Restaurant Franchising & Innovation Summit

Speaker Spotlight: Jeff Perera, co-founder, vice president, Jeff's Bagel Run

Jeff Perera, co-founder and vice president of Jeff's Bagel Run, shares a look at his career, his achievements and industry trends ahead of his appearance at the Restaurant Franchising & Innovation Summit 2026.

Image: Willie Lawless/ Networld Media Group

January 30, 2026

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Today, we're shining a spotlight on Jeff Perera, co-founder and vice president of Jeff's Bagel Run. Perera will be a speaker at the upcoming Restaurant Franchising & Innovation Summit, which takes place on March 16-18, 2026, in San Diego, California. He will be a panelist on the Executive Perspectives: Inspiration for Today's Restaurant Leaders session.

We thought it would be fun to get to know Perera a bit better ahead of his appearance at RFIS.

Describe your current role

I currently serve as a co-founder and brand operator at Jeff's Bagel Run, a fast-growing, community-driven bagel concept. My role spans brand vision, franchise development, and day-to-day operational strategy, with a focus on building systems that scale without losing soul.

I work closely with franchise partners and internal teams to elevate store operations, drive consistent guest experience, and bring our mission — Bake Fresh, Bring Joy, Build Community — to life across every location. I'm deeply involved in menu innovation, marketing and storytelling, content strategy and culture building, ensuring the brand feels both operationally sound and emotionally resonant.

At the core, my job is to align people, process and purpose so the brand can grow with intention.

What was your first-ever career role and what is one important lesson you learned from it?

Straight out of college, I joined Target as an Executive Team Leader, where I learned an early and lasting lesson: innovation always has a seat at the table. Progress came from questioning the status quo, testing new ideas, and improving how work got done.

What inspired you to work in your industry?

Jeff's Bagel Run began with something simple and deeply personal: a husband making a bagel for his wife. What started as a small act of love in our kitchen quickly became a ritual — early mornings, flour-covered counters, and the quiet joy of getting it just right. Those bagels weren't meant for a business. They were meant for one person.

But something unexpected happened. Friends wanted to try them. Neighbors started asking. Conversations formed around a warm bagel and a cup of coffee, and before we knew it, a community was taking shape. What began as an act of love grew into a shared experience — people gathering, lingering, and coming back not just for the food, but for the feeling. Jeff's Bagel Run was born from that belief: that food made with care can bring people together. Today, that same intention guides everything we do as we Bake Fresh, Bring Joy, and Build Community.

What do you enjoy most about your current role?

What I enjoy most about my current role is the intersection of people, purpose, and possibility. I get to build alongside passionate franchise partners and team members who care deeply about doing things the right way. No two days look the same, but every day is rooted in creating something meaningful, whether that's improving store operations, shaping the guest experience, or telling the story of our brand. I love watching ideas turn into action and seeing how small decisions can have a real impact on teams and communities. Most of all, I enjoy knowing that the work we do extends beyond bagels. We're creating places where people feel welcomed, supported, and connected.

What's a common misconception people have about what you do?

A common misconception about what I do is that my role is mostly creative or high-level vision. While brand and storytelling are important, the reality is much more hands-on. A large part of my work happens behind the scenes, refining operations, solving problems and supporting franchise partners so their stores can run better every day. It's less about big ideas and more about turning those ideas into repeatable, sustainable execution. My job isn't just to imagine what Jeff's Bagel Run can be, it's to do the unglamorous work that helps the brand scale with intention, consistency and care.

What is one career achievement you're most proud of?

The career accomplishment I am most proud of is building Jeff's Bagel Run from a simple idea into a brand that creates real opportunity for others. What started as a small, personal project grew into something bigger than I ever imagined. I'm proud of the teams we've built, the franchise partners who've taken a leap of faith with us and the communities that now call our stores their own. Success, for me, isn't measured only in growth, but in the culture we've protected and the people who've grown alongside the brand.

What industry trends do you think are currently over-hyped and why?

Two takes: viral-first marketing is another overrated obsession. Too many brands chase reach instead of return, confusing views with visits. A million impressions won't fix a mediocre experience, and hype fades faster than operational problems do.

Tech stacks have become performative. More dashboards don't equal better decisions. The best QSRs still win by nailing food, people and process. Everything else is noise.

What industry trends do you think don't get enough attention and why?

3 takes: What we don't talk about enough in QSR is the quiet work that actually drives results. Boring consistency beats flashy innovation almost every time. Relentless execution, clear expectations and simple menus don't make headlines, but they build trust and repeat behavior.

We also underestimate the power of great middle managers. Strong GMs and shift leaders do more for brand health than any national campaign, yet they're rarely developed or celebrated enough.

Another blind spot is culture as an operating system, not a slogan. When values are operationalized into hiring, training and decision-making, everything moves faster and breaks less.

What advice would you give to someone just starting out in your industry?

Don't rush growth. Early entrepreneurship is about reps, not recognition. Learn where the margins live, where systems break, and how small decisions compound. Great founders don't chase shortcuts, they build repeatable processes.

Most importantly, remember QSR is a people business disguised as a food business. If you build with care, protect your team and stay obsessed with the guest experience, the brand will grow from there.

What do you do to have fun outside of work?

Outside of work, I spend as much time as possible with my family. We love being together, whether that's at Disney, out on a cruise or simply unplugging and enjoying time away from the routine.

I also enjoy golf, which gives me a chance to reset, focus and step away from the day-to-day noise. In quieter moments, I enjoy reading fantasy, leadership (and) historical fiction. Between family time, travel, time on the course and reading, those moments recharge me and help keep perspective both personally and professionally.

What's one interesting thing about you that even the people you work with every day probably don't know?

I was a drama kid growing up, and that experience still shapes how I show up today. Theater taught me confidence, empathy, and how to read a room. Skills that translate far beyond the stage. It helped me understand storytelling, timing and the importance of showing up prepared, even when things don't go as planned.

Being part of theater also taught me how powerful it is when a group of people work toward a shared moment. That sense of collaboration, creativity, and connection continues to influence how I lead, communicate and build experiences