The Bottom Line- Real Stories Behind Restaurants
The Bottom Line- Real Stories Behind Restaurants
Podcast Description
The Bottom Line: The Real Stories Behind Restaurants is a straight-to-the-point, 20-30 minute podcast where restaurant operators and industry leaders share their biggest wins and toughest challenges. Each episode dives into real, unfiltered stories about what it takes to run a successful restaurant, from scaling operations to overcoming financial struggles. Whether it’s a breakthrough strategy or a hard-earned lesson, this podcast gives listeners actionable insights they can apply to their own businesses. It’s about the reality of the restaurant industry—not just the highlights, but the hard work behind the success.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast centers around the realities of running a restaurant, covering themes like operational challenges, scaling strategies, financial management, and customer experience. Episode examples include discussions on innovative concepts like modern cheesesteaks, lessons learned during the pandemic, and the importance of maintaining quality and culture amidst rapid growth.
The Bottom Line: The Real Stories Behind Restaurants is a straight-to-the-point, 20-30 minute podcast where restaurant operators and industry leaders share their biggest wins and toughest challenges. Each episode dives into real, unfiltered stories about what it takes to run a successful restaurant, from scaling operations to overcoming financial struggles. Whether it’s a breakthrough strategy or a hard-earned lesson, this podcast gives listeners actionable insights they can apply to their own businesses. It’s about the reality of the restaurant industry—not just the highlights, but the hard work behind the success.
In this episode of The Bottom Line, host Naki sits down with Antonio Gambino, co-founder of Tono Pizzeria + Cheesesteaks, to unpack the real strategies behind one of Minnesota’s fastest-growing restaurant brands.
Antonio shares his story, from growing up in a family of pizzeria owners to launching multiple concepts for new restaurants. He explains how he modernized the cheesesteak experience, stayed authentic to East Coast roots, and navigated early challenges—including launching Tono just before COVID. What followed was a counterintuitive surge in delivery demand and brand recognition that led to accelerated expansion.
Listeners will learn how Antonio and his co-founder Shaz have built a complementary leadership model, adopted tools like EOS to improve team accountability, and prioritized culture and customer experience to drive repeat business. Antonio also shares thoughts on franchising, working with investors, and how they plan to hit 25–50 units while keeping standards high.
If you're a restaurant operator, aspiring entrepreneur, or anyone interested in brand building and hospitality, this episode is packed with valuable insights.
”If you love it, the quality will follow.” — Antonio Gambino
Links:
Website: https://tonomn.com/
IG: @_tonomn
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antonio-gambino-a76064251/
Welcome to The Bottom Line – the real talk podcast about restaurant profit and growth. Each episode, we explore the decisions, systems, and stories behind the most successful food businesses out there in the market. No fluff. No hype. Just real operators, real challenges, and real advice from people who know how to get results. Let's get to The Bottom Line.
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Connect with Naki on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ufuksoyturk/
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