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Papa Johns Names New CFO and President, North America

by Katie Lee

Louisville, Ky. — Papa John’s International, Inc. has promoted Ravi Thanawala to chief financial officer and president, North America. Most recently, he served as chief financial officer and executive vice president, international. In his new role, he will lead the company’s North American business, including restaurant operations and development strategies along with his CFO responsibilities. In connection with his appointment, the company’s international business will be led by Chris Lyn-Sue, who has been promoted from senior vice president, head of international markets to senior vice president, general manager of international. …

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Bagels & Co. Taps Restaurant Industry Veteran as New COO

by Katie Lee

Fort Lauderdale, Fla. — Kevin Armantrout, who has held executive roles with several nationally recognized brands, has been named chief operating officer for Bagels & Co. which has several locations now open in Pennsylvania and Florida with plans to expand to additional cities across the U.S. Armantrout has built a distinguished career leading high-growth restaurant and hospitality brands through expansion, operational transformation and cultural renewal. His extensive experience in management, site selection, construction and building a strong foundation for franchising from the ground up are an asset to Bagels & …

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Bill Schaphorst proactive maintenance quote from article
Content Partnerenergy managementexterior services/landscapingfacilities managementFeaturesHVAC/RIndustry Contentkitchen equipmentkitchen exhaust/grease controllightingMaintenXplumbingproperty managementrestaurantsroofing

Proactive Maintenance: The Key to Avoiding Costly Restaurant Downtime

by Sarah Daniels

For restaurants, few things are more disruptive or expensive than an equipment failure during working hours. Whether it’s a failed refrigerator, a backed-up drain or an HVAC unit that quits in the height of summer, a single breakdown can halt operations, spoil inventory, drive away customers and result in lost revenue and trust. Yet most of these expensive emergencies can be prevented through proactive maintenance. “Regular inspections and cleaning schedules are the simplest way for restaurants to safeguard uptime and extend the lives of their critical systems,” says Bill Schaphorst, …

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Wienerschnitzel Opens First Walmart Store Restaurant in Arizona

by Katie Lee

Tempe, Ariz. — Wienerschnitzel, the world’s largest hot dog franchise, is celebrating its first restaurant opening inside a Walmart Supercenter, located in Tempe, Ariz., this month. This milestone marks the beginning of a broader non-traditional growth initiative, with six franchised restaurants planned for Walmart stores across the U.S. As Wienerschnitzel accelerates its expansion strategy, the opportunity with the retail giant represents a major step forward in bringing the legacy brand’s signature menu to high-traffic, convenience-driven environments. Additional restaurants are slated for Puyallup, Wash.; Alamogordo, N.M.; Reno, Nev.; Colorado Springs, Colo.; …

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Smalls Sliders® Expands Executive Leadership Team

by Katie Lee

Atlanta — Smalls Sliders has made a series of leadership appointments. The company has named Ryan Crumley as its new chief development officer and promoted Michael Alberici to chief marketing officer. These two additions round out CEO Charles Watson’s executive team. Additionally, the company has promoted Adam Roof to vice president of finance. He will oversee financial planning, forecasting and scalable systems designed to support the company’s rapidly growing franchise network. Crumley most recently served as chief growth officer at Tidal Wave Auto Spa, where he helped grow the company …

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P.F. Chang’s Names New Chief Executive Officer

by Katie Lee

Scottsdale, Ariz. — P.F. Chang’s has hired Jim Mazany as its new chief executive officer, effective immediately. Mazany succeeds Brad Hill and will lead the company into its next phase of growth, innovation and global expansion. Mazany is a proven leader in scaling restaurant brands, driving operational excellence and delivering engaging guest experiences across some of the most recognized names in the restaurant industry. Most recently, he served as chairman and CEO of Rosa Mexicano, Yardbird and Shell Shack, where he spearheaded brand expansion and elevated operational performance as operating …

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Sweetgreen Grows “Sweetlane” Footprint with First-Ever Infinite Kitchen Drive-Thru

by Katie Lee

Costa Mesa, Calif. — Sweetgreen, a mission-driven restaurant brand serving healthy food at scale, will open its first-ever Infinite Kitchen sweetlane location in Costa Mesa, Calif., on Nov. 18. The new restaurant marks an evolution in Sweetgreen’s reimagining of fast food — blending its in-store hospitality with the efficiency of its Infinite Kitchen technology and the added convenience of a drive-up sweetlane for digital customers. First introduced as a pilot concept in 2022, the sweetlane was designed to offer a seamless pickup experience for digital orders. With more than a …

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BJ’s Restaurants, Inc. Names New CFO

by Katie Lee

Huntington Beach, Calif. — BJ’s Restaurants, Inc. has appointed Todd Wilson as chief financial officer, effective Dec. 15, 2025. Most recently and since November 2022, he was the CFO of Red Robin Gourmet Burgers, Inc. where he played an integral role in improving restaurant-level margins and achieving improved financial results, while driving effective communication with the investment community. Prior to Red Robin, from 2018 to 2022, Wilson was CFO of Hopdoddy Burger Bar, where he engineered significant operating margin expansion, doubled unit count through organic growth & acquisition, and completed …

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Red Robin Gourmet Burgers, Inc. CFO to Depart; New COO is Named

by Katie Lee

Englewood, Colo. — Red Robin Gourmet Burgers, Inc., a full-service restaurant chain serving high-quality gourmet burgers in a family-friendly atmosphere, has announced that Todd Wilson, chief financial officer, will depart the company on Dec. 12, 2025. Red Robin has begun a formal search to identify qualified candidates to fill the CFO position. “On behalf of everyone at Red Robin and our board of directors, I would like to thank Todd for his many contributions during his tenure as CFO,” says Dave Pace, president and chief executive officer. “The future of …

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construction and designdisaster recoveryIndustry Voicesrestaurantsroofingvendors

High Impact

by Katie Lee

— By Tom Dawson — The true cost of a roof leak. When most businesses think about the cost of a roof leak, they typically focus on the expense associated with the roofing contractor who comes out and fixes the roof. However, leading brands are beginning to look deeper — quantifying the impact of roof leaks to your organization is not just an issue for the facilities team, but is a challenge that impacts culture, operations and guest experience. For hospitality groups like Brinker International, the impact of a roof …

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