Grounded

Hopdoddy Burger Bar President & CEO Jeff Chandler joins Lauren Mitchell to break down what it takes to scale a fast-casual brand without losing what makes it special. Jeff shares leadership lessons from his University of Washington football days, how Hopdoddy approaches authentic hospitality, and why quality-driven sourcing and true vendor partnerships matter—especially after COVID. If you’re building culture, driving growth, or navigating menu innovation, this episode is packed with practical insights you can steal today. Jeff Chandler is the President & CEO of Hopdoddy Burger Bar, with more than 30 years of experience in the restaurant industry.  5 Key Takeaways Precision and accountability can be taught—and enforced. Jeff shares Coach Don James’ “Timex” lesson: being “on time” meant being early, and if you missed the bus, it left without you.Hopdoddy focuses on unscripted, authentic hospitality. Instead of scripting greetings, they hire for attitude and personality—then tell team members to “just be yourself.”Variety and quality are core differentiators—not marketing fluff. Beyond beef, Hopdoddy offers bison, turkey, chicken, a veggie patty (“sole patty”), and a sashimi-grade ahi tuna burger that’s ground and seared to avoid the “dry filet” experience.Supplier relationships are built for the long haul, not annual price shopping. Jeff describes “true partnerships,” shaped by who showed up during COVID, and annual supplier meetings where both sides share how to be better partners.Growth and innovation require guardrails to protect operators. Hopdoddy balances trend-spotting (especially via social media) with operational mastery by making intentional menu updates three times a year—and measuring brand health heavily through retention and turnover.💬 Quote of the Episode “We don't script our team on how to greet people, what to say. We just want them to be themselves.” — Jeff Chandler, President & CEO, Hopdoddy Burger Bar🔗 Connect with the Guest(s) Jeff Chandler — President & CEO, Hopdoddy Burger BarLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-chandler-02881545/Website: https://www.hopdoddy.com/🎧 Ways to Tune In Transistor: https://www.groundedonthepod.com/ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2I7EoKaVff3SnW3CoIXjJ6 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/grounded/id1680909033 Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/451edb13-5534-43ee-b46c-be36a7581460 iHeart Radio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-grounded-281280581/ Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/grounded-5259267 Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/show/1064441 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@The-Grounded-Podcast