124 stories · last 30 days by relevance
KFC created a new global chief brand officer role, signaling intensified focus on brand management amid competitive pressures in fast food.
KFC Global appointed Amy Ellis Durini as Chief Brand Officer in a newly created role, reporting to CEO Scott Mezvinsky starting November 2026, to lead global brand strategy and loyalty initiatives.
Kayla Edidin has taken a majority stake and COO role at Red Door Brands following a challenging period for the franchise operator, signaling a leadership transition aimed at stabilizing the company.
Taco Bell's chief brand officer Taylor Montgomery has been named Jack in the Box president and is positioned to become CEO within 12 months, signaling the company's effort to stabilize leadership afte
Nelson Peltz's Trian Fund Management is reportedly assembling a bid to acquire Wendy's in partnership with BlueFive Capital and Flynn Group, signaling potential activist interest in reshaping the chai
Wendy's appointed Tariq Hassan as Chief Marketing and Customer Growth Officer, a newly created role reporting directly to CEO Bob Wright, signaling the chain's prioritization of unified marketing and
Wendy's is undergoing executive changes, Taco Bell partnered with Olivia Rodrigo, and recent sales data showed gains for independent restaurants—signaling continued industry consolidation pressures an
Buffalo Wild Wings appointed Ahmed Awadallah as COO; he previously held the same role at Nordic coffee chain Espresso House, part of JAB Holding Company.
Yum! Brands appointed Stephen Bratspies, former CEO of HanesBrands, to its board, effective August 2026, signaling the chain operator's interest in consumer-brand expertise outside foodservice.
Wendy's and Jack in the Box each made changes to their president roles this week, signaling continued executive churn in the fast-food sector.
Wendy's will remain public after activist investor Trian withdrew its take-private proposal, while the chain appointed a new CMO focused on marketing and customer growth—signaling continued operationa
Starbucks is laying off more than 200 workers, with over 100 tied to a restructuring announced in May and 120 declining a relocation to Nashville.
Red Robin named Scott Hudler as chief marketing officer, effective September 8, replacing interim CMO Russ Klein.
Wendy's is reviving the chief operating officer role as part of its turnaround strategy under CEO Robert Wright, following a period marked by store closures and declining traffic.
Aaron Powell is stepping down as Pizza Hut CEO as the pizza chain moves forward with its sale to LongRange Capital.
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Pickleman's Gourmet Café appointed Jim Morey, an executive with experience at Wawa, Outback Steakhouse, and McDonald's, to its advisory board to support expansion efforts.
Chicken Salad Chick appointed Drew Travis as CFO, continuing a recent round of C-suite hires that includes a new CMO and CDO.
McDonald's USA named Patrick Gerber, a 25-year company veteran, as chief restaurant officer to oversee operations and standards improvements.
P.F. Chang's appointed Jim Mazany, a veteran of casual-dining chains including Applebee's and Joe's Crab Shack, to lead the brand as it seeks a turnaround—signaling renewed confidence in executing a p
Wendy's stock rose 5% after reports that activist investor Nelson Peltz's Trian Fund Management is exploring taking the company private, while the chain simultaneously announced it is reinstating a ch
Caribou Coffee appointed Zane Thomas-Rogers as COO, restructuring operations to separate coffeehouse management from warehouse and logistics oversight.
Pizza Hut's global CEO Aaron Powell is stepping down following the completion of the chain's sale to LongRange Capital.
Papa John's is deploying field teams and incentives to address operational inconsistency, which CEO Todd Penegor identified as a key weakness limiting the chain's potential.
Cracker Barrel's CEO departed after a rebrand misstep, signaling that operational recovery alone may not repair brand perception damage without deliberate narrative management.
McDonald's CEO Chris Kempczinski faces mounting pressure from weak U.S. traffic, value strategy missteps, and market-share losses, mirroring conditions that led to a predecessor's departure and signal
Dog Haus hired James Field, a former executive from Jersey Mike's, as its new CMO, alongside other marketing team promotions and new hires.
CAVA's COO Douglas Thompson purchased 6,500 shares valued at $432,000, expanding his stake by 51%; insider buying activity may signal management confidence in the company's direction.
Burger King is being called the hottest chain in America while Salad and Go shuttered all locations; major QSR chains including McDonald's and Wendy's reported quarterly earnings.
Ascent Hospitality Management held its inaugural all-brands conference, convening over 500 franchisees, vendors, and corporate staff across its Perkins and Huddle House banners.
Burger King gained attention as a top performer while Salad and Go shut down all locations; meanwhile major chains including McDonald's and Wendy's released quarterly earnings.
HTeaO, a Texas iced tea concept, reported $147M in 2025 sales and is positioning its water purification system and customization capabilities as differentiation points in the beverage market under new
Wendy's U.S. president Pete Suerken has resigned after his position was eliminated, and he will return to lead the company's supply chain co-op.
Red Robin appointed Scott Hudler, who previously held marketing roles at Whataburger, Dunkin', and Torchy's Tacos, as its new Chief Marketing Officer.
FSR Magazine profiles five female leaders at First Watch, a brunch chain with over 630 locations, tracing their diverse career paths to their current roles at the brand.
Blaze Pizza has appointed Tracy Stockard as chief marketing officer.
Levain Bakery has promoted two long-time executives to co-CEO roles as the chain, which operates 19 units, enters a new growth phase, with departing CEO John Maguire remaining on the board.
Wendy's CEO Bob Wright acknowledged the chain prioritized cost savings over ingredient quality and hired a former McDonald's marketing executive as part of a turnaround effort after dropping from its
Wendy's eliminated its U.S. President role and created a Chief Operations Officer position following Pete Suerken's departure to a supply chain cooperative serving the Wendy's system, signaling a shif
McDonald's appointed Skye Anderson as President of its U.S. division as part of a planned leadership transition, signaling a focus on continuity with a leader experienced across the company's global o
Wingstop's chief brand officer is departing the company; Donnie Upshaw, who joined in 2018 as VP of human resources, held the role before his exit.
Wendy's new CEO Bob Wright attributes the chain's loss of the No. 2 burger market position to Burger King to prioritizing cost savings over quality, and is implementing a five-point turnaround plan.
Starbucks is reducing its workforce further as part of a $2 billion turnaround effort, while simultaneously expanding operations in a Southern U.S. city.
Dave & Buster's has announced multiple executive leadership appointments and promotions across operations, marketing, strategy, finance, and technology functions.
Taco Bell partnered with Olivia Rodrigo for a Baja Blast collaboration, part of broader celebrity marketing efforts across quick-service chains amid ongoing industry leadership changes.
Dave Thomas's grandson Sean Thomas is applying lessons learned from his grandfather at both Minnie Bird, a Chicago chicken chain, and his own Wendy's franchise.
Wendy's U.S. president has departed the company to lead a supply chain cooperative.
Jeremiah's Italian Ice appointed Lisa McGill as its first VP of Franchise Development, signaling acceleration of its franchise expansion strategy.
Wendy's new CEO has committed to improving product quality and boosting customer visits, signaling management confidence in operational turnaround opportunities.
Starbucks veteran Rob Dellinger has joined Whataburger as Vice President of Restaurant Technology, signaling the chain's push to strengthen its digital and operational infrastructure.
Mo' Bettahs promoted Kylee Arreaga to VP of Marketing after two years leading efforts that strengthened the brand's marketing organization during its national expansion.