Church’s Texas Chicken appointed Kevin Nemeth executive vice president and chief commercial officer on May 26, placing digital engagement and decisions about what restaurants sell within one executive remit.
The appointment announcement assigns Nemeth responsibility for brand and marketing, digital, loyalty, customer relationship management and guest engagement. It also includes menu strategy, pricing, product innovation and revenue growth across the system.
That scope connects an offer’s development with the channels that promote it. A menu item, its price and the message a loyalty member receives can all fall within one commercial leader’s responsibilities. The announcement does not detail approval rights at franchised restaurants.
Nemeth previously served as chief digital and marketing officer at Authentic Restaurant Brands, with earlier leadership experience at Popeyes, TD Bank, L’Oréal and HSN. Church’s CEO Roland Gonzalez linked the appointment to traffic, visit frequency and support for franchisees’ restaurant performance.
The company did not publish numerical targets or an implementation timetable. The immediate change is the assignment of responsibilities; operating results will require subsequent evidence.
An existing rewards program spans small and family orders#
Church’s August 2024 Real Rewards launch illustrates the products behind a loyalty offer. The original terms offered 10 points per dollar spent in restaurants, online or through the app.
The redemption ladder started at 250 points for a regular side, dessert or 22-ounce drink. At 500 points, members could choose a two-piece leg-and-thigh order, three tenders or a chicken sandwich. Higher tiers added larger portions and combinations.
Family chicken orders occupied the upper end: 1,500 points for eight pieces, 2,000 for 12 and 2,500 for 16, all legs and thighs. Those were chicken-only rewards, a meaningful distinction from a family meal that also includes sides and drinks.
This historical structure gave members several possible goals, from a small add-on to chicken for a group. It also required clear descriptions of eligible products, portions and combinations. These are the published launch terms, not a guarantee that every threshold remains unchanged in May 2026. They document the product choices built into the program from its start.
Cash customers and restaurant staff shaped the launch#
In Michael Brady’s December 2024 Restaurant Dive interview, Jessica Wu-McConnell, Church’s vice president of digital and loyalty, described why the company designed rewards around more than app orders.
About half of customers paid in cash, according to the report. Allowing members to earn through cash purchases in restaurants therefore addressed a substantial part of the existing customer base. A program restricted to digital payment would have left that purchasing behavior outside its reach.
Wu-McConnell also said research showed that families wanted chicken rewards, rather than just sides or drinks. The company previously had limited visibility into customer behavior, making the program a way to learn about visits as well as encourage them.
Her account emphasized participation from leadership, franchisees and restaurant staff. Church’s supported the rollout with a marketing campaign of the kind typically used for a menu introduction or limited-time offer.
That reported launch history identifies practical work behind loyalty: explaining eligibility, recognizing purchases and making the reward desirable. It also shows why digital engagement depends on what happens at the restaurant counter.
QSR Pro Staff
The QSR Pro editorial team covers the quick service restaurant industry with in-depth analysis, data-driven reporting, and operator-first perspective.
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