Urban Bird Hot Chicken, the nearly 30-unit hot chicken franchise, has appointed restaurant industry veteran Stephen O'Connor as CEO, bringing decades of global restaurant, franchise and executive leadership experience to one of the country's emerging fast casual brands.

O'Connor has spent more than 35 years leading restaurant companies across domestic and international markets, helping brands expand throughout North America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia. His career has included executive leadership roles with TGI Fridays, Ruby Tuesday, Sbarro, Johnny Rockets and numerous international hospitality organizations, where he oversaw franchise development, operations and strategic growth across dozens of countries.

Before taking on the new role, O'Connor worked closely with the company as a consultant, helping prepare the brand for domestic and international franchise growth. During that time, he partnered with founders Brandon Gawthorp and Chantel Fiaschetti on expansion strategy and soon realized there was an opportunity to contribute in a much larger role.

“The chicken segment's been very hot, especially hot chicken,” O’Connor said. “I was looking for another brand, and I was introduced to Brandon and Chantel. I took a look at their brand and thought it was a great product with a great environment, and they had a perfect economic box for international growth. I believe this brand has incredible legs. It's very expandable. The consumers are telling us they love the product.”

Drawing on his experience expanding brands across diverse international markets, O’Connor said he is prepared to lead Urban Bird through its next phase of growth. Having navigated cultural differences, changing consumer preferences and a variety of operational challenges throughout his career, he plans to focus on building strong teams, developing future leaders and creating a sustainable foundation that supports long-term success.

His priorities during his first year include strengthening Urban Bird's culture, developing future leaders and continuing to build the systems needed to support franchise expansion without compromising the brand's quality or guest experience. As both a former franchise executive and franchise owner, O'Connor said he understands the relationship between franchisor and franchisee from both perspectives.

"Brandon and Chantel were franchisees first, and that brings a unique perspective," O'Connor said. “I worked for global franchising brands, but I also became a franchisee. I've worked on both sides of the fence. We're not just selling franchises. We're selling partnerships, and we're looking to build partnerships with people who genuinely want to be in the business.”

As Urban Bird enters its next stage of growth, the company is investing in experienced leadership to help scale the business while staying true to the quality, culture and guest experience that built the brand.

"Stephen's experience is incredible, but what really stood out to us was how well he fit our culture and our vision for the future," said Gawthorp. “He's focused on people, believes in doing things the right way and understands that long-term success starts with taking care of your team, your franchisees and your guests. As we continue to grow, we're confident he's the right person to help lead Urban Bird into its next chapter.”

"When I look at Urban Bird today, I don't just see restaurants, I see people," said Fiaschetti. “I see the team members who have poured their hearts into this brand, the guests who continue to choose us and the leaders who have helped shape this journey. The secret ingredient has always been our people. Protecting that culture has been my highest priority from day one because I've always believed extraordinary restaurants are built by extraordinary people. As we enter this next chapter, I couldn't be more excited to have Stephen leading the team. He shares that same commitment to our culture while helping Urban Bird reach its full potential. My vision has always been about more than building restaurants, it's about developing leaders, creating opportunities and building a legacy that will endure for generations.”

Looking ahead, O'Connor wants Urban Bird to continue growing with purpose rather than simply pursuing rapid expansion. 

"We want to build a company where we create exceptional people that will deliver an exceptional experience," O'Connor said. “We want to achieve scale, but we don't want to achieve scale for scale's purpose. We want to do it in a measured way where everybody that becomes a partner with us grows in tandem. We want to evolve, adapt and do it in a measured, sustainable way so that it lasts forever.”

ABOUT URBAN BIRD HOT CHICKEN

Urban Bird Hot Chicken is a Houston-based fast casual restaurant franchise founded by seasoned multi-unit operators Brandon Gawthorp and Chantel Fiaschetti. Known for its made-to-order halal hot chicken, the brand features premium halal chicken brined for 24 to 48 hours, house-made sauces and freshly prepared sides, with a menu intentionally designed for off-premise dining and delivery.

Since launching in 2020, Urban Bird has expanded to nearly 30 corporate restaurants and virtual concepts, many operating in second-generation spaces that help optimize real estate efficiencies, streamline labor models and maintain strong cost controls without compromising food quality or consistency.

Backed by a proven operating model, strong unit-level economics and significant white space for growth beyond Texas, Urban Bird is now expanding through franchising with a disciplined, scalable approach focused on sustainable development across both traditional and virtual restaurant formats. For more information, visit urbanbirdfranchise.com.