Former LinkedIn exec turned entrepreneur looks to franchise Bango Bowls restaurant chain

Ryan Thorman had worked in the restaurant business as a bartender and waiter. But those after-school and summertime gigs did little, if anything, to portend the restaurateur he is today — the co-founder and CEO of Bango Bowls.

A seven-unit, Bay Shore-headquartered chain with five Long Island locations, including Westbury, East Setauket and New Hyde Park, and two in Westchester County, Bango Bowls projects $6 million in annual revenues this year.

Bango Bowls positions itself as a quick-serve eatery with "better for you" food options, from oatmeal to bowls of vegetables with grains. Its prices range from $6.85 for an 8-ounce bowl of mixed fruit or vegetables to $16.75 for a poke  bowl with marinated tuna and vegetables, with the average individual bill $18.50, including beverage.

Thorman, 38, came to Bango Bowls with more than his restaurant experience from his student days. At Lander College in Greenwood, South Carolina, he graduated as a business major, and in the years that followed, the Bayport native held marketing positions with Madison Square Garden, the New York Jets and LinkedIn.

But imbued with an entrepreneurial spirit, Thorman said that throughout the years, he had often discussed starting a “better for you” food concept eatery with three lifelong childhood friends: James Bonanno and Dave Johnson, who had opened their first Tap Room, now a five-unit gastropub, in 2011 on Long Island, and Joseph Charchalis, an attorney.

In 2017, the quartet  became equal partners in Bango Bowls. They located their first joint venture in a 300-square-foot space near a Tap Room in Massapequa Park. Three years later, envisioning a future restaurant empire with more and different kinds of eateries, the partners created the Upstream Hospitality Group, a holding company for their properties, including Bango Bowls and the Tap Room.

In the early years, Bonanno and Johnson oversaw Bango’s on-site operations, from outfitting new stores to hiring employees, and Thorman, who continued to live in the city and work for LinkedIn, focused on marketing and menu development.

They "were the Bango Bowls operators,” he said. “It was my side project.”

But with Bonanno and Johnson's other restaurants and Bango Bowls growing, Thorman, who is married and now has three young children, saw the need in 2019 to leave LinkedIn and move to Long Island to lead Bango Bowls as its CEO.

“Things were starting to pick up, and as you grow, there’s more work to be done,” Thorman said.

Why is the chain called Bango Bowls?

There’s not much to it other than I love the word bango, which just popped into my head, and it’s a fun marketable word. It’s a word that resonates.

How did you finance your investment in Bango Bowls?

I was selling digital software for a true startup, and it was acquired by LinkedIn. Then I went to work for LinkedIn in marketing and sales for five to six years. With my LinkedIn job and the LinkedIn stock, I self-financed my investment.

Has the menu changed over the years?

When we started, “the better for you” food concepts weren’t nearly as prevalent as they are now — just  acai bowls  and smoothies. Since then, the menu has evolved to get people to come back more often and includes much more diverse items — including sides,  grain and poke bowls, avocado toast and paninis — for the entire family.

What was the biggest business mistake you’ve made?

Growing too fast in the beginning. Within the first two years, we quickly opened four locations.

We needed to stop focusing on expanding [with new stores] to grow top-line revenue and focus on [growing] sales [in existing locations]. Units weren’t necessarily in the red but close enough that we didn’t want to open new stores if this is how they were going to perform.

How did you turn the business around?

We drove sales [with a range of strategies, including] doubling down on local store marketing and getting more involved in the communities. We also developed strong partnerships with local hospitals, and when COVID hit, we donated food to Good Samaritan in West Islip and Northwell Health's Syosset Hospital and its South Shore University Hospital in Bay Shore. 

What’s your strategy for generating repeat business?

Within our advertising, we have a loyalty program — the more you spend, the more you get rewarded. To continue to drive business, we also send tailored emailed messages based on [customers’ menu] preferences and how often they come to a Bango Bowls.

What’s your biggest challenge now?

I’d consider our biggest challenge growing a franchise business for accelerated growth, instead of opening new corporate-owned locations. We haven’t sold any franchises yet, but we’re in conversations.

What are some steps you’ve taken so far to go the franchising route?

We’re building a team from other larger organizations with experience in the franchise world.

What advice would you give those who want to start a business like yours?

It’s never too late. If you’re willing to take the risks and want it bad enough, you can achieve success.

What’s the best part of business ownership?

The flexibility for a personal schedule. You can spend time with your loved ones, which is very important. I work a lot, but I get to go home and see my kids for dinner and bedtime.