Webinar/Podcast
Shawn Lalehzarian with Red Chickz
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!
In this Corner Booth episode, host Chris Tripoli interviews Shawn Lalehzarian, founder and CEO of Red Chickz, a fast casual restaurant concept specializing in Nashville hot chicken. Shawn shares his journey from dishwasher to entrepreneur, detailing how his experience managing airport food operations helped shape his approach to restaurant concept development. His passion for flavor and crunch led to the creation of Red Chickz in 2018, with a menu that includes inventive items like Nashville hot shrimp, chicken and waffles, and French toast sandwiches—all built on authentic recipes sourced directly from Nashville.
The conversation dives into Shawn’s strategic approach to restaurant franchising, emphasizing the importance of building a strong operational foundation before scaling. He discusses how Red Chickz optimized its small footprint restaurant design to maximize efficiency and reduce labor costs, drawing from his background in airport operations. The podcast also explores how a negative review sparked the idea to franchise, leading to a smart growth model focused on consistency, simplicity, and selective franchisee partnerships.
Listeners also gain insights into how Red Chickz leverages social media restaurant marketing, with over a million followers on TikTok helping to build brand awareness and customer engagement. Shawn outlines plans for East Coast expansion and long-term goals, including international growth, all while maintaining operational integrity. This episode offers valuable takeaways for independent operators looking to scale, improve operational efficiency, or explore franchise growth models in today’s competitive restaurant landscape.
Key Takeaways
Operational Simplicity with High Standards Learn how focusing on a simple menu and streamlined kitchen processes can still deliver exceptional quality and consistency—especially important for scaling.
Smart, Strategic Franchising Gain insight into how to prepare your concept for franchising, including building systems, vetting partners, and expanding in a controlled, sustainable way.
Turning Criticism into Opportunity Discover how a negative review became the catalyst for Red Chickz’ growth strategy, showing how feedback can fuel innovation and direction.
Optimizing Space and Labor Efficiency Hear how Shawn’s airport operations experience helped him design compact, efficient restaurants that maximize dining space and minimize labor costs.
Leveraging Social Media for Brand Growth Understand how platforms like TikTok and Instagram can be powerful tools for building brand awareness and driving customer engagement—even with limited locations.
