[VIDEO] Sizzling Lessons from Troy Hooper: Bringing Pepper Lunch to America’s Crowded Table[VIDEO]

Let’s get real for a sec: building a restaurant brand in the U.S. is a grind. Going from one spot to five to twenty? That’s a Herculean feat requiring a team that can juggle more hats than a milliner on...

Let’s get real for a sec: building a restaurant brand in the U.S. is a grind. Going from one spot to five to twenty? That’s a Herculean feat requiring a team that can juggle more hats than a milliner on speed. Now, imagine you’re not even starting from scratch—you’re hauling a proven concept across the ocean, plopping it onto American soil, and praying it doesn’t flop like a bad soufflé. That’s the wild ride Troy Hooper’s steering with Pepper Lunch, a sizzling teppanyaki titan that’s dominated Asia-Pacific for decades and is now elbowing its way into the U.S. market. I sat down with Troy for a podcast chat (go listen, it’s gold), and the dude dropped some serious wisdom on cracking this nut. Here’s what stuck with me—served up hot, fast, and with a side of sass.

Awareness Ain’t a Given—You Gotta Build It

Pepper Lunch isn’t some rando startup. With 533 locations across 17 countries, it’s got street cred out the wazoo—except here, where most folks wouldn’t know a sizzling hot plate from a hubcap. Troy’s first hurdle? Getting Americans to grok what Pepper Lunch even is in a market drowning in options. His take: lean into what’s unique. This isn’t another fried chicken joint or a burger clone—it’s DIY teppanyaki, a cast-iron skillet screaming at 500 degrees, letting you play chef with premium proteins, rice, and veg. “We’re not just another ‘me too’ concept,” he says. “We’ve got story, history, and a delivery model that’s weird enough to stand out.”

But here’s the kicker: the overseas brass didn’t get it at first. They’d failed multiple times trying to crack the U.S. with corporate stores and half-baked franchise deals—why? They didn’t grok the American game. Troy, with his Stateside roots and a Rolodex of vendor contacts, bridged that gap. Lesson one: you can have a killer concept, but if the leadership’s clueless about the local landscape—good luck. Awareness starts at the top, and Troy’s making damn sure they drink the right Kool-Aid.

Authenticity Over Pandering—Screw the Barbecue Trap

You’d think a foreign brand would tweak the menu to “fit” America, right? Toss some broccoli and mashed potatoes on there, maybe a BBQ rib plate for the Midwest? Nope. Troy’s not having it. “They’ll go to Texas Roadhouse for that,” he told me, practically spitting the idea out. “We’re not here to whitewash this thing.” Pepper Lunch stays true to its Japanese soul—think pepper rice, umami-packed curry, and that signature sizzle. Sure, they localize 20% of the menu overseas (cheesy goo for the Philippines, kimchi vibes elsewhere), but the core? Untouchable.

This hit me hard. Too many brands knee-jerk into pandering, diluting their DNA to chase trends. Troy’s bet: authenticity sells when it’s real—and it’s glaringly fake when it’s not. “I’ve got a 100% track record,” he bragged. “No one tries this menu and doesn’t love it.” Confidence like that? It’s not bravado—it’s earned. So, memo to restaurant marketers: stop chasing every local fad. Own who you are, educate the hell out of your audience, and trust they’ll catch on.

Delivery’s a Beast—But They’re Taming It

Here’s where the sizzling hot plate becomes a double-edged sword. That 500-degree skillet is the magic in-store—pure theater, total control. But delivery? You’re not schlepping that to someone’s couch. With off-premise sales climbing (7-10% in the U.S., up to 24% in parts of Asia), Troy’s team had to rethink the game. Right now, to-go orders gum up the works—six, eight, ten plates at once, each taking 3-4 minutes to sauce and mix. “It’s disruptive as hell,” he admitted.

Their fix? A three-pronged attack. First, they’ve teamed with a packaging wizard (born from NetJets, no less) to roll out a world-first: compostable, regenerative containers that keep food hot for 20-30 minutes. Second, they’re testing programmable kettle woks to streamline back-of-house flow, isolating to-go prep from the in-store hustle. Third, they’re adding locker boxes—think Irvine Spectrum Mall, February 7th—for seamless pickup. It’s uncharted territory, and Troy’s not pretending it’s solved. But damn, they’re swinging big. Takeaway: don’t let your differentiator die off-premise—innovate like your life depends on it.

Franchisees Are Your VIPs—Set the Bar High

Troy’s not messing around with franchisees. He promised 50 locations, hit 35 in five months, and scaled to 75 in 13. Not too shabby for a guy who started selling in July ’23. But here’s the twist: Pepper Lunch only plays with multi-unit heavyweights—minimum five stores, fees upfront, built in three years. “If we sold singles, we’d have 300 by now,” he shrugged. “But we want long-term rockstars.”

Why? Unit-level success trumps vanity metrics. These aren’t greenhorns; they’re seasoned operators who’ve run 50, 100, 150 stores across brands. Troy’s courting the big dogs because they get it—great ops, killer guest experiences, loyal staff. It’s a long game, and he’s not here to babysit. For brands eyeing growth: don’t flood the market with randos. Pick partners who can carry your flag and run.

Build in Public—Ego’s the Enemy

Troy’s LinkedIn game is fire. Podcasts, walkthrough vids, insider scoops—he’s everywhere, and it’s not just noise. “We’re still figuring out what Pepper Lunch is in America,” he told me. “So we test, we play, we build in public.” No sanitized PR fluff here—he’s raw, transparent, and unafraid to look dumb. His team’s in on it too (shoutout to Paul, the meme lord).

This isn’t just branding—it’s trust. Franchisees, guests, even competitors see the real deal. “What’s there to lose?” he asked. “Nobody’s stealing my race.” Preach. Too many leaders hide behind logos, scared to flub a line. Troy’s advice? Ditch the ego, set basic guardrails (no tropes, keep it real), and let your team loose. Oh, and if it flops? Edit it later. Accountability’s free.

Tech’s a Marathon—Start Smart

With 533 global stores on 26 different POS systems (thanks, master franchise chaos), Pepper Lunch’s tech stack was a mess. Troy’s fixing that, one deliberate step at a time. They’ve rolled out a 19-piece suite—Toast POS, Grubber kiosks, Deliveract, you name it—in Artesia, CA, with Irvine next. It’s a beast of a lift, and they’re turning it all on at once (sorry, CTOs). But it’s not reckless—months of testing back it up.

The goal? Global visibility, franchisee value, guest ease. “If it doesn’t measurably help their business, we’ve failed,” he said. And they’re listening—tweaking kiosks a week in, based on staff and guest feedback. Next up: a native app for loyalty and first-party ordering. For tech-obsessed brands: don’t chase shiny toys. Pick tools with purpose, launch thoughtfully, and iterate like crazy.

Final Bite: Will It Sizzle?

Troy’s got a vision, a hot plate, and a helluva team. Pepper Lunch isn’t just surviving the U.S.—it’s rewriting the playbook for foreign concepts. Stay authentic, innovate hard, build trust, and don’t be a dick about it. Oh, and keep an eye on LinkedIn—I pitched him a “Will It Sizzle?” video series (think Will It Blend? but tastier). He’s in. Get ready.

Follow Troy Hooper. Eat some Pepper Lunch. And for God’s sake, stop pandering with BBQ.