Dive Brief:
- Rego Restaurant Group has appointed Neel Patel as its CEO, overseeing its Quiznos and Taco del Mar brands, the company said Thursday in a press release. Patel succeeds Tim Casey, who served as president and CEO for over six years and left the company in December, according to LinkedIn.
- Patel previously served as senior vice president, strategy and growth at Church’s Texas Chicken, where he played a part in the chain’s transformation and recent transaction growth. He led commercial strategy, revenue management and global expansion efforts for the chicken brand.
- Patel’s expertise will help the Rego’s chains as they try to grow. It recently opened its fifth Quiznos location in Michigan, and in 2023 opened its first Quiznos/Taco del Mar co-branded location as part of a 13-unit deal with Sunshine Gasoline Distributors in Florida.
Dive Insight:
Patel has experience in business transformation and will develop growth strategies to help drive expansion and innovation at both Quiznos and Taco del Mar, Rego said. The company’s portfolio includes nearly 450 units across 11 countries, according to the press release.
Patel’s resume includes over six years as an engagement manager at McKinsey & Company, where he served in the marketing and sales department, according to his LinkedIn profile. He advised clients across various industries regarding enterprise strategy, commercial optimization, data and analytics and value creation.
“Both Quiznos and Taco del Mar are well-positioned for expansion and accelerated growth, and we are confident that Neel is the ideal leader to drive that momentum,” Coady Smith, a board member of Rego Restaurant Group and a principal at High Bluff Capital Partners, said in a statement. “His deep expertise in driving unit-level profitability, optimizing operations, and delivering data-driven business transformations will be instrumental as we continue to expand our brands and deliver exceptional value to our customers and franchisee partners.”
Rego has focused on a variety of growth strategies in the past few years, including working with with BCubed to create 650-square-foot modular drive-thru units for both Quiznos and Taco del Mar to help accelerate growth. It also partners with Ghost Kitchens International (the former Ghost Kitchen Brands) to open inside Walmart stores.
