Dive Brief:
- Salad and Go has officially appointed former Wingstop chairman and CEO Charlie Morrison as its CEO, according to a press release emailed to Restaurant Dive.
- Morrison, who has over 30 years of restaurant experience, originally joined Salad and Go’s board of directors in November 2020, later nominating himself as CEO. He was unanimously selected by the board to fill the position.
- As CEO, Morrison will oversee the company’s strategic direction and operations, as well as its aggressive expansion across the country.
Dive Insight:
Prior to Salad and Go, Morrison spent a decade as top executive at Wingstop, which grew to 1,800 locations under his leadership. He also led the company through an initial public offering in 2015. He stepped down from this role in March.
Under Morrison’s leadership, Wingstop doubled average unit volumes, more than tripled its number of units and generated over 60% of its sales from digital channels, according to the press release. The company surpassed $1 billion in digital sales in 2020. Its focus on growing digital sales led the company to test a digital-focused store in Dallas earlier this year and to open ghost kitchens.
Morrison also held leadership roles at various restaurant brands, including Pizza Hut, Steak and Ale Restaurants, Pie Five Pizza Company and Boston Market.
This experience will help Salad and Go, which has about 60 units, grow to 90 units by the end of the year and double that count by the end of 2023. Much of that growth will occur in North Texas, according to the press release. The company already has over 40 units in greater Phoenix, where it is headquartered. The chain also opened a second office in Addison, Texas following its rapid growth trajectory in the state.
Salad and Go’s model is vertically integrated, so it manages its own food production facilities to prepare its products and distribute them to its stores. All of its existing locations have drive-thrus.
