Rich Zaro
“Built my foundation at a 100-year-old New York institution, launched a fast casual brand during a pandemic, and helped scale a franchise to 22 locations.”
Best for food and beverage operators navigating multi-location growth, franchise operations, unit economics, or concept development.
What I've Built
Cutlets Sandwich Co.
Fast Casual
Launched during the pandemic as delivery-only, scaled to multiple locations across NYC and the tri-state area, and now relaunching in Brooklyn.
Brooklyn Dumpling Shop
Franchise Operations
Helped scale a fast casual concept to 22 locations across the US and Canada.
Zaro's Family Bakery
Family Business
A 100-year-old institution with locations across the tri-state area.
Café Operations
Café Operations
Currently running day-to-day café operations across NYC and the tri-state area.
About
I grew up around Zaro's Family Bakery — 100 years old, multiple locations, an institution. That taught me the fundamentals: operations matter more than concept, and margins don't lie. In 2019, I started Cutlets Sandwich Co. — a fast casual concept built around the classic NYC chicken cutlet sandwich. When the pandemic hit, I didn't wait. I launched delivery-only out of a ghost kitchen, tested neighborhoods before signing leases, expanded across Brooklyn and Manhattan, and eventually opened brick-and-mortar locations. I learned what it takes to build a brand from zero — sourcing, unit economics, and the difference between a concept people love and a business that actually works. I then took those lessons into franchise operations at Brooklyn Dumpling Shop, helping scale the brand to 22 locations across the country. Now I'm running café operations day to day and relaunching Cutlets in Brooklyn. If you're launching a food concept, trying to figure out your unit economics, navigating the leap from one location to many, or just trying to make the numbers work across NYC and the tri-state area, I've done all of it — and I know this space in a way that only comes from doing it yourself.
Examples of decisions Rich can help you work through
Multi-location and franchise growth
- Evaluating a new location or market
- Franchise scaling and operations
- Unit economics across locations
Concept and operations
- Menu and concept development
- Fast casual operations and systems
- Day-to-day operational decisions
Business transitions
- Family business succession or evolution
- Launching delivery-only or ghost kitchen concepts
- Vendor and supply chain decisions
Tell us what you're working through and we'll confirm Rich is the right fit.
Work with Rich
Decision Session
$15060 minutes
A focused 60-minute conversation around one decision, question, or operating situation.
Tell us what you're working through and we'll confirm availability.
Decision Sprint
$750Three sessions over 4 to 6 weeks
Rich reviews your materials between sessions, sends a written recap after each, and closes with a decision memo.
Most owners book this after a first session.
If your first session is not useful, we refund the entire sprint.
Booked a session in the last 7 days? It counts as session one and its full price is credited.
Sessions are advisory. Implementation or ongoing support is scoped separately.
Project or Fractional
For hands-on work beyond the session, recurring guidance, or an ongoing operating role.
Additional sessions can be booked as needed.