Scott Weiner | Source

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 cooking full-
time 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 in 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.
Today, 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. A key to the group’s success has been developing and managing their own
assets over the their 15-year history while also managing properties for private equity groups such
as Blackstone, Beacon Capital, the CME Group, First Hospitality, Second City Theaters, and more
over the years. The Fifty/50 Group currently owns or manages 21 different concepts across the
Chicagoland area and is in construction or development in eight more establishments that are slated
to open over the next three years. The group recently opened OKAY Cannabis, a dispensary with a
full-service bakery, bar, and consumption lounge. They are in the process of opening the second two
locations and working on opening Second City Theaters in New York.
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 vice chairman while
focusing on government relations. 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, two boys, and their dog named Balki Bartokomous.