Webinar/Podcast
Otto Othman & Adrian Sanchez with Pincho
Welcome to the Corner Booth!
Join host Chris Tripoli and guests for a podcast for anyone who is starting a restaurant business, growing an independent restaurant business, or dreaming about starting an independent restaurant business.
Learn from successful restaurateurs who share their stories WHY they got into the business and HOW they created and built their winning concepts.
Corner Booth is a production of RestaurantOwner.com.
So grab your favorite beverage, have a seat, and listen in!
Otto Othman and Adrian Sanchez join Chris Tripoli on Corner Booth to share the real operational story behind building and scaling Pincho Burgers and Kebabs, a fast‑casual restaurant brand that grew from a single underfunded location into a multi‑market operation with locations throughout Florida and Texas. As cofounders and hands‑on operators, their perspective comes from navigating growth without institutional safety nets, formal training, or excess capital.
The conversation centers on the challenges of restaurant growth and the discipline required to scale responsibly. Otto and Adrian reflect on the early years, when modest performance and trial‑and‑error learning tested patience and resolve. As the business matured, opening a second location exposed the limits of informal management and forced a shift toward documented systems and processes. That transition marked the difference between simply operating restaurants and building a repeatable business.
This episode also explores strategic decisions around ownership, pricing strategy, and expansion. After experimenting with franchising, the founders reassessed control and alignment, ultimately returning to a company‑owned growth model supported by experienced partners. Rising costs required thoughtful pricing decisions focused on perceived value rather than blanket increases. Expansion into a new market further reinforced the importance of market localization, from menu adjustments to guest expectations. Throughout the discussion, Otto and Adrian emphasize that sustainable scaling depends on structure, adaptability, and protecting the core of the brand while it evolves.
Key Takeaways
Early success requires patience and resilience— The first Pincho location took several years to gain traction, reinforcing that restaurant growth often lags effort and requires long‑term commitment.
Systems enable scalable execution — Formalizing systems and processes before opening additional units allowed the team to operate consistently across locations.
Control matters as brands mature — Transitioning away from franchising supported a more deliberate company‑owned growth strategy and operational alignment.
Pricing decisions must reflect perceived value — A thoughtful pricing strategy focused on portion size, product mix, and guest expectations protected margins without alienating customers.
Expansion depends on local relevance — Successful market localization required menu, beverage, and service adjustments based on regional preferences.
