting Group, will share strategies that brands can use to retain and accelerate digital sales growth in the wake of COVID.

What the Covid-Era Consumer Wants from the Dining Experience

A restaurant’s reservation system is more than just a placeholder in this new dining reality. Join Nancy Monroe, Editor of Foodservice News and Allison Page, Co-Founder of Sevenrooms and find out why you should be taking reservations now, and how to use the data your system collects to build a stronger bond with customers, fuel return visits, maximize table turns and fire up your creativity. .

Restaurant Finance Week Wrap Up

Join John Hamburger, President, Restaurant Finance Monitor, as he hosts a roundtable with four restaurant industry experts to discuss the Restaurant Finance Week sessions and what they lelarned. Panel members include Allan Hickok, Senior Advisor, Boston Consulting Group; Michael Eagen, Managing Director, BMO Harris Bank; Malcolm Knapp, President Malcolm M. Knapp; and David Farkas, Columnist, Restaurant Finance Monitor. .