After Three Decades Building Major Restaurant Brands, Jeanette Davis Chooses Mellow Mushroom Franchise for Her Next Chapter in Las Vegas

For Jeanette Davis, choosing Mellow Mushroom meant putting more than 30 years of restaurant development experience behind a brand she believed was worth building. As Senior Vice President of Food at LV Petroleum, she leads all hospitality and development strategy across the LV network, including menu development, kitchen operations, food safety, and compliance for 226+ nationally known FSR and QSR brands. She was drawn to the psychedelic pizza franchise for its imaginative pizzas, hand-tossed stone-baked dough and distinctive atmosphere.

In 2022, Davis’ previous employer stopped developing new restaurants and began divesting locations. That left Davis with a choice: move into general retail or continue in food development. She stayed with food and eventually joined two partners in Las Vegas who were building out a food-and-beverage portfolio.

When it came time to decide what to build next, Mellow Mushroom stood out. Davis saw a brand with enough personality to connect with the Las Vegas market and enough room to grow there. She has since signed a multi-unit development agreement and is preparing to open her first location in Henderson, a project she describes as the “Super Bowl” of her career.

Davis sat down with 1851 to discuss her journey from a high school Dairy Queen employee to a premier multi-unit operator, sharing her philosophy on taking restaurants "from conception to birth" and the power of following a proven playbook. Here’s what she had to say:

1851 Franchise: Tell us your story in one sentence.

Jeanette Davis: I’ve built my career growing restaurant brands, developing strong teams and creating operationally sound businesses. I’m looking now to bring that experience to a distinctive brand like Mellow Mushroom and help expand its presence in the Las Vegas market.

1851: What was happening in your life that made you realize it was time to make a change?

Davis: I spent a long career with Minute Mart Foods, which was acquired by TravelCenters of America and later EG America. At that point, I faced a fork in the road: retail or food. I chose food because I really wanted to get into construction and development. I like to say I take a restaurant from conception to birth, and then operations to infinity.

By 2022, EG America was no longer developing. We were in a maintain-and-hold status and had started divesting locations. Then, my old mentor from TA called me about two partners in Las Vegas who wanted to build out their food-and-beverage portfolio. I took a free weekend trip to Vegas to meet them. After hearing their vision, I decided to take a leap of faith, leave my long-term career and join them to help build something new.

1851: Why did you choose this franchise over every other opportunity?

Davis: Mellow Mushroom stood out to me because it’s not just another pizza concept. The brand has a very recognizable personality, a strong culture and an atmosphere that gives each restaurant the opportunity to connect with the local community. I’m very driven by community connections.

With Mellow Mushroom, I also saw tremendous potential in the combination of pizza with bar sales, the dining experience, takeout and catering. From an operator standpoint, I’m attracted to brands that have both an emotional connection with guests and a business model I can grow with.

1851: What is it really like owning a Mellow Mushroom franchise?

Davis: We’re building our first one, but what excites me about owning a Mellow Mushroom franchise is that it's a brand where the operator can bring something to the table. Mellow Mushroom has established systems and standards, but there’s also personality and individuality. That combination is appealing to me because great restaurant operations require discipline, while great restaurant brands also need energy, culture and a genuine connection to their guests. Mellow Mushroom is a perfect fit for Las Vegas.

1851: How has owning this franchise changed your life?

Davis: I look at Mellow Mushroom as the next chapter of my restaurant career rather than simply owning another investment. When I left my role to come out to Las Vegas and take this position, I told everybody it was my Super Bowl, my fourth quarter.

The opportunity allows me to take everything I’ve learned about operations, development, people, financial performance and brand partnership and apply it to a concept that I genuinely believe has a lot of room to grow. I first learned about Mellow Mushroom at Clemson University in 2008, so I’ve known about it for a long time. It’s exciting to bring them out West where they don’t yet have a footprint.

1851: If your best friend had enough money to buy this franchise tomorrow, what would you tell them?

Davis: I would tell them that having enough money to buy a franchise and being prepared to operate one successfully are two different things. My best advice would be to do your homework, understand the economics, spend time in the restaurants to get to know the franchisor and make sure you believe in the brand.

If you can’t build a strong relationship with the franchisor and you don’t believe in the brand, you won't be successful. But if all those pieces line up and you commit fully, the restaurant industry rewards operators who are present, disciplined and passionate about their people and their guests.

1851: What's the one thing you wish someone had told you before you bought this franchise?

Davis: I would say this about restaurant franchising in general: The brand gives you the playbook because its concepts are proven, but the franchisee still has to execute it. Location, leadership, staffing, training, financial discipline and consistency ultimately determine whether that playbook produces results.

Early in my career, at my first restaurant, I wish someone had given me that advice because I learned the hard way that my own ideas and way of doing things weren’t as effective as following a proven concept. If you use the tools provided and follow them to a T, you will be successful.

ABOUT MELLOW MUSHROOM:

Founded in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1974, Mellow Mushroom has been serving up fresh, stone-baked pizzas in an eclectic, art-filled environment for over 50 years. Each location is locally owned and operated, with unique restaurant designs that reflect the creativity and character of the communities they serve. Known for their hand-tossed, stone-baked pizzas, craft cocktails, and wide selection of beers, Mellow Mushroom is more than a pizza restaurant — it's a gathering place that inspires loyalty and community. To learn more about franchising opportunities, visit https://www.mellowmushroom.com/franchising.