Women in Restaurant Leadership (WiRL)

FEATURED KEYNOTE ALERT ?? Where in the world is WiRL going next, you might be asking yourself. The answer is the QSR Evolution Conference, of course! We have FIVE powerhouse women in restaurant leadership featured as keynote speakers this year. Kicking us off is the amazing Debbie Stroud, President & CEO of Whataburger. ???? Debbie helped us kick off our inaugural WiRL Together Summit back in 2024 in partnership with the Whataburger “She-Suite.” Now, she’s coming to Atlanta as the face of a 75-year-old legacy brand that we all know and love. ??? Explore the full agenda: https://lnkd.in/dnymrX66 Registration is open NOW: https://lnkd.in/e4yk2gsJ

A round of congratulations is in order for the amazing Kasey McDonald, who has just been tapped as Culver's Restaurants new head of culinary! ?? The Wisconsin native will oversee menu research and development at Culver Franchising System headquarters, coming to the company with 15 years of industry experience spanning Firehouse Subs, Carl's Jr., and Hardee's. “It’s an honor to join the Culver’s team and help contribute to a brand I’ve been a fan of since childhood,” said McDonald. “I know how passionate Culver’s guests are about ButterBurgers, Fresh Frozen Custard and Wisconsin Cheese Curds—and that’s a passion we have in common. I’ve already been dreaming up delicious new menu items for guests to fall in love with, and I can’t wait to get started. Read the full release here: https://lnkd.in/e3zmiXng

Salt & Straw founder & CEO Kim Malek wants women to lean into their dreams EARLY AND OFTEN. ?? ?? #WiRLPower Read about her journey here: https://lnkd.in/d3x3uU_d

We want to hear from YOU ?? What topics or discussions would you like to see reflected in our content? Let us know in the comments. ?? #EveryVoiceMatters #WiRLPower

If you were with us in Nashville last week, you may have heard our very special shoutout on stage —?but we thought we would highlight this amazing milestone on here as well! ?? Huge congratulations to Pamela Williams as she celebrates her 38th year of service to Krystal Restaurants LLC! ?? Did you know? ?? Pam started with Krystal in high school in 1987 and was promoted to shift leader, AGM, and then GM before beginning her journey in training. #WiRLPower #CareerMilestones #Shoutout

Woohoo PMQ Pizza ?? ??

New #WiRLPod episode has just dropped! For the first time ever, we have not one but TWO amazing women on as guests. You might even recognize one from our event last week... ???? Satyne Doner caught up with Coors family heiress and CEO of Salad Collective, Darden Coors, and Jenn R., VP of Marketing and recent WiRL panelist! ?? These two are tossing up the future of fresh eats, growing a thriving fast-casual empire with three different concepts: Tokyo Joe's, Snappy Salads, and MAD Greens. ?? ?? Grab your forks and join us for a conversation around culture, leadership, brand strategy, and making healthy eating fun! Listen here: https://lnkd.in/ggUmnDvD

We’re continuing the conversation ??? WEBINAR ALERT: Join Full Course founder and CEO (and recent WiRL speaker) Lauren Fernandez on March 6th at 2 PM EST! ??? This webinar dives deep into one of the restaurant industry's most critical dynamics: the franchisor-franchisee relationship. Together, we’ll explore actionable strategies to optimize this partnership for greater productivity and success. Lauren will share her expertise on fixing unit-level economics, addressing the challenges of a broken model, and offering franchisees practical steps to improve profitability. With many operators dangerously close to breakeven, facing burnout, and seeking sustainable solutions, this session will focus on empowering them with tools and insights to navigate these tough times and rebuild their operations for long-term growth. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain valuable advice from an industry leader and learn how franchisors and franchisees can collaborate to drive performance, profitability, and resilience. REGISTER NOW ???? https://lnkd.in/dYZ6HVJS Even if you can’t make the webinar IRL, register to have a copy delivered to your inbox on demand!

Last week, we welcomed almost 500 women (and a few Kens!) to Nashville for our 2nd WiRL #TogetherSummit. ? Leaders from all levels, all walks of life, and all corners of the industry came together for a full day of elevation, education, and empowerment. Shannon Hennessy, CEO of Habit Burger & Grill, kicked off the show with an inspiring testimony on “The Power of the Pivot.” ?????? “I believe people are the real secret ingredient. I think at the end of the day, each of us is one person. We've got seven days in the week and 24 hours in the day,” she says. “And if you can figure out how to have amazing people around you who want to work with you to accomplish something, you'd go much farther.”

Until next year… #WiRLPower??? Again, thank you to our attendees, speakers, and sponsors for making WiRL Year 2 in Nashville a success! We appreciate your support and can’t wait to see you next year in Charleston, South Carolina, on February 25-26! Save the date!