Our mate Dani Zeini knows his way around a good burger. He also knows that no one wants to have to wait for their food either. Dani is a burger pioneer here in Melbourne, perfecting the humble hamburger from his restaurant the Dandenong Pavilion.
He opened his very first original restaurant in early 2016, dropping almost a million bucks on a place which he dubbed Royal Stacks.
Dani currently pumps out 3500 burgers a week out of three Royal Stack locations across Melbourne.
Dani on Twitter:
@ZZeini
Royal Stacks Website:
www.royalstacks.com.au
Verbatim from the transcripts — each quote links to the moment.
“It was that help me focus kind of thing.”
“I think real hospitality people True hospitality people, it's a brotherhood.”
“Pretend you're on the catwalk. Head up high. Put the disco music in your head. Walk down the catwalk and be proud.”
“If McDonald's changed from frozen products to fresh, it's over for everybody.”
“Don't be scared to make mistakes. Don't be scared to look like an idiot.”
“If you're in hospitality, you're a gambler every day, man. You're gambling every day.”
What's the best advice for starting a business partnership?
Communicate constantly and put everything on the table rather than bottling up feelings to avoid hurting each other; discuss every minute detail, don't take disagreements personally, and accept you'll make mistakes and get upset with each other just like in any close relationship.
What's the trick to carrying plates or drinks without dropping them?
Pretend you're on a catwalk: walk confidently with your head held high, imagine disco music, and carry yourself proudly even if you might drop something.
How do you develop new menu items for a restaurant?
Treat the menu as a space for ongoing creative experimentation—secretly trial different beef blends, bread types, and cheeses as specials, track feedback and sales data over a couple of years, then perfect the items that resonate.
How should a new restaurant or brand differentiate itself?
Offer a genuine point of difference rather than copying others, be true to yourself, don't be afraid to make mistakes or look foolish, and keep trying until something resonates with customers.
Dani describes his first job at a Chadstone café after high school, explaining that the repetitive, monotonous nature of hospitality work calmed his mind and gave him focus and clarity he struggled to find elsewhere, crediting hospitality with essentially saving his life.
Dani recalls launching a secret menu at Dandenong Pavilion with zero hype, PR or social media, yet it still built a cult following, with Josh confirming he used to drive from Abbotsford to Dandenong specifically for it.
Drawn from the episode transcripts.
He advises constant, open communication, putting everything on the table rather than bottling up feelings, and accepting that mistakes and disagreements are a normal part of any close relationship, business or personal.
From episode 234→He says delivery culture is not new globally (common in Italy, Greece, Lebanon, Africa and China for a long time) but Australia was late to it because it previously only associated delivery with pizza; it's now an adjustment restaurants have to factor into their business model.
From episode 234→He deliberately chose not to shy away from his suburban background, wanting to represent Dandenong proudly; the local multicultural community (Yugoslavian, Albanian and other groups) embraced and championed the restaurant as a result.
From episode 234→Every episode featuring Dani Zeini on The Daily Talk Show.
