QSR July 2022

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Dave Wetzel President and Chief Operating Officer FARMER BOYS

What was your first job? I am a California native, born and raised in SoCal. I started working in restaurants as a young teenager in Garden Grove, beginning as a cook in a local pizza chain, Perry’s Pizza. My first boss and men tor was a franchisee, John Vairo, who was a hands-on owner-operator. ational answer. My go-to is the Chopped Cobb Salad, a meal in a bowl. When a full meal is not in order then I get the Fried Zucchini, which is much heartier than you might imagine. What’s your favorite cuisine aside from Farmer Boys? Having started in a pizza place I love Italian food (and a nice glass of Chianti). Who inspires you as a leader? It may sound cliché but the people around me. I am continually amazed at how eager our team is to create success and get it right. What’s the best piece of advice that other restau rant executives should hear? Pay attention to the people around you. They are often smarter than you individually and are certainly smarter than you collec tively. What are some of your interests outside of work? I spend most of my time hik ing trails or on my mountain bike. My wife and I have four incredible adult children who are making their way in the world, and we love to get them together when they can get “home.” What’s your favorite menu item at Farmer Boys? Tough question. I have to give you a situ

F armer Boys is a Southern California-based fast casual known for its award-winning burgers and exceptional service. Today, we boast 101 corporate and franchised locations across California, Nevada, and Arizona. I joined the team in January 2020, just before COVID 19 hit. Taking over during the pandemic was a mixed bag. On the plus side, Farmer Boys had a planned transition as I first joined as SVP of Operations and had six months to become famil iar with the brand. On the flip side, the concept needed to shift priorities, but we managed to thrive through solid communication. My start began at Taco Bell as a GM in the research and development sector. I worked up from district manager to regional training to proj ect manager, staying for 10 years. My final post was leading the ops services team and express operations group. Following Taco Bell, I headed to senior ops positions at Koo Koo Roo and El Pollo Loco. Most recently, I was with The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf in franchise ops, followed by a

similar position as VP of franchise for Del Taco. While working at Taco Bell, I met Karen Eadon, a world-class marketer who became Taco Bell’s VP of operations services. Eadon became a personal mentor and we worked together at several companies. At El Pollo Loco, my direct super visor and mentor was Ken Clark, who oversaw the company’s franchise operations, and we both worked alongside Eadon, who was CMO at the time. Both Clark and Eadon went on to become president of Farmer Boys. Following in Eadon’s footsteps at Farmer Boys was a huge personal honor. Upon joining Farmer Boys pre-COVID, the concept placed a sharp focus on drive-thru. As COVID set in, we accelerated efforts by bolster ing training, narrowing focus, and installing new technology such as timer systems, new headsets, and outside order-taking devices. I also instituted a weekly video call for all franchisees and general managers, regularly having over 100 participants storewide, to provide updates and reminders, and that call remains in place today. q

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JULY 2022 | QSR | www.qsrmagazine.com