In this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talks with Tom Cortese, CEO of Counter Service, an upscale sandwich concept with four New York City locations. In 2012 Tom cofounded Peloton, a brand that disrupted the fitness industry and has since become a mainstream sensation. His business partner in Counter Service is Chipotle founder Steve Ells, who in 2024 launched a robot-powered plant-based concept called Kernel before quickly pivoting to sandwiches when that automated model failed to catch on in a big way with consumers. Now Steve and Tom are using a more refined technology strategy — specifically a proprietary restaurant management system that helps them create efficiencies with labor and supply chain — to reimagine what is possible in a scalable sandwich concept. Tom joined the podcast to talk about why the restaurant industry is ripe for disruption today, the role that technology should play in that disruption, and why he thinks Counter Service could become a national sensation just like his previous company.

In this conversation, you’ll find out why:

1. When innovating, your first shot isn’t as important as consistent follow-through
2. Incredibly niche concepts aren’t built for scale
3. Hospitality is a quintessential part of building a scalable business
4. Technology unlocks the potential of high-quality ingredients
5. Disruptive restaurant concepts discover how to create a range of great dishes with a small number of repeatable, delicious recipes

Have feedback or ideas for Take-Away? Email Sam at sam.oches@informa.com.