Video

C-Speak: How Fazoli's CEO keeps dishing out growth

Carl Howard discusses how he turned a failing QSR brand into a thriving fast casual franchise and why he believes his work isn't quite yet done.

August 18, 2016

While Q2 has been a struggle for many fast casual brands, Fazoli's franchisees are experiencing nearly three times the industry average growth rate with new franchised restaurants setting company-wide records, said CEO Carl Howard, who recently sat down with FastCasual to discuss his successful transformation of a once failing QSR brand.

Howard joined Fazoli's in 2008, and has since rebranded the chain into a modern, fast casual concept by improving everything from the decor to the menu. These changes, coupled with the company’s strong performance, continues to drive its expansion. The brand, for example, recently signed nine multi-unit and single-unit franchise agreements to develop 22 new restaurants nationwide. As part of the agreements, Fazoli’s will develop new restaurants in Dothan, Alabama; Snellville, Georgia; Southern California; Hazard, Kentucky; Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Memphis, Tennessee; McAllen, Texas; Chicago and Central Indiana.

That is just the beginning of the chain's growth, said Howard, who is seeking single- and multi-unit operators to help take expand the brand's presence across the country. Fazoli's has more than 220 units in 24 states.

Editors note: C-Speak is a video series dedicated to delivering insights from the industry's top C-level execs on trends, growth and innovation. If your company would like to be the star of a future installment, send email to Liz Matney lizadv@networldmediagroup.com.