Franchise News
The CEO of A&W discussed the expansion of the advisory board in addition to the development and growth of the brand, which saw an increase in sales throughout the pandemic.
In a recent interview with Nation’s Restaurant News, Kevin Bazner, CEO of A&W, discussed the expansion of the brand’s advisory board to include three new members as well as what the future looks like for the brand. Bazner, who has been with A&W for 28 years, said the pandemic provided the 102-year-old brand with growth opportunities, and a lot of those opportunities are due to its franchisees and drive-thru model. 2020 was the ninth year in a row of sales growth for the brand with single-brand locations seeing a 9.7% increase.
“Our franchise partners who do all the work out there in the field with their operators and their managers have really done a terrific job, and it's really been all about execution at the drive-thru and, in our case, our legacy drive-ins. We're benefiting from the heritage of the brand,” Bazner said. “During times of crisis, people gravitate to brands they know and love. We've been one of those brands for 102 years now.”
Bazner also discussed how the brand’s 96 convenience storefronts, which are mainly in travel plazas, are seeing an increase in sales as well since people are traveling more. A&W has 500-plus units, including 300 standalone restaurants.
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