We talk to Jordan Cusner, former head of guest insights at Popeyes Louisiana Chicken

Jordan Cusner, former head of guest insights at Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, joins hosts Carolyn Schnare and guest host Harry Milloff, CEO of The Moseley Group, in this episode of The Future of Convenience podcast, together they dive into the transformative evolution of industry foodvenience.

With decades of experience in quick-service restaurants (QSRs), Cusner shares key lessons from his journey, offering valuable strategies for convenience store operators to elevate their food service game.

Transforming the convenience sector

Leaning into his vast experience in QSR, Cusner underscores the importance of delivering food with speed, quality, and seamless experiences. He says in QSRs, “quick service” is non-negotiable, and the same principle is transforming the convenience sector as they aim to replicate the efficiency and appeal of fast-food giants.

When it comes to consistency, Cusner stressed that surprises aren’t what guests are seeking. He says, “They come to us because they know exactly what they want. Sure, there are a couple people that are showing up to explore for the first time, but a lot of people are loyal guests.”

Strategic partnership

In his second appearance on the show, Milloff articulated why this topic and guest are important to convenience:

“Over the last two decades and increasingly over the last five years, convenience stores have been going through a complete evolution. You look at the typical core convenience categories and they’re petroleum, tobacco, and lottery, and these are all declining fields today. So it’s really caused a heightened level of focus towards food service. How can [convenience stores] deliver food like a QSR? Really thinking about convenience and throughout my experience working with operators and leaders, there’s always an aspirational look towards top performing QSRs.”

Harry Milloff will be joining several upcoming ‘Future of Foodvenience’ episodes along with notable foodservice experts to dig into the important topic. Recently, Insight Research announced a strategic partnership with The Moseley Group to drive foodvenience development faster in convenience retail. In August 2024, Harry was a guest on the episode, “Hungry for Success? Winning Foodservice Formulas” and explained the importance of trust, safety and operational excellence.

For convenience retailers aspiring to redefine their food service programs, this episode offers a wealth of actionable insights. From building trust to mastering operational complexity and leveraging guest insights, the key to success lies in prioritizing the customer at every stage.

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