Staying Hungry returns with an episode every restaurant owner, operator, and hospitality marketer should hear. This week, Michael D’Onofrio and Vinny Pappalardo sit down with Alyssa Guidice - the force behind Dine LI - to unpack what it really takes to build a food community that doesn’t just “like” posts, but actually shows up, supports restaurants, and moves real dollars.

With the perspective of a smart, boots-on-the-ground restaurant critic, Alyssa shares how she grew Dine LI into a 50,000+ member community without charging restaurants, selling ads, or chasing clout. From pandemic survival playbooks to the psychology of positivity, this conversation digs into why authenticity beats algorithms - and why restaurants that engage locally win long-term.

The episode also explores Alyssa’s path through hospitality, wine & spirits, small business ownership (A Pound & A Half), and community-led fundraising efforts that have generated nearly $500,000 for local causes. If you’re a restaurant owner wondering how to cut through the noise, rebuild nightlife, or create loyalty beyond discounts, this episode delivers.

Timestamps:

0:00 – Why Long Island needs more local food experiences

2:30 – Welcome to Staying Hungry + introducing Alyssa Guidice

6:15 – From baker to wine & spirits: Alyssa’s hospitality journey

12:40 – Building Pound & a Half Cookies while working full-time

18:55 – The true cost of baking, pricing pressure & food inflation

25:30 – How Dine LI started — and why it grew so fast

32:10 – Why positivity beats negative reviews in food communities

38:45 – Pandemic pivots: keeping restaurants alive through visibility

45:20 – Pizza Strong, community fundraisers & real impact

52:30 – Why Alyssa refuses to charge restaurants

58:15 – The decline of nightlife & what guests actually want now

1:06:40 – Lessons for restaurant owners trying to stand out

1:13:00 – What’s next for Dine LI and in-person events

Staying Hungry is back for Season 2 and we’re kicking it off with Luke Tesoriero of Guac Shop, the fast-casual Mexican concept that went from a family side hustle to 8 locations (7 on Long Island + their first in Florida).

In this episode, hosts Michael D’Onofrio and Vinny Pappalardo sit down with Luke to unpack what really drives sustainable restaurant growth: real estate strategy, operational discipline, staff development, ingredient sourcing, value engineering, catering, and social media that actually moves the needle.

If you’re a restaurant owner (or future one), Luke’s mix of humility + hard numbers craft a playbook you can steal immediately.

Timestamps:

00:00 – Quality vs quantity posting (why “purpose” matters)

01:05 – Welcome + meet Luke (Guac Shop Season 2 kickoff)

04:40 – The “Candy Club” side hustle that led to restaurants

07:45 – Luke’s path: full-service roots → finance dreams → Guac Shop growth

10:30 – Defining success: scaling people, not just locations

13:20 – What separates Guac Shop (ingredients, procurement, consistency)

18:10 – How consumer food awareness has changed since 2018

21:00 – Promotions + “elevated brand” positioning (9.99 meal deal logic)

25:10 – Chili’s deep dive: margin moves, menu cuts, and value strategy

31:40 – Frequency + lifetime value: the 3-visit customer rule

34:30 – Operators Luke respects (pizza + fast casual standouts)

42:00 – Florida expansion: why it happened + what surprised them

49:20 – Community + fundraising as a growth flywheel

53:40 – Catering strategy (schools, pharma reps, family meals)

58:30 – Dietary restrictions + allergy-friendly operations

1:02:40 – Social media strategy: authentic content, ROI, and experimentation

1:10:30 – Recruiting + retention: building culture as you scale

1:17:10 – Where Guac Shop goes next (3/5/10-year vision)

1:20:30 – Luke’s go-to order + “Cheesy Gordita Crunch” idea

Guest & Sponsorship Inquiries - stayinghungry@viola.media

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In this episode of Staying Hungry, hosts Michael D’Onofrio and Vinny Pappalardo sit down with Gerard and Melanie Duffy of Broadway Gourmet in Massapequa to unpack what it really takes to run a high-volume bagel shop and catering operation for more than 30 years - from 3 a.m. starts and nonstop weekend rushes to transforming a distressed nursery into a flagship location (yes, complete with a propane station in the parking lot).

If you run a restaurant, deli, bagel shop, or catering business, this episode dives deep into real-world operations: staffing under pressure, scaling catering, controlling food costs, leveraging social media, managing reviews, and maintaining quality when demand never lets up.

Timestamps:

00:00 – Husband/wife business dynamic: dividing roles, handling conflict

01:05 – Welcome + intro to Broadway Gourmet (30+ years in business)

03:00 – First location in Massapequa + adding bagels to the deli model

05:40 – Buying a distressed nursery + deciding to keep the propane station

10:05 – Bagel business origins: Brooklyn → Oceanside → Massapequa

13:10 – Second location (Lindenhurst) and why it didn’t stick

15:25 – Biggest challenges now: labor, staffing gaps, retention

18:10 – Hours, 3AM starts, and the weekly grind (365 days a year)

21:10 – Catering growth: how it expanded (especially over the last decade)

24:30 – The 2014–2016 buildout: financing, private loans, SBA hurdles

31:10 – Paying rent on the old space to protect the customer base

34:40 – Bagel quality control: recipe tweaks, rolling vs baking roles

38:50 – Backup plans for key positions (roller/baker coverage)

41:30 – Melanie’s competitive figure skating background + “perfection drive”

48:10 – Social media + tech impact: DoorDash/Grubhub visibility, catering reach

55:10 – Post-COVID catering comeback + why it’s stronger now

59:10 – Giving back: Pink the Bagels, schools/PTAs, senior meal initiative

1:04:10 – Reducing waste: donations vs Too Good To Go

1:07:40 – Expansion talk, shipping bagels, and Goldbelly plans

1:11:30 – Leadership + building a team that lets owners step away

1:15:10 – Reviews, criticism, and why owners take it personally

1:19:20 – Third-party delivery share (~20%) and in-house delivery

1:22:40 – Kiosks/self-ordering stations: what works (and who uses them)

1:26:00 – Trend products: pumpkin bagels, seasonal bagels, wild cream cheeses

1:30:10 – Legacy: consistency, community, hospitality, and “Cheers” energy

1:34:00 – Wrap-up + where to find Broadway Gourmet

Guest & Sponsorship Inquiries - stayinghungry@viola.media

New episodes dropping soon!

Subscribe, Like and Leave us a Comment!

FOLLOW US:

https://www.youtube.com/@stayinghungrypodcast

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https://www.linkedin.com/company/staying-hungry-podcast/

Podcast by Viola Media: https://viola.media/

#stayinghungry #hospitalityindustry #restaurantbusiness