In January of 1982, George McKerrow, Jr. was struggling to keep the first LongHorn Steakhouse afloat. Having opened just a year earlier, the restaurant was still trying to establish itself in a competitive market, and early traffic had been slow. When the snowstorm halted the city, the restaurant decided to keep its doors open. The decision might have seemed questionable to higher-ups at the time, but enterprising employees posted a simple sign outside that read "Drinks $1 While It Snows."
Benjamin Nasberg is a Canadian entrepreneur and the CEO of Carbone Restaurant Group. He is known for building scalable hospitality businesses while staying closely connected to the people and communities behind them. His career reflects a steady focus on growth, culture, and practical leadership. Nasberg began working in restaurants at the age of 16. Those early roles gave him a ground-level understanding of operations, teamwork, and customer experience.
You may not have realized it, but the chicken sandwich battle is so 2019; the new chicken trend in restaurants is tenders. In the past year KFC, McDonald's, and Wendy's have all rolled out new or improved chicken tenders. But when it comes to fast food chicken tenders, Raising Cane's and Zaxby's loom largest because both chains have made their names on them from the start.
Lawrence Longo is certain about one thing: America needs a great national pizza brand. Not just a chain that cranks out slices, but a name that stands for quality, heritage and the kind of flavor people will travel for. "Our goal is to be that premium slice shop in America," he tells Restaurant Influencers host Shawn Walchef. That mission is at the heart of his work growing Prince St. Pizza from a single shop into a brand with locations across the country.