The Best One Yet - 🔎 “TV’s surprise #1 show” — NCIS’s Emmy-less glory. Starbucks’ Red Cup Rebellion. Wonder’s new food category.

Episode Date: November 16, 2023

The biggest show on TV? It’s crime drama NCIS — The $8B TV show doesn’t win awards, but it gets rewards.Today is Starbucks’ most profitable day of the year: “Red Cup Day” — But also today, Starbucks’ barista union is staging a “Red Cup Rebellion.”And the startup making the biggest moves so far this fall: It’s Marc Lore’s Wonder – Wonder has pioneered a new category in food, “Fast Fine Dining,” by taking a Gap Year.$PARA $WBD $SBUXSubscribe to our newsletter: tboypod.com/newsletterWant merch, a shoutout, or got TheBestFactYet? Go to: www.tboypod.comFollow The Best One Yet on Instagram, Twitter, and Tiktok: @tboypodAnd now watch us on Youtube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Nick. This is Jack. It's Thursday, the new Friday, November 16th. And today's pod, it is the best one yet. It is a T-boy, Jack. Is that two T-shirts I'm seeing? Are you got two shirts on right now? No, this is a shirt jacket, also known as a Shacket.

Sounds like you're rounding up on that thing, man. First story, Jack. What are we got on today's show? For our first story, the number one TV show in America. It's the crime drama NCIS. Because NCIS doesn't win a war. it wins rewards. For our second story, today is Starbucks's most important day of the year, but it's about to be

ruined. Because today, Starbucks faces the Red Cup Rebellion. And our third and final story is one startup that's made more moves than any other this fall. Who is it, Jack? Wonder. Yet he's Wonder just created a brand new category. Fast, fine dining. Fine dining, but fast.

Don't you dare call this fast food? Don't even think about that, Ronald. But yeties, before we hit that wonderful mix of stories. No one is doing this mix of stories, Jack. I love this mix of stories. Speaking of fast food, we have an emergency update from San Francisco. Yeties, we have got breaking news from the big U.S.-China meeting. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen just went to In-N-Out Burger.

Yes, she did. We repeat. We got Janet Yellen's fast food order. We got it in her hands. We'll tell you what she ordered. Now that is a celebrity side. Nick. Economist, Jack, they're just like us.

To sprinkle on some context, Yetis, we told you yesterday that China's president Xi Jinping arrived at the San Francisco airport for a big summit. So America's Treasury Secretary, Janet Yellen, went to pick him up. Isn't that nice of her? Right there on the tarmac. That's a life goal. To be greeted on the tarmac. I mean, if the Treasury Secretary can meet us at the Delta Terminal, that's pretty good, Jack.

But on the way to the airport, our Treasury Secretary, made a pit stop. On the way to the tarmac, our treasury secretary, she got a craving. So she pulled in, yes, Jack, to In-N-Out Burger. She didn't go to McDonald, she'd go to Wendy, she didn't go to Sweet Green. She went to In-N-Out burger. Home of the Double Double Animal Style. Home of the double shake, delicious style. Now, this is borderline and economic indicator. What did the leader of our financial system order at In-N-Out Burger? Yeties, Jack and I, we've got the receipts. Jack, order. He ordered a cheeseburger with fries and onions. Simple order. Solid order. But here's the best part. She paid for all that in cash. And Jack, why is it a big deal that our Treasury

Secretary paid for a fast food meal in cash? Because her name is written on every bill. Yet he's, her signature. It's on the dollar bills. Literally. Janet Yellen just ordered her burger in and out burger. With a $10 bill that her name was on. Another life goal. Have our name on our currency. Hey, President Shee, you want to see what capitalism looks like? Now, that's how you order a burger, Nick. That's how you order a burger, Yetis. Let's hit our three stories.

Fifteen years before this song, two boys from the Northeast met in the dorm. They had an idea that caused a cultural storm. It's the best one yet. 50% that's a fat tip. Tea Boy City on your at list. If you know, you know, because we're ready to go. We can't wait no more. So just start the show.

Our first story. The most successful TV show in America. It's not Game of Thrones. It's not Succession. And it's not Ted Lassow. Who is it, Jack? It's NCIS. Because some seek awards. Others seek rewards. The world really breaks down into two people. You either love true crime shows or you're a hard pass. You're like either really into crime podcasts and you're kind of plotting something sketchy or you're repulsed by them. Wow, that leads us to NCIS, which stands for a naval criminal investigative service. It's a CBS crime show that first aired in 2003, but it's still rocking today. Now, we don't want to get crazy with the acronyms here, Yeties, but you should not confuse NCIS with Law and Order SVU. Which stands for Special Victims Unit.

Or the TV show, CSI. Which is crime scene investigation. NCIS is a very different beast, and we are going to tell you about it. It's actually not that different. Just a different agency. That's a good point. Let's jump into the plot, T-boy style. What do we got, Jack? NCIS is a little-known police agency within the Navy

that solves crimes that happen in the Navy and in the Marines. And this 20-year-old TV show is led by Special Agent Leroy Gibbs reporting for duty. Leroy Gibbs is a middle-aged ex-marine sniper turned investigator for NCIS. Man, is this guy handsome? Yet he's CBS has found a formula for success. when it comes to NCIS. And Jack, what is that formula? Every episode has the same plot.

They discover a crime and they solve the crime within that episode. But here's the key. Here's how they scaled the show. They just changed the city of the show. For example, you have NCIS Los Angeles. For example, you have NCIS New Orleans. But here's the news. NCIS is debuting this week abroad for the first time.

NCIS Sydney, Australia. They're going to solve naval crimes off the Great Barrier Reef. Spoiler, she was murdered by a crocodile. I think, Jack, it's she was murdered by a crocodile, which ate a kangaroo. Now, there is a risk to NCIS's strategy. The risk is over-expansion of this franchise. They could face franchise fatigue, right, Jack? That's a real risk.

Yeah, the Marvel superheroes, they expanded too much, and now the latest movie was a total bust. Jack, what if they end up doing NCIS Burlington, Vermont? Do you think that's going to go over well? A maple syrup flooding. Who chopped down this maple tree? Was it Ben or was it Jerry? The snowboard was the murder weapon. But yetis, it doesn't look like NCIS is facing franchise fatigue.

Because when you look at the numbers, NCIS is unstoppable. It has brought in $8 billion in revenue for CBS since launching in 2003. NCIS, a 20-year-old crime drama on cable TV, has quietly become the top TV franchise in all of America. NCIS got 300 million viewers last year. 300 million. 10 million people tune in to watch each new episode. 10 million people are watching Officer Abby Skiudo on TV right now. Let me sprinkle on some context to those numbers.

I would love if you would sprinkle on some context, Jack. Succession, one of the best shows ever. The finale of season four that just happened on HBO, it only got 2.9 million viewers. But Yeties, NCIS, the average episode of NCIS, got three. times as many viewers. That's why NCIS has become the profit puppy for CBS's parent company, Paramount Global. Again, NCIS has brought in $8 billion. Which brings us to this strange contrast. The TV industry simply will not celebrate TV's biggest show. Follow us here, Besties. In the 20 seasons of NCIS, NCIS has received zero Emmy Awards. In just four seasons of Succession, Succession received 13

Emmy Awards. Okay, yet he's by our math. NCIS has garnered 40 times the number of views as all of Succession has. And yet it's gotten no respect from the elite critics and from the award shows. And can we just point out that LL CoolJ is on NCIS and it's still not winning awards? Ladies love Cool James. The Emmys don't. So Jack, what's the takeaway for our buddies who are anyone who watches TV? Let's talk about vanity metrics because you can win awards or you can win rewards. Yeties, when Jack and I worked in tech, we learned about this concept called Vanity Metrics.

Vanity Metrics are accomplishments that stoke your ego, but don't drive the business. For example, an Emmy Award, that may have some PR value, and it makes the creators really proud. But an Emmy Award probably means that your show has a high-brow audience, which makes less money than a mass market TV show does.

Frankly, it's the same with most award shows, like the Oscars, right, Jack? The winner of the Best Picture Award for the Academy Awards never win at the box office. It's always some artsy film. The way we see at NCIS shows the power of ignoring vanity metrics. Because it's losing with the vanity metrics, but it's winning financially. NCIS, it doesn't win awards, but it does win rewards. For our second story, today, Starbucks is celebrating its most profitable day of the year.

Its biggest day of the year, Red Cup Day. Cup Day? Or is it the Red Cup Rebellion? Because this year it's a little bit different. But Jack, I got to ask it, since we got back from LA, because we noticed this in Los Angeles, have you been seeing a lot of Christmas creep out there, man?

Nick, it's November 15th. Of course I see Christmas decorations. Jack, my neighbor has a candy cane doormat right now. I don't know what you're complaining about, man. I'm not complaining. I'm not complaining. I'm not complaining. Although my Uber driver had like a nutcracker in the passenger seat, I think.

I heard you vandalized Frosty the Snowman on someone's front yard. I'm all for it. I'm absolutely for it. But it is noticeable. Yeties, the day after Halloween, Starbucks committed the biggest Christmas creep of all. On November 1st. It's okay, Nick. Don't worry.

I've got nothing. I'm not apologizing. Starbucks unveiled this year's legendary holiday-themed paper coffee cup. Thanksgiving's a holiday too. But yeties, this holiday cup from Starbucks, it's got like that red, green holiday wrapping paper look. Yes. The cup looks and tastes like Santa's favorite cookie flavor. It's kind of like an elf exploded. But it wasn't until today, November 16th, that Starbucks celebrates Red Cup Day. Today, anyone who orders a holiday-themed beverage at Starbucks gets a free red Starbucks-branded

reusable cup. Starbucks is spreading Christmas cheer with a dishwasher safe, sustainable cup. For free. It's basically a North Pole Coozy. That is exactly what it is. it is. But Yeties, here's what Jack and I found fascinating about this story. Red Cup Day is also financially huge for Starbucks. People love free stuff. And a free Starbucks thermos, that drives people into Starbucks's on this day. Yeties, today, Red Cup Day, just like every single year, is the most profitable day on the entire Starbucks calendar. But Nick, hold the nutmeg. Starbucks has a union now. So that union, is trying to turn Red Cup Day into the Red Cup Rebellion.

The Red Cup Rebellion. Yeti, Starbucks, its first worker union was formed two years ago. It was a big deal. We covered it on the pod, right, Jack? Yep. And that worker barista union has grown big time. That barista union now covers 360 Starbucks stores reppping 9,000 brewers. And those unionized Starbucks workers are upset that they don't have a contract with Starbucks

after two years. And those unionized Starbucks workers claim that Starbucks is public. punishing union members negotiating in bad faith. And they really don't like making a unicorn latte with 16 different flavor variations when they don't have a contract. Another pump of hazelnut. Oh, my God, Jack. So today, those 9,000 baristas are walking off the job in what they're calling the Red Cup

Rebellion. Today is supposed to be Starbucks's most profitable day of the year. But instead, a lot of Karens are going to go home coffeeless. Instead, a lot of people are going to want to want to be a lot of Starbucks. speak to a lot of managers over at Starbucks. I'm going to need to speak to somebody right now. I have rewards on these app. They're going to be redeemed. What do you mean the managers on strike? I ordered a double mocha for Appuccino. So Jack, what's the takeaway for all our buddies over at Starbucks? Unions are louder than ever, but they're also smaller than ever. Yeties, the words

Red Cup Rebellion. That is some great branding. Like Red Cup rebellion, it sounds scary. It sounds big. It sounds huge. But the reality, 360 Starbucks stores, that's just 1% of the total Starbucks U.S. locations. It's just 1%. 99% of Starbucks stores are going to be fully open, full of frosty, snowy celebrations and Christmas cheer. Which reveals the bigger picture. Unions are a tiny percentage of the U.S. workforce overall.

Besties, this year was a turning point for organized labor. We saw some huge wins won by unions. We told you about it earlier this week. But overall, just 10% of American workers are members of a union. And that's an all-time low. Back in the 1950s, one out of three American workers were unionized, but since then, it's steadily fallen. Down to an all-time low of just 10%. So the way we see it, this year, unions were louder than ever.

But historically, they're smaller than ever. For our third and final story, the most active startup in America right now, it's a company called Wonder. Wonder is the hottest startup and food because they took a gap year. Yeties, in order for Jack and me to tell you about Wonder, we really got to start with the founder. Because some startups are defined by their founders. In this case, it's defined by Mark Lurie, a guy with quite a serious resume, Jack. Before Wonder, this entrepreneur sold his first company to Amazon and then his second company to Walmart. Four billions.

Yeties, this founder, Mark Lurie, has a LinkedIn page that he's. Isn't a list of humble brags. It's just a list of brags. For example, he owns two professional sports teams. Oh, and he's building a new tech-driven city out in the desert with a bunch of other billionaires. And that's the track record that convinced venture capitalists to invest $900 million into his new food venture. His new food venture called Wonder. Do you wonder what Wonder does, Yetis?

We wondered what Wonder did, so we jumped in Tea Boy style. Fast, fine dining. Fast fine dining. Because yet, he said historically, if you wanted fine dining, it had to be slow. Yeah. If you wanted fine dining, you either had to drive to a restaurant and wait a half an hour for a table, and then you had to order, and then you had to wait a half hour to get served. Or you could cook a fine meal in your own home, which required an hour of prep,

and then an hour of cleanup, and you ate the whole thing in like six minutes. Fine dining was always slow. So the goal of wonder is to solve that time issue. Serve you, restaurant quality steak, but as quickly as a Big Mac. Now, yetis, this is why Jack and I wanted to cover this story. In order to fulfill that noble goal, Wonder is moving faster than any startup we have seen this year. This summer, Wonder spent $100 million to acquire Blue Apron. The Meal Kit Pioneer.

And then a month later, Wonder got a $100 million investment from Nestle. The biggest food company on planet Earth. And in the meantime, out of nowhere, Wonder opened up five high-end brick-and-mortar locations in New York. City. They're open today. They're like a new kind of food hall is how they're described, right man? The kitchen at Wonder locations are able to produce the meals of 20 different real-life restaurants. Okay, we're talking one kitchen that can produce food from Brooklyn's famous DeFara Pizza. And that same kitchen can cook the most popular dishes at Barrio's Cafe, which is a Mexican restaurant. And of course, there's a tech angle here because you order via the app and then they

serve up your food Omnichannel style. You can dine in at Wonder. You can take the meal home with you or you can get it delivered. So add it all up, Yetis, and Wonder has designed an entirely new category of food. Fast, fine dining. Fast, fine dining. The only issue, Nick and I see, it's really hard to describe that new concept. That is the one challenge facing the startup is that we had to take three minutes to describe everything that it actually does.

But Jack, what's the takeaway for our buddies over at Wonder? Wonder proves that a gap year is not a waste of time. Yet he's, when Wonder started, Wonder wondered, what is Wonder? So during the pandemic, Wonder tried out food trucks. They served fine meals from a truck in high-end suburbs. Now, eventually, Mark Lorry, the founder, shut down that business. He sold the trucks off and shut it down. But that wasn't a waste of time.

Because Mark Lorry learned something with that food truck business. He learned that people crave fine diming served really quickly. And he learned that lesson. on the cheap. He learned that with some food trucks in a suburban neighborhood. That was it. And now he's doing something with that lesson. He's going all in with Wonders' new age food courts coming across America. Wonders Gap Year, as a food truck company in the suburbs, put it in a position to succeed. So the way Jack and I see it, whether you're a student in school or an entrepreneur with a startup, if you can afford it, a gap year, it isn't a waste. In fact, a gap year

may actually be the most productive thing you can do with your time. Can you whip up the takeaways for us for the new Friday? NCIS is the biggest show on TV, but it's never won an Emmy Award. Yeties, let's talk about vanity metrics. You can win awards or you can win rewards. The only thing we could think of that won both? Titanic. 11 Oscars and 2 billion at the box office.

Not too shabby. For our second story, Starbucks's biggest day of the year is getting ruined by rebel labor unions. Unions are louder than ever, but they're also smaller than ever. And our third and final story is Wonder. Wonder wondered what Wonder was. It's fast, fine food. Wonder learned that during its gap year, because a gap year is one of the most productive things you can do. But yeties, this pod's not over yet.

Here's what else you need to know today. First, for the first time in more than a year, President Biden and China's President Xi just met in person. They met like in Silicon Valley, kind of just south of San Francisco. both of those world leaders spoke about the importance of peaceful competition between the United States and China. And second, we got a car roundup. Hyundai, Honda and Toyota have all just announced pay raises for their American workers. Call it the UAW effect. One union's win is rippling across the whole industry. And finally, the price of Rolex watches just fell to a two-year low. Rolexes, they've been rowing down. During the pandemic, luxury watches were like a collector,

item, but their prices have fallen 42% since 2021. Now, time for the best fact yet. This one sent in from Andy Wick from lovely Warwick, Rhode Island. Yesterday, Nick and I mentioned the Orion's belt of sports betting. Jack and I had noticed that three big sports betting companies were based in like a straight line across the northeast. You got draft kings in Boston, Fandule in New York City, and right in the middle, the SPN at Bristol, Connecticut.

But Andy points out that there's also a fourth sports. Betting Company based in New England. In Providence, Rhode Island, you'll find the headquarters of Bally's. Bally's, which happens to run the sports betting in 14 states. It's right up there in lovely Providence. Las Vegas has the glitz and glam. Yeah, it does. But the wagers on the socks, that happens in New England.

Yeah, I guess you can say, Jack, sports betting is just outside Boston. Yeties, you look fantastic today. And if you have been enjoying your T-boy pods all week, Jack, let's, should we do some five-star ratings, five-star reviews, man? Nick and I read every review. We really do. So that's your direct line of communication to us. We love those.

One-sided, though. We can't reply. We wish we could reply, but we really love your reviews. They're fun to read. And if you got constructive criticism, just DM us. You don't have to put that out there in the public. We're open to that, too. If you know, you know, Jack and I will see you tomorrow.

And before we go, a happy birthday to legendary Yeti, Rachel Hauer from the Mighty Midwest and a member of the T-boy team. This is a Wisconsin winner right here. Yes, she is. She's a triathlete, a marathon runner, an iron woman. And she's celebrating a birthday. And a big happy birthday to the Cairo King, Dave Franzel. The Baron of Burritos is celebrating a birthday all the way from the Upper West Side.

And happy seventh birthday to Jesselin Figiero in Engleton, Texas. And Sabrina is turning 14 in Miami Beach. She's been a Yeti for five years. Sabrina, fantastic. And happy 17th birthday to Halla Alice Mal, who's on the balance beam right now. Don't slip in Katie, Texas. And Laura Brockington is celebrating a birthday over a fantastic pizza with her boyfriend down in D.C. Happy 40th birthday to Drew Ewing in San Diego, California.

And Ken Chen to turning 12 on the soccer field in Seattle. Happy birthday to Rush Me in Dallas, Texas. And congratulations on your three-week-old newborn baby. And a happy windy birthday to Lindsey Ransom, who's celebrating in St. Paul, Minnesota. Happy birthday to Ali D, a four-year Yeti, who's getting her second shout out on the pod. There we go. She's celebrating big time in New York City right now. Allie D, we can't wait to make a three next year. And happy 31st birthday to Dr. Christian Tay, who just got engaged to Emily Adams just outside of Boston. Literally just outside Boston. And Jack, Chase Edmonds and Kirby Mottocha, we gave them a shout out when they began dating.

Now they're celebrating their two-year anniversary. Holy cow, that's really cool. Mary Row in Connecticut has a birthday today and she's getting married to her fiance, Jack, over in Connecticut this weekend. We got a huge birthday coming up for Josh Mandel and Blake. Josh is celebrating a birthday, and they're getting married in Brooklyn. This is Jack. I own stock of Amazon. Are you one of those complainers? Hurry for questions. Give me back my leaves.

What do you want?