Scott Weiner
Principal & Co-founder, The Fifty/50 Group

Weiner — a Northbrook, IL, native — traces his love and passion for the restaurant and hospitality business back to taking his first job waiting tables at Johnny Rockets as a teenager. Working at a variety of other restaurants in the Chicagoland area, Scott focused and prepared for a career in the hospitality industry at an early age.

Upon graduating high school, Scott moved to Las Vegas where he spent four years as a cook at various concepts with China Grill Management while simultaneously earning his bachelor’s degree in hospitality administration, majoring in beverage management, from the University of Nevada Las Vegas. While in college, Scott also earned his sommelier license through the Court of Master Sommeliers.

Prior to opening his first restaurant, The Fifty/50 in2 March 2008, Scott worked with Lettuce Entertain You managing Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak, and Stone Crab in Chicago where he focused on operations while rounding out his education being surrounded by great leaders and mentors.

Scott captains the leadership team of the Fifty/50 Group, helping create and develop new concepts along with co-founder and friend, Greg Mohr. He is responsible for the day-to-day financial success of the group and ensuring that the various departments within the group all function as a unified unit. A key to the group’s success has been developing and managing their own assets over the their 16-year history while also managing properties for private equity groups such as Blackstone, Beacon Capital, First Hospitality, The Second City, and more over the years. The Fifty/50 Group currently owns or manages 21 different concepts across the Chicagoland area and New York, and is in construction or development with other great partners such at Three Floyd’s Brewing. The group recently opened their third OKAY Cannabis Dispensary, the country’s first dispensary with a full-service bakery, bar, and consumption lounge.

In 2019, Crains Chicago named Scott to the prestigious 40-under-40 list. He is also an active officer on executive board for the Illinois Restaurant Association, serving as the first vice chairman. In 2023 Mayor Lightfoot awarded Scott a Medal of Honor from the City of Chicago for helping mobilize resources across the city to feed refugees coming into the city. He resides in Northwest Chicago with his wife, three kids, and their dog named Balki Bartokomous.