# QSR Leadership & People

> Source: https://qsr.pro/lists/leadership-and-people
> Publisher: QSR Pro


Profiles, interviews, and analysis of the executives, franchisees, and innovators driving the QSR industry forward.

Profiles, interviews, and analysis of the executives, franchisees, and innovators driving the QSR industry forward.

- [Sweetgreen plans manager pay tied to sales and tenure](https://qsr.pro/articles/sweetgreen-manager-pay-performance-development) — Sweetgreen’s fiscal 2027 pay plan rewards restaurant sales and tenure, alongside a separate incentive for developing managers.
- [Workers pay more for family health coverage at smaller firms](https://qsr.pro/articles/family-health-premiums-small-firm-workers-2026) — KFF compares family premiums and worker contributions. Separate federal data distinguish benefit access from enrollment.
- [Chick-fil-A adds a second $1,500 scholarship window](https://qsr.pro/articles/chick-fil-a-second-scholarship-window-operator-workflow) — Restaurant employees can apply in fall and spring. Operators submit recommendations after employee applications.
- [Restaurants and bars added 10,800 jobs in September](https://qsr.pro/articles/september-2026-restaurant-payrolls-hiring-staffing) — September’s restaurant and bar payroll gain followed a revised increase in August.
- [CAVA’s training plan at 500 restaurants](https://qsr.pro/articles/cava-opening-teams-training-500-restaurants-september-2026) — Opening specialists and manager development support the expansion.
- [Restaurant Workers in Survey See Several Paths to Advance](https://qsr.pro/articles/restaurant-workers-survey-career-advancement-current-other-employers) — Surveyed workers see career opportunities with current and other employers.
- [How restaurant workers can ask Giving Kitchen for crisis support](https://qsr.pro/articles/giving-kitchen-crisis-assistance-restaurant-workers) — Ahead of September 25, Giving Kitchen is pointing food-service workers toward existing crisis assistance and community resources.
- [Aspire’s first food-service trainees serve a practice lunch](https://qsr.pro/articles/aspire-food-service-training-paid-internships) — Aspire’s first food-service cohort handled a three-course lunch, from taking orders to resetting tables, as part of its preparation for restaurant jobs.
- [Thrive put a Goodwill coach in nine restaurants](https://qsr.pro/articles/thrive-goodwill-success-coach-wichita-applebees) — More than 80 of about 300 Wichita employees used the coach in year one.
- [Chipotle Targets Full Apprentice Coverage by the End of 2027](https://qsr.pro/articles/chipotle-apprentice-coverage-target-management-development-2027) — Chipotle aims to extend Apprentice coverage from roughly three-quarters of restaurants to every company-owned location by end-2027.
- [Massachusetts cites Dunkin operator and staffing firms over worker pay](https://qsr.pro/articles/massachusetts-nmg-dunkin-staffing-wage-citations-september-2026) — The $1.46 million assessment covers restitution for 100 employees and state penalties, with findings involving classification, pay and assignment notices.
- [Wendy’s Gives Tariq Hassan a Combined Marketing and Customer Growth Role](https://qsr.pro/articles/wendys-tariq-hassan-marketing-customer-growth-role-2026) — The August leadership change puts customer growth alongside marketing as Wendy’s works through weak U.S. sales. Operators need shared measures and a clear feedback route.
- [Wendy’s plans new operations role as Suerken prepares QSCC return](https://qsr.pro/articles/wendys-suerken-qscc-chief-operations-officer-august-2026) — Wendy’s is recruiting a chief operations officer while Pete Suerken prepares to return to its independent purchasing cooperative.
- [Portillo’s cuts headquarters roles as restaurant cost pressures grow](https://qsr.pro/articles/portillos-headquarters-workforce-cuts-restructuring-august-2026) — Portillo’s July staffing action affected headquarters and limited field management roles. Its filing projects $1.1 million in restructuring charges and excludes restaurant team members.
- [SouthFair’s Shipley Agreement Links a Restaurant to Its Neighborhood Mission](https://qsr.pro/articles/southfair-shipley-community-donut-malcolms-point-dallas-2026) — SouthFair plans to operate a Shipley franchise at Malcolm’s Point, where Dallas records document a funded property-development loan and a separate proposed grant.