Plano, Texas — MOOYAH Burgers, Fries & Shakes has appointed Michael Meche as president. A seasoned restaurant executive with significant leadership experience, Meche will lead MOOYAH into its next stage of growth, focusing on franchisee success, operational excellence and people-oriented leadership.
Most recently, Meche served as chief restaurant officer for sister brands Capriotti’s and Wing Zone, where he helped to elevate guest experience, enhance franchisee performance and develop strong operating teams. He began his restaurant journey in high school as a team member at Papa John’s and steadily climbed the ranks to lead operations for more than 3,000 locations across North America and Canada. Now, as a North Texas native and longtime MOOYAH fan, Meche is prepared to use his passion for quality and community to build upon the brand’s growing momentum.
“Throughout my nearly 30-year career with Papa John’s, I learned what it takes to be a servant leader and carried that throughout my tenure, which included relocating 13 times as I encouraged a winning culture and supporting franchisee success across thousands of stores,” says Meche. “However, the Dallas-Fort Worth area has always been home base for me, so the opportunity to work with a local legend while staying close to family is incredibly meaningful. I’m honored to join a team that values quality, service and franchisee success, and I’m committed to building on the strong foundation that’s already in place. My leadership philosophy is simple: nobody works for me; rather, I work for them. I believe the best way to grow a brand is to support the people behind it and look forward to hitting the ground running.”
As part of his first 100 days, Meche is prioritizing face time with franchisees and team members across the system. He’s conducted several secret-shopper visits to nearby MOOYAH restaurants and has made it a goal to complete the brand’s in-store franchisee training program to gain firsthand experience in daily restaurant operations.
“Michael understands that everything starts with the restaurant, and his passion for delivering consistent quality every time is really what will continue to enable our franchisees to thrive,” says Anand Gala, founder and managing partner of Gala Capital Partners, the parent company of MOOYAH. “His track record of results across well-loved restaurant brands, paired with his hands-on, servant-minded leadership and deep franchising experience, make him the ideal person to shape MOOYAH’s next phase of growth. We’re thrilled to welcome him to the MOO Crew and are confident that his people-first approach will make a lasting impact on the brand.”
Under Meche’s leadership, the brand will focus on tailored support for franchisees, operational consistency and guest experience excellence while preserving the signature quality that has made MOOYAH a standout in the better burger space.
MOOYAH’s strong systemwide momentum positions the brand for continued growth in 2025, with eight more locations slated to open for MOOYAH’s largest expansion year yet. Complete with drive-thrus, cutting-edge kitchen technologies, self-order kiosks and dynamic digital menu boards, the best tasting burger brand’s next-generation prototypes allow franchisees to quickly capitalize on opportunities in their markets without compromising the brand’s commitment to customization, quality and hospitality.
MOOYAH Burgers, Fries & Shakes was founded in 2007. For more information, visit www.mooyahfranchise.com and www.MOOYAH.com.
SOURCE: MOOYAH Burgers, Fries & Shakes