Dive Brief:
- Walk-On’s Sport Bistreaux has appointed Chris Dawson, formerly multi-brand president at Driven Brands, as its CEO, the company wrote in an email to Restaurant Dive.
- Dawson succeeds Scott Taylor, who became CEO in January after over 12 years as president and COO.
- In his new role, Dawson will “support the brand’s growth and bolster its leadership presence in the restaurant and franchise industries, including building out a high-performing and seasoned leadership team.”
Dive Insight:
Dawson has experience scaling brands nationally, and his expertise will benefit the brand as it aims to open 20 to 25 units annually. Walk-On’s, which is backed by private equity partners 10 Point Capital and pro-football quarterback Drew Brees, has over 100 units in its pipeline. This would double its current store count of 78 units within the next few years. The company also has average unit volumes of $4.8 million.
“Walk-On’s will be a 500-plus unit brand. The next few years are about leadership and building a world-class infrastructure to support our franchisees as we scale,” Scott Pressly, managing director of 10 Point Capital, said in a statement. “Chris joining the brand underscores our commitment to investing in support of this growth.”
Dawson spent about six years at Driven Brands, initially as a VP of strategic and franchise operations at Take 5 Oil Change, where he helped establish the brand. He held several leadership roles, becoming president of Paint and Collision at Driven Brands in September 2022, according to his LinkedIn profile. His past experience also includes a stint as director of new unit growth at Denny’s for over three years and work as a Cicis Pizza franchisee for over six years.
Taylor has left Walk-On’s for other opportunities, but was instrumental in building the brand during his tenure, the company wrote in an email to Restaurant Dive.
“Scott was an incredible champion of our brand, our team members, our customers and our continued growth, and we thank him for the 12+ years he has dedicated to Walk-On’s. We would not be where we are today without him,” the company said.
