The Jack Is Out Of The Box: Jack in the Box CEO Announces His Departure

It seems as though 2019 has been chock-full of CEOs leaving their respective companies. From Adam Neumann leaving WeWork, to Nike’s Mark Parker and Papa John’s John Schnatter. Not to mention the fiasco with McDonald’s ex CEO Steve Easterbrook. 

Is there something in the water? 

There must be. 

As of Wednesday, December 11, 2019, Jack in the Box CEO Lenny Comma also announced plans of departure from the chain, according to Nation’s Restaurant News (NRN). Comma has been with Jack in the Box for the last 18 years, spending the last six of them as its CEO and board chairman. 

“I’m proud of what the company has been able to accomplish during my tenure as Chairman and CEO,” Comma said in a press statement. “Since 2014, we’ve sold Qdoba, finished our evolution to an asset-light brand by completing our refranchising efforts, gone through a rigorous strategic alternative process, completed a very complex $1.3 billion securitization transaction, dramatically strengthened our operations leadership bench, and recently concluded our ninth straight year of system same-store sales growth.”

Although his tenure and positive benchmarks with the brand, a lot of franchisees have criticized Comma for “not doing enough to reverse declining sales,” according to NRN. 

Comma’s announcement may have something to do with the tensions that rose between the National Jack in the Box Franchise Association and the chain when the group announced a vote of no confidence for Comma and his leadership team, NRN says. The association represents 89% of Jack in the Box operators who own about 1,900 restaurants, it adds. 

A succession plan is now underway to identify his successor and according to NRN, Comma says he’s committed to working with the board to help identify the best person for the job. 

Read the full NRN article here.