FULL COMP · 2026-06-26 · 40 min
What if the city everyone dismissed as a chain mecca was actually the smartest place to build a restaurant empire? Rachel Cope didn't wait for permission to prove Oklahoma City wrong. As Founder and CEO of 84 Hospitality Group, she's built a multi-concept portfolio (Empire Slice House, Gorō Ramen, Burger Punk, and Elisabetta) by doing what most operators won't: saying no to the wrong opportunities, coaching her team instead of managing them, and treating a secondary market as a competitive advantage rather than a ceiling. In this conversation, we get into how Rachel identifies the line between opportunity and distraction, why you cannot grow to the next thing until your current operation runs without you, and how an athlete's win-or-learn mindset changes the way you build culture. If you're operating in a market people underestimate, including yourself, this one is for you. To learn more about 84 Hospitality Group and their growing portfolio of Oklahoma City concepts, visit 84hospitality.com .
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