Industry Sunday

Ep. 29: To Get Cut, or to Not Get Cut

Sun, 06 Aug 2023 17:00:22 GMT

Jake and Kennedy are back with episode 29, and you won't want to miss this one. They dive in with Jake telling a story about a restaurant that had meltdown after meltdown. We've all had those days!The topic of the week surrounds being cut. They get into what that means for their listeners who haven't worked in the industry, and then they move into a few different instances that pop up when someone hears the words "who wants to be cut?"They top it all off with another round of "Am I The A**hole?" that had a surprising ending.

Ep. 28: Just The (Cash) Tip

Sun, 30 Jul 2023 17:00:16 GMT

Jake and Kennedy return from their recent trips to Missouri with a fresh week of stories. They get into what they've been up to in the past week, which includes another car accident ft. the most unlucky human alive - Jake Lavan.This week, the duo discuss how McDonald's announced a new promo brand similar to what they did with Grimace, the founder of Shake Shack shared his unprompted views on tipping for coffee, and a few new updates from the National Restaurant Association about the purpose of surcharges.For the bulk of the episode, Jake and Kennedy get into the pros and cons of receiving cash tips at the end of the night versus the bi-weekly paycheck model. They then read a Reddit thread about an impatient guest that gave both hosts flashbacks that are worthy of inducing a cold sweat and a walk-in cooler cry. They end the episode with round two of their game, We Want Plates. To join the game and see the images that Kennedy and Jake discussed, head to the Industry Sunday Instagram linked here.

Ep. 27 “Con Artists & Free Food"

Sun, 23 Jul 2023 17:34:28 GMT

Jake and Kennedy kick off their 27th episode with a recent run in that Jake had with a fan of the show. He called Kennedy crying, and to know the rest you have to tune in!

This episode explores what happens when a venue tries too hard to please everyone who enters a restaurant or bar. Jake and Kennedy want to expose the situations when the customer ISN'T right. They discover a string of stories on Reddit about con artists who go the extra mile to get whatever they can for free, and the satisfying stories of when they get caught.

Ep. 26: "In The Weeds" - ft. Almendra (Pez)

Sun, 16 Jul 2023 17:00:37 GMT

Jake and Kennedy are back with another episode, and this week they feature a Chicago server, friend, and longtime listener of this podcast - Almendra! To her friends, she goes by the nickname "Pez", and she is loved and admired by many of her coworkers for her optimism and kindness. She is the kind of server that rarely gets flustered by a guest, so when she does you know they have to be 10x worse than how she describes them.

The episode begins with an introduction to Pez and her work experience. She started at Olive Garden, and took a 10 year break from the industry only to come back and work at some of the best restaurants in Chicago.

The current events discussed today included a strike by Waffle House employees in North Carolina, and about the first ever lab-created chicken dish sold to guests in a California restaurant.

The bulk of the episode is spent discussing what it's like working for large chains, how you can handle guests who want you to fail from the start, and how important it is to help your coworkers when you see them in the weeds. The episode closes out with an impromptu round of "Service industry things that would send a Victorian child into a coma".

Ep. 25: Burning Out & Back of House

Sun, 09 Jul 2023 17:00:26 GMT

Kennedy and Jake are back and they are officially 1/4th of the way to episode 100! Current events in the industry this week - Andy Cohen has been seen promoting his new canned cocktail partnership by "bartending" all over the Hamptons, Domino's is delivering pizzas via drone to beaches near you, and SweetGreen opened their first fully automated location.Jake introduces the story he selected for the week, and it's all about why industry workers have been feeling major burnout since restaurants reopened post-Covid. He mentions it all, including many reasons why industry workers aren't afraid to rage quit their jobs anymore.Kennedy's story of the week was inspired by the Kitchen Confidential subreddit. She discovered a thread titled "Inside the Walk-In Rant" and shares a few of her favorite stories - these range from annoyingly dramatic coworkers, aggressive managers, and customer's who ask for something every time you return to the table. She briefly covers the tension between chefs and servers, and a few of the many headaches that your BOH team deals with daily. They end the episode with another round of "Am I The A**hole?" but with a hilarious security/doorman twist.

Ep. 24: Weird Restaurant Laws & Industry Drama

Sun, 02 Jul 2023 17:00:18 GMT

Kennedy and Jake are back with a new episode immediately following a busy weekend. Kennedy spent 5 days at Electric Forest and tells stories from her weekend, and Jake reflects on his weekend at a Pride festival in Chicago. They move on to start the episode with a few current events in the industry - James Corden is still trying to rectify his behavior towards servers in famous restaurants, and a popular hotspot in LA is facing backlash amidst the owner's public divorce proceedings. They discuss Jake's story of the week, which involves many weird restaurant laws in different states and countries. Before the episode, Jake and Kennedy watched the movie Waiting staring Ryan Reynolds. They spend the remainder of the episode discussing the different service industry tropes that are explored in this movie, and laugh about how accurate a majority of the film really is. They end the episode with another round of their new game, "Am I The A**hole?".

Ep. 23: "Am I The A**Hole?"

Sun, 25 Jun 2023 17:00:11 GMT

Kennedy and Jake bounce off of their last episode with a few new spooky service industry stories. Jake leads off with the tales behind a famous restaurant in New Orleans that has an insane backstory filled with tragedy. He also tells a story about a chef from this restaurant who opted to be buried with a fork, knife, and his restaurant menu. Kennedy eventually chimes in to share her story of the week, which contains the history and lore behind two well-known Chicago hotels and their bars that were opened right after the Prohibition ended. This was inspired by a listener's request based off of episode 22! You'll hear stories that are hard to believe, and different theories behind the creepy experiences from guests all over the world. They end the episode with a new game where they read first hand accounts from servers around the country and debate whether the server or the guest should take the blame.

Ep. 22: Chicago's Haunted Restaurants

Sun, 18 Jun 2023 17:00:12 GMT

Jake and Kennedy are back for episode 22 with a new episode that goes in several different directions. They start off with some current events in the restaurant industry before Kennedy moves in to telling a story about a guest who was convinced that chickens don't have ribs. Jake takes over to tell a story about a notable Chicago steakhouse that has a long history of spooky sightings. This prompts them to research more haunted restaurants in Chicago, and they were surprised by some of the results and their origin stories. They end the episode by discussing the age old debate - should you talk about your tips (or lack of) when non-tipped employees are nearby?

Ep. 21: The Cheese Cartel & Getting Fired

Sun, 11 Jun 2023 18:02:02 GMT

Jake returns for episode 21, and they kick off the episode with Kennedy asking for a rundown of the aftermath of his accident last week. They move on to discuss a viral video on Facebook that backfired once it got in the hands of industry workers from all over the country. Jake moves on to tell his story of the week - it's about Swiss cheese and the cartel, and how the popularity and price of cheese originated in the 1800s. They move on to compare the downsides and benefits of going to the restaurant/bar you work at when it's your day off. The finish the episode with a game called "Grounds For Firing".

Ep. 20: "Happy Accidents" ft. Zoe & Madi

Sun, 04 Jun 2023 17:00:35 GMT

The milestone episode 20 was met with a few hardships in order to put it out. Jake was in a car accident this week, so Kennedy had to do an impromptu solo episode. She was in Springfield IL for a wedding over the weekend, and thankfully this was a wedding full of industry alums from her college job at The Airliner. Kennedy is joined by her former coworkers, Zoe and Madi after several shots at the local Hooters restaurant. Zoe and Madi were servers, bartenders, and managers at The Airliner in Iowa City. For most of the episode they discuss their experience at various bars and restaurants in Springfield IL earlier that day. They also read through the notorious "Degenerate Quote Bank" that was a list of insane quotes and videos from other bartenders during their college years. They end the episode with a game called "Boo, You Whore" where they name different excuses for missing work (in honor of Jake missing his podcast duties) and they decide whcih position in a restaurant would be most likely to come up with that excuse. A special thank you to the podcast producer David Knoblauch for executing this last minute episode! Without his knowledge, this episode without microphones or equipment wouldn't have been possible.

Ep. 19: Just Don't Be An A**Hole

Sun, 28 May 2023 05:27:12 GMT

Jake and Kennedy go back to the basics with an episode just as chaotic as a double shift on a hot patio. They start off by discussing the National Restaurant Show that was just in Chicago that Jake attended, and how cool it is to see how many layers the restaurant industry really has. They move on to commentating on a few scenarios from a highlight reel of Bar Rescue clips. After this, Jake explains a wild conspiracy theory from a few years back that attempted to connect Outback Steakhouse locations to an unlikely religion. Kennedy reads a story she found about how to be the worst person in a restaurant. To finish things off, Jake spills the tea on the worst celebrities he's ever served. You don't want to miss this one!Sources: Bar Rescue on YouTube Article from Bon Appetit - by Rochelle Below

Ep. 18: "Long Time Listener, First Time Caller" ft. Derrick

Sun, 21 May 2023 17:00:23 GMT

Jake and Kennedy introduce a guest that has been listening since day 1 - Derrick (also known as Panda). He reached out to Kennedy after the first episode's release shouting his praises. It was only fitting that eventually Derrick would make his debut on the show! The group starts off by discussing a few different topics, but they mostly focus on a viral tweet that Kennedy saw about a restaurant that had a pet cat for an absurd purpose. They eventually move in to Derrick's work history. He tells stories about mom n pop restaurants, being too honest, and the worst guests he's ever had. They close out the episode with an impromptu game about sea urchins.

Ep. 17: A Jack of All Trades - ft. Casey M.

Sun, 14 May 2023 17:00:25 GMT

Kennedy and Jake start off episode 17 by introducing their newest guest, Casey M.! They begin by discussing two very different topics - when Jake got a DUI as a teenager and then his recent surgery. They move on from there by sharing their thoughts on the recent news about Chipotle suing Sweetgreen, how the Burger King mascot is nightmare inducing, and other current events in the food world. For the bulk of the episode, Casey shares his experiences during his recent trip to Australia and how the bars and restaurants were there during World Pride. Casey then explains his history of odd jobs in the service industry. He's been a club promoter, an impromptu DJ, a social event host, coat check connoisseur, and most recently a newborn drag performer. Kennedy closes out the episode by introducing a new podcast game that involves the AI robot on Snapchat.

Ep. 16: Chain Restaurants & Guests That Are Deranged ft. Jessica M.

Sun, 07 May 2023 17:00:23 GMT

Join Jake and Kennedy as they introduce their next guest Jessica! She talks about how she got her start in the industry at a Bob Evans in Ohio, and eventually moved her way up to serving at some of the top restaurants in Chicago. She tells stories about insane guests who puke at the table and stay to finish their meal, dealing with tourists, and how she handles getting fired. They end the episode by discussing how most people still love their career in the industry with all of the ups and downs.

Ep. 15: Holographic Waiters, Surcharges, and Closing Sidework

Sun, 30 Apr 2023 17:00:24 GMT

Kennedy may have lost her voice, but she and Jake still start off strong with stories about how they plan on expanding the podcast more. They then move into discussing a few new restaurants that are opening in Chicago. The main discussion of the episode is about a new concept in Tokyo Japan that is considering holographic servers. Do you think this would work? Because Jake and Kennedy are hesitant about how that would affect the hospitality industry. Jake goes on to discuss a viral story from Rochester Minnesota about a Karen in that complained about a 3% employee wellness charge on Facebook. They finish the episode by arguing about how much closing sidework you need to do in order to satisfy your openers the next day.

Ep. 14: The One About The McRib

Sun, 23 Apr 2023 17:00:22 GMT

In this episode, Jake and Kennedy dive into anonymous stories about some of the strangest patrons you've ever heard of. Jake tells the history of the McRib and how it garnered such a huge cult following surrounded by conspiracy theories. They end the episode with a new game where they decide if strange cocktail orders deserve prison, or probation.

Ep. 13: Happiest Place on Earth?

Sun, 16 Apr 2023 05:51:20 GMT

Join Jake and Kennedy as they discuss Kennedy's recent trip to Los Angeles, and what she observed in the restaurants of La La Land. Jake also takes a moment to reflect on how his first month of sobriety has been, and shares what he has been doing to replace drinking. They move on to discuss Lisa Vanderpump's restaurants, Margaritaville, and the bartenders Kennedy met at Universal Studios Hollywood, which inspired the main topic for this episode. They finish up by uncovering the secrets of what working in some of your favorite theme parks is really like - including the unexpected surprises that come with the job.

Ep. 12: A Blast From The Past ft. Kim

Sun, 09 Apr 2023 17:00:15 GMT

Jake and Kennedy explore the evolution of dining and patrons with special guest Kim - a veteran in the industry with 40+ years of experience. Listen in to find out how things have changed with restaurants and the industry from one generation to the next as she describes her experiences with celebrities from the 80's, chain restaurants, and watching the industry change before her eyes.

Ep. 11: The Legend of Mickey Finn & 1903 Chicago Saloons

Sun, 02 Apr 2023 17:00:37 GMT

Jake and Kennedy kick off this episode by discussing what the bars are like in Dallas/Fort Worth Texas. Jake also explains some of his experience so far with going sober along with sharing the benefits and downsides. For most of the episode, they discuss one of the most unknown but interesting stories about Chicago restaurant history - the legend of Mickey Finn and the origin of the term "slip a mickey"! He was a saloon owner in 1903 that made a majority of his money by literally robbing customers. This inspired another movement towards the end of the Chicago restaurant server strike in the early 1900s with a widespread food poisoning epidemic that came from an unlikely source. They complete the episode with an anonymous story about a restaurant job interview gone rouge.

Follow this Youtube link to the video version of this podcast!

Ep. 10: It's Always Sunny in Iowa City - ft. Cici

Sun, 26 Mar 2023 15:58:47 GMT

Jake and Kennedy kick off the milestone episode #10 by introducing their next guest, Cici! They banter about the chaos that is St. Paddy's Day weekend in downtown Chicago, and move on to talk about Cici's industry experience.They spend a majority of the episode talking about the 4 years that Kennedy and Cici spent working at The Airliner together and all of the crazy stories that come along with it.

Ep. 9: That's Absolutely Feral - ft. Alyssa B.

Sun, 19 Mar 2023 17:00:46 GMT

Jake and Kennedy kick off this episode by introducing their next guest, Alyssa! They force Jake to describe the Vanderpump Rules drama from the perspective of someone who has never seen the show, and then they circle back to talk about scandals they've seen in restaurants they've worked at. They end the episode with a game called Red Light, Green Light where they decipher if they would friend or unfriend someone based on their worst workplace scandal.

Ep. 8: Confessions of a Millennial Drag Queen – ft. Joyce Anne Belle

Sun, 12 Mar 2023 17:00:20 GMT

Jake and Kennedy start off discussing Jake's recent hospital visit, and Kennedy's dilemma with a Karen who got her personal cell number. Their next guest, takes them away from the service industry for this episode by taking them on a trip into the world of drag queens and drag brunches. They are joined by Christian Ferree (AKA Joyce Anne Belle) as he describes his extensive experience in the retail industry. Later on, they each take turns tooting and booting bars that put on drag brunches in Chicago, as well as discussing popular trends in the drag industry.

Ep. 7: Medium Rare, Plus - ft. Kyle K.

Sun, 05 Mar 2023 18:00:32 GMT

Jake and Kennedy dive into the 7th episode by discussing Jake's recent sleepwalking incident at Kennedy's apartment. Next, they introduce their second guest, Kyle. Hear stories of how Kyle started out dishwashing at a tea store and a pancake house, and continued his journey to becoming a well-respected server at one of Chicago's best steakhouses. Also, stick around as Kyle, Jake, and Kennedy discuss his wild escapades in downtown Chicago, plus some of his favorite memories.

Ep. 6: On The Rocks, No Ice

Sun, 26 Feb 2023 18:00:38 GMT

In this episode Jake and Kennedy go over weird and interesting cocktail orders, the icks and awkwardness of Valentines Day, and Kennedy's route 66 adventure across the country and the restaurants along the way.

Ep. 5: The Old Man and the Bar

Sun, 19 Feb 2023 19:12:12 GMT

It's the first episode recording since the podcast was launched, so Jake and Kennedy start off by discussing how the release has gone. Kennedy tells stories from her recent trip to Key West and explains why Ernest Hemingway was a bartenders worst nightmare. Jake explains why he hates serving couples on their first date. They end the episode by reading about the world's worst restaurant concept ideas.

Ep. 4: The Guest ft. Media T.

Sun, 12 Feb 2023 18:46:42 GMT

Jake and Kennedy finish off their 4th podcast episode. In this episode they bring on their first guest, Media, and talk over the variety of guests in a restaurant before segueing into various questions for Media and finishing it all off with a little celebrity chef Hot or Not!

Ep. 3: How Much Is Too Much

Sun, 05 Feb 2023 18:34:10 GMT

Jake and Kennedy start off discussing how tight knit the industry group is in each restaurant/city and elaborate on a recent tragedy that struck a few venues and friend groups in Chicago. Later on in the episode, they banter about cheesy themes for restaurants and how it must be for the staff who work there.

Ep. 2: Not Safe For The Walk-In

Sun, 29 Jan 2023 17:31:01 GMT

In this episode Jake and Kennedy spill their secrets from when they’ve been guests themselves before diving into the internal industry chaos and the dynamics of restaurant staff from top to bottom before finishing it off with a cheeky game of Would You Rather.

Ep. 1: The Beginning of the End

Sun, 22 Jan 2023 12:00:15 GMT

Follow along with Jake Lavan and Kennedy Novy as the duo dives into the explicit details of life in the service industry. The two exploit the behind the scenes of the service industry and give you an insider look on what you may not see behind closed doors. Drunken stories, drama, restaurant icks, dirty secrets and hookups, and embarrassing moments are all addressed here on Industry Sunday.