Currito cofounders Joe and John Lanni on adapting a brand around consumer demand

Take-Away with Sam Oches

Nation's Restaurant News

Business, Entrepreneurship

2.5 • 15 Ratings

🗓️ 25 February 2025

⏱️ 45 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talks Joe and John Lanni, the brother cofounders of Thunderdome Restaurant Group, a Cincinnati-based outfit that is among the 10 largest restaurant groups in the U.S., and which counts the 23-unit fast casual Currito among its portfolio. Currito is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, and the Lanni brothers are looking to rapidly expand through franchising. Joe and John joined the podcast to talk about what it was like to grow up in the restaurant industry — their father Nick Lanni founded Great Steak and Potato Company and grew it to over 250 locations — and to talk about how they’ve adapted the brand alongside consumer demand over the past two decades.

In this conversation, you’ll find out why:

You need to listen to customers, even if it means changing your brand
Brand associations can be good for launching a business, but not for sustaining it
When marketing a new business, nothing beats free food
Franchisees are people — and sometimes they need a break
Building a portfolio with a variety of concepts offers valuable perspectives
Delicious food will never fall out of style

Have feedback or ideas for Take-Away? Email Sam at [email protected].

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hey there, welcome to Takeaway with Sam Ocas, a podcast from Nation's Restaurant News.
0:04.5	I am Sam Ocas, editor-in-chief here at NRN, and this is the show where I give you an all-access pass
0:09.8	to the restaurant industry's most influential decision-makers.
0:13.5	This week, I'm talking with Joe and John Lonnie, the brother co-founders of Thunderdome
0:18.7	Restaurant Group, a Cincinnati-based outfit that is among the
0:22.3	10 largest restaurant groups in the U.S. and which counts the 23-unit fast casual Curito among its
0:29.8	portfolio. Curito is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, and what started as a globally
0:36.3	inspired burrito concept has evolved into a
0:39.9	grain and greens bowl concept that the Lonnie brothers are looking to rapidly expand through
0:46.2	franchising. That includes nine newly signed development deals that will bring 16 more currito
0:52.5	units to the U.S.
0:58.7	Joe and John joined the podcast to talk about what it was like to grow up in the restaurant industry, their father at Nick Lonnie, founded Great Steak and Potato
1:02.6	Company and grew it to over 250 locations, and to talk about how they've adapted
1:07.8	the brand alongside consumer demand over the past two decades.
1:11.6	In this interview, you will learn more about why brand associations can be good for launching a
1:16.2	business, but not so good for sustaining it, why franchises are people and sometimes they need a
1:21.3	break, and why building a portfolio with a variety of concepts offers valuable perspectives.
1:27.4	Jumping now into my interview with Thunderdome's Joe and John Lonnie.
1:31.3	Also, just make note that Joe is the first one who talks in this interview.
1:35.6	Also, don't forget to stick around after the interview, as I will share my six takeaways
1:38.9	from this discussion, actionable insights that you can take with you on the go.
1:46.1	Okay, I'm sitting down with Joe and John Lonnie, the co-founders of Thunderdome Restaurant
	...

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