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Digital financial and commerce services company Square has launched a new video series featuring actor and foodie Eric Wareheim to shed light on the realities of running a restaurant.
The campaign, titled "Running a Restaurant Is No Joke," mixes humor with real-world advice from experienced Los Angeles-based restaurateurs.
Made together with independent creative studio Ventureland, the series features four episodes where Wareheim shadows chefs and business owners to explore the resilience and hustle behind their success.
These chefs include:
- Alisa Reynolds of My 2 Cents
- Alvin Cailan of Amboy
- Keegan Fong of Woon Kitchen
Additionally, the latest campaign will include a benefit event hosted by Square, Woon Kitchen, and Wareheim dubbed "Woonheim."
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All proceeds made in the event will go directly to the victims of the Pasadena wildfires.
"At Square, supporting restaurants means supporting the real people behind these businesses," Lindsey Irvine, Square CMO, spoke of the campaign's main goal.
"We wanted to capture their stories, struggles, and humor, showing how Square’s technology helps restaurant owners find the calm in the chaos," she added.
The campaign showcases how Square empowers restaurants to thrive by offering intuitive technology that supports both growth and customer experience.
By streamlining daily operations, the company helps food and beverage businesses maintain consistency while adapting to change, enabling them to scale smoothly and drive continued success.
Meanwhile, Wareheim, who is also a New York Times bestselling author and co-owner of the natural winery Las Jaras, reflected on the experience.
"Running a restaurant is truly no joke — it’s a crazy journey that requires a lot of patience, partnership, and a good helping of humor.
It’s been a privilege to work with Alisa, Alvin, and Keegan and witness their resilience and grit — and with this series, we hope to bring some light to a difficult situation and to have some fun exploring the highs and lows of the industry," he shared.
By combining humor with valuable insights, Square's campaign elevates the restaurant industry's challenges, at the same time, positioning its technology as a vital tool for resolving challenges.
This kind of campaign featuring real-life restaurateurs also helps Square strengthen its connections with business owners and foster a deeper brand trust.
Behind the Series
Produced by Square’s in-house creative team, the series sees various chefs candidly discuss their challenges with running a restaurant.
In one of the videos, Chef Reynolds teaches Wareheim about how tight budgets and difficult decisions are part of keeping My 2 Cents running smoothly.
Meanwhile, Cailan, a key figure in America’s Filipino food movement and host of First We Feast’s “The Burger Show,” discusses the importance of hiring quality staff and reducing waste to maintain efficiency at Amboy.
Lastly, Fong of Woon Kitchen dives into the evolving role of takeout in restaurant operations, especially after starting as a pop-up.
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Though the series was filmed before the Los Angeles wildfires, the stories of resilience take on deeper meaning as local communities rebuild.
Square's latest campaign runs across paid media, social platforms, email, and editorial channels, with the full series now available on its website.
It exemplifies the company's approach to brand storytelling, using authentic narratives to build emotional engagement with consumers and showcase the real people behind the businesses they support.
Meanwhile, Starbucks and its new AOR Anomaly recently launched their first-ever brand campaign together, focusing on the unique customer experience the franchise brings.
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