Restaurant chains appoint fresh CEOs en masse
The restaurant industry is witnessing a wave of leadership changes, with key players aiming to drive growth, brand renewal, and operational excellence amid evolving market dynamics. Here's a look at some of the recent CEO transitions:
Pizza Factory Welcomes New CEO Lisa Roscoe
California-based Pizza Factory has named Lisa Roscoe as its new CEO. The change comes after the recent acquisition of the company by Wonder Franchises, its parent company which also owns Vio Med Spa and Christmas Décor. Notably, the former CEO, Mary Jane Riva, will remain as an advisor. Pizza Factory operates 113 franchised locations.
Smashburger Gets a New CEO in Jim Sullivan
Smashburger has named Jim Sullivan as its CEO, effective August 2025. Sullivan takes over from Denise Nelsen, who left earlier in the year. Prior to joining Smashburger, Sullivan was a development executive for Qdoba, CKE Restaurants, Friendly's, Modern Restaurant Concepts, and American Hospitality Concepts. Smashburger operates 219 global locations, most of which are in the U.S., and the company's global system sales fell 7.3% last year.
Luna Grill's New Chief Executive: Rich Pinnella
Fast-casual chain Luna Grill has named Rich Pinnella as its new CEO. Pinnella, who has been with the company for six years, is the first new CEO in two decades for Luna Grill. The company, founded by Sean Pourteymour and his wife, Maria, in 2004, has 51 locations in Southern California and the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Pourteymour has stepped back to become executive chairman and chairman of the board after the promotion of Pinnella. Luna Grill is planning to open its first restaurant in Arizona.
The Melting Pot's New Leader: John Crawford
The Melting Pot has named John “JC” Crawford as its new CEO. Crawford joined The Melting Pot in 2020 with previous leadership experience at Ruth’s Chris Steak House and Bennigan’s. The change comes with the founder, Bob Johnston, remaining as chairman.
Bloomin' Brands Announces Executive Leadership Changes
Bloomin' Brands, the parent company of Outback Steakhouse and other restaurant chains, announced executive leadership changes in August 2025. Although not a CEO change, Eric Christel was named Executive Vice President and CFO-Elect for Bloomin’ Brands, supporting ongoing business turnaround efforts mainly focused on Outback Steakhouse.
Meanwhile, other notable companies like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn have not made recent CEO changes. However, in the past week, Wendy's and Topgolf lost their CEOs to non-restaurant companies. Kirk Tanner left Wendy's to join The Hershey Company, and Artie Starrs left Topgolf to join Harley Davidson.
Additionally, over the past five weeks, Starbird, Subway, Dave & Buster's, and The Melting Pot have all named new CEOs. Jonathan Fitzpatrick was named the new CEO of Subway, while Maria Rivera was named the new CEO of Starbird. Tarun Lal was named the new CEO of Dave & Buster's.
These transitions reflect a dynamic landscape in the restaurant industry, as companies adapt to changing consumer preferences and market conditions.
- The restaurant finance landscape is undergoing significant changes, with companies like Pizza Factory, Smashburger, Luna Grill, and The Melting Pot experiencing CEO transitions, signifying a strategic shift towards growth, renewal, and operational excellence.
- In the restaurant franchising industry, customer experience plays a crucial role in determining a business's success, as evidenced by the recent appointments of Lisa Roscoe at Pizza Factory, Jim Sullivan at Smashburger, Rich Pinnella at Luna Grill, and John Crawford at The Melting Pot.
- The industry is witnessing a wave of leadership changes, not only in the restaurant sector but also in related businesses, as shown by executives moving from companies like Bloomin' Brands to non-restaurant corporations such as Hershey's and Harley Davidson, indicating a broader trend of adaptation and innovation in the business world.
