restaurants

Dallas — La Madeleine, a beloved, French-founded neighborhood café and bakery, has appointed seasoned restaurant and franchise industry executive John Dillon as its new president, further strengthening its next-level growth leadership and aggressive expansion plans under Groupe Le Duff. Dillon most recently served as founder and principal lead at HMS Growth Partners, an advisory firm supporting leaders and companies across diverse industries, including restaurants, hospitality, retail, education and franchising. Prior to HMS, he spent over 16 years at Denny’s, where he held a succession of senior leadership roles, including EVP …

Tampa, Fla. — Bloomin’ Brands, Inc. has promoted Pat Hafner to executive vice president, president of Outback Steakhouse. He will be responsible for leading operations and development for the company’s largest brand. He most recently served as president of Carrabba’s Italian Grill. “Pat is an ‘operator’s operator’ who has held a variety of roles and led special projects at Bloomin’ Brands,” says Mike Spanos, chief executive officer of Bloomin’ Brands. “He is a guest-centric leader who builds high-capability teams that deliver outstanding business results.” Hafner’s restaurant career began with Outback …

St. Louis — Panera Brands Inc., which includes the iconic fast-casual concept Panera Bread as well as the Caribou Coffee and Einstein Bros. brands, has named Paul Carbone, currently its chief financial officer, as interim chief executive officer of Panera, effective Jan. 7, 2025. Carbone, who joined Panera in 2023, brings decades of experience in the restaurant, consumer goods and retail industries, including as long-time CFO of Dunkin’ Brands. Carbone will lead the company while the board of directors completes a comprehensive search process, considering both internal and external candidates …