Glendale, Calif. — Dine Brands Global, Inc., the parent company of Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar®, IHOP® and Fuzzy’s Taco Shop® restaurants, plans key leadership moves, each effective on January 6, 2023. John Cywinski, Applebee’s president, is leaving the company for a CEO position at another restaurant company. Tony Moralejo, who is currently president, Dine Brands International and Global Development, has been appointed president, Applebee’s U.S. Scott Gladstone, senior vice president of strategy and innovation, will step into the role of president, international and corporate development.
“John and I share a love and respect for the DNA of Applebee’s, and we are all grateful for his contributions to this great brand over many years,” says John Peyton, CEO of Dine Brands. “Under John’s leadership, Applebee’s has become the vibrant category-leading brand that it is today. John has built a terrific team, delivered unprecedented sales, revitalized marketing and menus, and has strengthened franchisee relationships. I’m confident that Tony and the exceptional franchisees and leadership team at Applebee’s will continue to drive industry-leading growth.”
Moralejo, a career restaurant veteran who joined Dine Brands in 2020, steps into the Applebee’s leadership role with a proven track record in operations, development and franchisee relations. Prior to Dine, he served as executive vice president for international business and global development at Church’s Chicken and its international brand, Texas Chicken. Earlier in his career, Moralejo worked for more than 18 years for Burger King in various leadership roles.
Gladstone, who joined Dine Brands in 2016, currently leads corporate strategy and innovation. Gladstone brings strategic expertise and an eye for innovation to this expanded role. His early career experience includes The Boston Consulting Group where he advised Fortune 100 companies, working across practices and industries.
“We have a deep bench of talented leaders at Dine. As a result of our succession planning, today’s announcement demonstrates our ability to tap into the great talent of our management team and ensure a smooth and seamless transition. Both Tony and Scott have deep institutional knowledge about Applebee’s, IHOP and the industry, and they are the ideal leaders to take us to the next level of growth,” says Peyton.
Based in Glendale, Calif., Dine Brands Global, Inc., through its subsidiaries, franchises restaurants under Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill + Bar®, IHOP® and Fuzzy’s Taco Shop® brands. With over 3,500 restaurants combined in 18 countries and 388 franchisees as of December 5, 2022, Dine Brands is one of the largest full-service restaurant companies in the world. For more information, visit www.dinebrands.com.
SOURCE: Dine Brands Global, Inc.