Brandon Rhoten: How Do You Manage Brand Reputation, and What Role, if any, Do Your Franchisees Play in it?

Reputation isn’t some abstract sentiment that can be managed with PR; it’s the outcome of consistency. It’s the gap between the promise marketing makes and the reality the guest experiences. If those two things don’t align, you don’t have a reputation; you have a trust problem.

At Dave’s, we simplify that alignment through F.A.N.

S. (fresh food, accurate orders, neat restaurants, “say-yes” service). It’s a basic mnemonic, but it’s critical.

If we nail those fundamentals, the reputation takes care of itself. My job is to use data to find the friction points and then use blow-their-minds creative to stay culturally relevant. When you pair hard insights with a brave brand voice, you build a reputation that’s positive and resilient.

Franchisees aren’t just partners; they are the brand’s front line. We can post the best TikTok or Instagram in the world or buy the perfect media plan, but we can’t market our way out of a bad guest experience. The magic of Dave’s is that our franchisees bought into the culture before they even flipped a sign to “open.”

They understand that authenticity is our currency. Whether it’s Dubai or Los Angeles or Cincinnati, the guest expects that same bold, no-holding-back energy. My role is to listen to the operators and ensure our national programs actually support the reality of their four walls.

When marketing and operations lock together, the brand becomes an unstoppable force! ***"When you pair hard insights with a brave brand voice, you build a reputation that’s positive and resilient."