QSR: Which Wich Gets a Beat on the Competition

While a sandwich chain CEO collaborating with a musician may seem odd to most, it makes perfect sense to Which Wich CEO Jeff Sinelli. On January 24th, Sinelli held a “studio session” with musician Kevin Griffin of Better Than Ezra, along with members of Sinelli’s team, to brainstorm ideas for the sandwich chain.

This all started when Sinelli met Griffin, who’s written hits for artists like Taylor Swift and Train, at an event in late 2016.

“As we started to get to know each other, light bulbs started to go off. I said, ‘What if we could take our industry—hospitality and restaurants—and get inspiration from the music entertainment industry to create a better product,” said Sinelli.

During the “studio session” they discussed everything from decor to music to names for new sandwiches.

“At the end of the day, a restaurant is just a collaboration of creative ideas to attract a consumer,” he said. “And I’m going a different path to get a different result. Because the results that are out there just don’t get me out of bed in the morning. What gets me out of bed in the morning is something different. And sometimes music can be a real influencer whether you’re working out on a bicycle or you’re walking to a restaurant. It really puts a rhythm and cadence in your step or in your feeling.”