As the restaurant industry continues to push the boundaries of what’s possible, Crunchtime is thrilled to recognize the teams leading the way in innovation, efficiency, and operational excellence. At this year’s Ops Summit, we celebrated our second annual Ops Excellence Awards, honoring those who are redefining the standards of excellence in restaurant operations.
With a remarkable group of finalists from leading brands, the competition showcased the best practices and bold strategies that drive success in today’s restaurant landscape. These finalists represent the strength, creativity, and dedication it takes to deliver operational excellence every day across locations and teams.
Meet the 2024 Ops Excellence Awards Finalists
This year, we received numerous nominations from brands across the industry, each with inspiring stories of perseverance and achievement. The following finalists stood out for their exceptional commitment to operational excellence, harnessing technology and teamwork to overcome challenges and exceed expectations: BBQ Holdings, Five Guys, Jersey Mike’s, SPB Hospitality, and Triple T Hospitality.
Finalists were selected to present their stories at the conference. Every finalist highlighted the vital role that Crunchtime’s tools and technology play in supporting the future of restaurant operations—from streamlining inventory to advancing labor management and promoting sustainability.
Announcing the 2024 Ops Excellence Award Winner
All Ops Summit attendees casted their votes live for the winner, and SPB Hospitality came out on top!
SPB Hospitality is a nationwide franchisor with more than 500 locations across 15 diverse brands, including breweries, casual dining, fine dining, and quick service brands, such as J. Alexander’s, Logan’s Roadhouse, Old Chicago Pizza & Taproom, and Krystal.
Michael Matos, senior director of Ops Services, presented SBP's achievements, which included significant food cost reductions, time savings, and training compliance. Matos also described how Crunchtime’s powerful tools and reports support departments across the organization, including culinary, marketing, supply chain, accounting, and human resources.
- Saving an estimated $7 million with an average 1% reduction in food cost, including several specific brand examples:
- Logan’s Roadhouse (108 locations) reduced food cost by 2.1% and COGS by 1.9%
- J. Alexander’s and Stoney River (50 locations) reduced food cost by 1.32% and COGS by 1.57%
- Old Chicago Pizza & Taproom (42 locations) reduced food cost by .75% and COGS by 1.0%
- Saving an estimated $1 million annually by keeping hourly labor costs flat during challenging economic times that saw wage hikes across the industry
- Reducing time to take inventory by 50%, improving scheduling efficiency, and enabling tracking of compliance training
“This recognition reflects SPB Hospitality’s unwavering commitment to operational excellence and innovation,” said Matos. “By leveraging Crunchtime’s robust solutions, we’ve been able to achieve meaningful cost savings, streamline processes, and empower our teams to Serve People Better and deliver exceptional guest experiences across our brands. It’s an honor to be recognized among such esteemed industry leaders.”
A Special Thanks to All Participants
To everyone who applied, thank you for sharing your stories and successes. The Ops Excellence Awards are a testament to the power of creativity, resilience, and technology in shaping the future of the restaurant industry. Congratulations to our winner, SPB Hospitality, and to all of our remarkable finalists and honorable mentions. We’re proud to stand by you as you redefine excellence in restaurant operations.
Here’s to another year of innovation and achievement. Stay tuned as we continue to celebrate and support restaurant operators pushing the boundaries of excellence in 2025 and beyond.
