“Every single Girl Scout season, I will literally buy 20 boxes of Thin Mints ... I keep them in the freezer, because that’s obviously where Thin Mints go.”
—Tony Zaccario, CEO, Stretch Zone
In her monthly "Grab Bag" column, Editor in Chief Laura Michaels asks the tough questions—What superhero power would you most like to have? What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever eaten?—to show a side of franchising execs you don’t normally see.
Who is an actor you would watch in anything?
Denzel Washington, he’s so good. And Cillian Murphy, he’s obviously rising up. Clint Eastwood was it back when I was growing up. But Denzel, anything he’s in, I’ll probably take a watch. But Cillian is incredible; I’ve watched ‘Oppenheimer’ three times.
What fictional character do you think would be most interesting to meet in real life?
You gotta say someone like Superman, right? There’s probably fictional characters I’d love to have a conversation with, but I want to see Superman actually in action. Let’s see what it would be like for someone with super powers … to meet someone with super strength, that can fly, to see all that in person.
What’s your biggest pet peeve?
Wasting time. So, some might call me slightly impatient. If you ask my team, they probably would say take out the word ‘slightly.’ But I cannot stand inefficiency or wasting any bit of time.
What’s something you would seriously stockpile if you found out it wasn’t going to be sold anymore?
Probably ranch. I love ranch. I’m a big sauce guy, I want the optionality, but I really love ranch. Another one, and my wife makes fun of me all the time … I love Thin Mints, and I despise the fact that Girl Scout cookies are seasonal. Every single Girl Scout season, I will literally buy 20 boxes of Thin Mints, that’s my stockpile for the year, and I keep them in the freezer, because that’s obviously where Thin Mints go.
What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever eaten?
One that pops in my head is pigeon. In Italy, my wife and I got it and all that popped in my head was the pigeons running around Times Square. Obviously, that’s not what they’re feeding you. It was very gamey … it’s not a white meat, it’s very rich. But apparently, it’s a delicacy there.
What’s something not many people know about you?
I’m a major history buff. I listen to history nonstop. I listen to different history podcasts when I work out. But I love every element of learning more about history, in all different parts of the world. I guess I’m a history nerd.
Which time period in history would you want to visit?
I’d say the height of the Roman Republic, so like 200, 300 B.C. You have the coliseums. You have, in a lot of ways, a form of government and system that is very synonymous with what we have today, just 2,000 years earlier. That’s really unique, in my mind, to see how similar it was. Then obviously you get a taste of what the ancient lifestyle was like. Imagine no technology, but in a very civilized manner.
What’s one fitness trend you wish would disappear?
Social media, fitness on social media and ‘fitness gurus.’ I think the fact that people are taking advice purely from someone who they don’t know, or don’t know, really, how they got the results. So, people just using social media as a barometer of what success looks like, of what any desired outcome should be.
What’s your guilty pleasure?
I love candy. I have such a sweet tooth; it’s a problem. I love all kinds of sweets. I don’t discriminate.
What’s your favorite franchise brand that’s not your own?
One is Chick-fil-A. Their operations are so incredible, and the consistency of the delivery of customer service, all that. The other one I love, for the food side of it, I love Zaxbys.