Dive Brief:
- Jack in the Box CEO Darin Harris is exiting his role for a position outside the restaurant industry, the company said in a press release Monday.
- Executive vice president and CFO Lance Tucker assumed CEO duties on Monday as interim principal executive officer. Harris will remain with the chain until March 14 as a consultant.
- During Harris’ nearly five-year tenure, he oversaw the acquisition of Del Taco, restarted franchising at Jack in the Box and eliminated Jack in the Box’s COO position.
Dive Insight:
Harris pushed Jack in the Box to grow its footprint despite sluggish same-store sales, which continue to drag on the chain.
In 2021, the company began aggressively franchising. A year later, Jack in the Box signed agreements for over 260 units. At the end of its fiscal 2024 in September, the company opened 30 units and completed 60 restaurant site approvals. Jack in the Box ended fiscal 2024 with 2,191 units, five more than the previous fiscal year.
Tucker will likely continue this growth trajectory in the interim.
He joined the company on Jan. 13 after a five-year absence. He previously served as CFO for Jack in the Box from March 2018 to September 2020. Tucker has over 20 years of experience in corporate finance and has served as CFO for CKE Restaurants in addition to a 14-year stint in various leadership positions at Papa Johns.
“With Lance’s multi-faceted, strategic expertise over the last 20 years at the executive level, we are excited to welcome him as the interim CEO,” David L. Goebel, chairman of Jack in the Box’s board, said in a statement. “The Board is confident in Lance’s ability to build upon the existing foundation in a way that balances our growth and financial goals, while ensuring that the company remains competitive in the rapidly evolving quick-service restaurant landscape.”
During Tucker’s time as interim chief, Dawn Hooper, senior vice president and controller, will be interim principal financial officer, the company said. Hooper has been with the chain for two decades in various leadership positions within the finance department
