CEO INTERVIEWS
06-7 JANUARY 2026
12PM EST/9AM PST
CALLING JOHN’S CELL
LISA JENNINGS
Executive Editor
Restaurant Business Online
Background:
A veteran restaurant industry reporter and editor who covers the fast-casual sector, independent restaurants and emerging chain concepts. Her experience includes other industry publications as well as the daily newspaper The Commercial Appeal in Memphis, Tenn., where she was Food Editor. Her work has been cited in the Los Angeles Times, Business Insider, FoodBeast, The Huffington Post, Time.com and more.
12:30PM EST/9:30AM PST
CALLING JOHN’S CELL
DANNY KLEIN
Vice President, Food, Retail, Hospitality Editorial Director
QSR Magazine
Background:
VP Editorial Director of WTWH Media’s Food, Retail, & Hospitality brands, including QSR and FSR magazines, CStore Decisions, PMQ, and Club + Resort. He began his hospitality media career in 2015 with QSR and FSR, two of the restaurant industry’s leading trade publications. Danny has won multiple industry awards, including a National Gold Azbee for QSR’s Drive-Thru Report and has become a trusted source of insight in the foodservice sector as a LinkedIn Top Voice creator. In 2023, he helped found and launch two of the restaurant space’s premier events—the QSR Evolution Conference and NextGen Restaurant Summit, where he serves as the organizer. Danny also created QSR and FSR’s Women in Restaurant Leadership platform and develops the WiRL Together Summit each year in February.
3PM EST/12PM PST
CALLING JOHN’S CELL
JULIE LITTMAN
Senior Reporter
Restaurant Dive
Background:
Covers franchising, financing, mergers and acquisitions and store development. Julie has been with the publication since 2018, and has over a decade of business reporting experience, including past roles at Bisnow and Crittenden Research. Her Restaurant Dive reporting won Best Series at the Neal Awards in 2021 and 2022 and Best Web Feature Series at the Azbee Awards in 2021.
WEDNESDAY 1/7
2PM EST/11AM PST
CALLING JOHN’S CELL
