Dive Brief:
- Mooyah Burgers, Fries & Shakes appointed Michael Meche as president, according to a press release emailed to Restaurant Dive on Friday.
- Meche succeeds Doug Willmarth who left the chain in September after three years to become CEO at Beans & Brews Coffee House, according to his LinkedIn profile.
- During Meche’s first 100 days, he will meet with franchisees and team members across the system, conduct several secret-shopper visits at nearby Mooyah restaurants and plans to complete an in-store franchisee training program to understand daily restaurant operations.
Dive Insight:
Meche brings over three decades of restaurant experience to his position, and most recently served as chief restaurant officer at Capriotti’s and Wing Zone. During the two-plus years in that position, he helped improve the guest experience, boost franchisee performance and develop a strong operations team, per the press release.
Meche has spent the bulk of his career at Papa Johns, where he rose up the ranks after starting as a team member in high school. As vice president of franchise operations from 2022 to 2023, his most recent position at the chain, he led operations for over 3,000 American and Canadian restaurants.
His experience could help boost Mooyah’s unit count, which declined slightly from 2022, according to the chain’s franchise disclosure document. The chain had 81 units in 2022, but ended 2024 with 74. The chain has eight units expected to open this year, its biggest year yet for unit count growth. These units will more than make up for its recent unit count decline as long as their opening is not accompanied by further closures.
Mooyah opened its first drive-thru last year in July and rolled out a smaller footprint designed to enhance the off-premise experience. The chain is also planning to pilot curbside delivery technology this year. Its smaller restaurants will include self-order kiosks and digital menu boards, among other features.
The chain will also focus on “tailored support for franchisees, operational consistency, and guest experience excellence,” under Meche’s leadership, per the press release.
“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,” said Anand Gala, founder and managing partner of Gala Capital Partners, the parent company of Mooyah.
