A&W Restaurants, an all-American QSR with over 100 years of experience in business and serving communities, announced today, Meredeth Jones as vice president of franchise development and design. Providing more than15 years of experience in franchising, Jones will play a key role in advancing the growth and expansion of the iconic 105-year-old brand.
“When growing our A&W family, we look for people who love and know our brand, are passionate about franchising and dedicated to supporting our franchisees’ success, and for us, that person is Meredeth,” said Kevin Bazner, CEO of A&W Restaurants. “As the food-service industry continues to evolve, entrepreneurial opportunities flourish and untapped markets expand, we are confident that she will take advantage of these shifts to positively impact our company, our franchisees and our partners.”
For more than 15 years Jones supported the success of franchise brands by transforming ideas into sustainable businesses. Her experience spans diverse sectors of the franchising industry, where she developed expertise in quick-service and full-service dining to health and wellness, retail and child enrichment. Jones found her specialty in new franchise sales, resales and acquisitions, including single and multi-unit development across traditional, non-traditional and convenience store locations.
Jones served in franchise development leadership for notable brands such as Caribou Coffee, Inspire Brands and TheCoderSchool, where she played a key role in transforming and expanding the business. In 2010, she founded two chicks consulting – a franchise consulting company supporting franchisor growth for emerging brands. Now, as vice president of franchise development and design at A&W Restaurants, Jones will channel her expertise into driving national expansion, enhancing brand awareness, strengthening franchisor and franchisee relationships and attracting new entrepreneurial talent.
“Franchising provides a unique opportunity for individuals wanting to go into business for themselves backed by a supportive team dedicated to making their entrepreneurial dreams a reality,” said Jones. “My passion for sustainable franchising is fueled by a desire to help people become business owners and/or expand their existing portfolios to continue building upon the legacy they are creating for themselves and their future generations to come. For more than 100 years and counting, A&W continues to grow through franchising, creating what feels more like family and I am excited to be a part of such an iconic brand with so much potential.”
To learn more about franchising with A&W Restaurants, visit our franchise website here.
About A&W Restaurants:
A&W Restaurants, one of the world’s best-known and most beloved quick-service brands, is experiencing a dramatic revival as more Americans discover – or rediscover – its famous Root Beer and high-quality All American Food® favorites. Based on the original 1919 recipe, A&W’s signature Root Beer is made fresh in each restaurant with real cane sugar, water, and a proprietary blend of herbs, bark, spices, and berries and served in a frosty mug. Founded over 100 years ago, A&W Restaurants has over 850 locations in 35 U.S. states and Asia, of which over 600 are single-brand A&Ws and 230 are co-branded with KFC or Long John Silver’s.
