The New Competitive Set: Where Your Customers Really Shop


Your fiercest competition isn’t just the restaurant down the street anymore. Today, grocery stores are winning meal occasions with hot bars, c-stores are expanding into fresh food, and delivery marketplaces are capturing customer loyalty. In this session, leading operators will unpack how their guests are splitting spend across categories, what signals reveal cross-shopping behavior, and the strategies they’ve used to stay first in line for customer choice. Attendees will leave with a fresh perspective on their true competitive set — and how to win in a world where everyone is competing for the same meal occasions.

Attendees will learn:

  • How to map your real competitive set beyond traditional restaurant rivals.
  • How to identify signs your customers are cross-shopping grocery, c-store, or delivery alternatives.
  • How to design offers and experiences that keep your brand top of mind in the moments that matter most.

 

Panelists
Scott Ball
President
FiiZ
Scott Ball is the president of FiiZ Drinks. With over 25 years of experience in the hospitality and franchising industries, Ball brings a wealth of expertise and leadership to the role that will steward the FiiZ brand into its second decade of innovation and growth. As president, he will oversee all aspects of the company operations, strategic initiatives, and franchise expansion efforts. Ball brings 17 years of experience as a franchisee of Dunkin Donuts. He oversaw 20 locations,18 new builds and nearly 350 employees, while achieving revenue exceeding $20 million. Ball also previously served in operational, strategic and leadership roles with leading concept, The Poke Company as well as Triarc Restaurant Group, where Ball worked on the group’s owned brands including Arby’s, TJ Cinnamons, and formerly, Snapple Beverage Group.
Michael Dolinger
Vice President of Operations
California Tortilla
Michael Dolinger is the Vice President of Operations at California Tortilla, headquartered in Potomac, MD. With extensive experience in multi-unit restaurant operations, he has held leadership roles at Caribou Coffee and Glory Days Grill and began his career as a franchisee with ExxonMobil and The Coffee Beanery. Driven by a passion for food and beverage, Michael earned professional certificates in French Technique, Pastries, and International Cuisine from L’Académie de Cuisine, and he also holds a Level 2 Sommelier certification. Mike attended Johnson and Wales for his post graduate studies in management and holds certificates from Cornell in Leadership and Strategy.
Tim Hackbardt
CEO
Hack Strategy Group
Tim Hackbardt is a 30+ year veteran of the restaurant industry, having served 26 restaurant chains across various categories, including quick service, fast casual, family dining, casual dining, and polished casual dining. He is currently the CEO at Hack Strategy Group, a multi-unit chain restaurant consulting firm. The firm specializes in distressed restaurant brand turnarounds, brand reinventions, new concept development, growth strategy, marketing strategy, and menu strategy that deliver sustainable long-term success results.
Carin Stutz
Board Member
Hawaiian Bros, Kura Sushi
Carin Stutz is a public company board director and a veteran C-level operating executive with deep experience in the hospitality and consumer sector. Stutz was previously the President and CEO or COO of several well-respected restaurant companies including Native Foods, Red Robin, McAlister’s Deli, Cosi, Brinker, and Applebee’s. She serves on the board of directors for Kura Sushi, Hawaiian Bros, as well as chair of the board of trustees for Western Illinois University. She is a member of the Fast Casual Industry Council, the treasurer for the Illinois Restaurant Association and a founding board member and treasurer of the GLEAM Network, a mentoring platform for the foodservice industry, and the LEAD committee. She is a member of the Lunchbox Food Tech council and the Ovation advisory board. She is a Past Chair of the Women’s Foodservice Forum; Top 25 Executives in Fast Casual; received the distinguished alumni award from WIU and was inducted into the inaugural class of the Fast Casual Hall of Fame in 2022.
Moderator
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