Whataburger Restaurants LP on Monday outlined a number of executive changes to take effect Jan. 3.
As the company has previously stated, Preston Atkinson, current president, will trade in his additional chief operating officer title to become chief executive officer, succeeding Tom Dobson, son of Whataburger founder Harmon Dobson, who remains as chairman.
Clifton Rutledge will assume Atkinson’s position as chief operating officer. He is currently vice president of operations. Rutledge joined Whataburger in March 2001 as director of operations for Texas.
Other changes at San Antonio, Texas-based Whataburger include:
• Buddy Reno, current senior administrative officer, will become chief of staff, working with the president and CEO to manage strategic projects and long-term company growth. Reno has worked at Whataburger for 28 years.
• Jack Sampson will be promoted to vice president of operations, succeeding Rutledge. Sampson joined Whataburger in 2004 after working at Boston’s Gourmet Pizza as vice president of operations.
• Rob Rodriguez will assume the role of group vice president of operations. He joined Whataburger in 2006 after working at Carlson Cos. and Brinker International.
When Atkinson assumes the CEO post on Jan. 3, Dobson will remain chairman and be actively involved in the business, along with his sister, Lynne, and brother, Hugh.
Whataburger has 729 restaurants in 10 states.
Contact Ron Ruggless at ronald.ruggless@penton.com.
Follow him on Twitter: @RonRuggless
Stronger same-store sales and customer traffic helped propel the National Restaurant Association’s Restaurant Performance Index above 100 in September — the first time in three months, the NRA said.
The RPI, a monthly composite that tracks the health of and outlook for the foodservice industry, rose to 100.1 in September, up 0.7 percent from August and its highest level since June.
A number above the benchmark 100 reflects expansion in the key industry indicators.
“The September increase in the Restaurant Performance Index was fueled by improvements in the same-store sales and customer traffic indicators,” said Hudson Riehle, senior vice president of the Research and Knowledge Group for the NRA.
“Among the forward-looking indicators, restaurant operators are more optimistic about sales growth in the months ahead, while their outlook for the overall economy remains cloudy.”
See more about performance in September; story continues below
The RPI consists of two components — the Current Situation Index, which measures current trends in same-store sales, traffic, labor and capital expenditures; and the Expectations Index, which measures operators’ six-month outlook for same-store sales, employees, capital expenditures and business conditions.
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The Current Situation Index was 100.1 in September, an increase of 0.8 percent compared with August results and the first gain in three months.
Fifty percent of restaurateurs surveyed by the NRA reported a same-store sales increase between September 2010 and September 2011, up from 45 percent who reported a sales gain in August. Thirty-four percent of operators reported lower same-store sales in September, down from 37 percent who reported similarly a month earlier.
Operators also saw net positive customer traffic levels in September, the NRA said. Forty-three percent of restaurateurs saw higher customer traffic levels between September 2010 and September 2011, compared with 33 percent who reported a traffic decline. In comparison, 34 percent of operators in August reported higher traffic, compared with 42 percent of operators who reported a traffic decline.
The Expectations Index rose 0.7 percent to 100.2 in September, the strongest gain in nine months, the NRA said. September also was the first time in three months the Expectations component was above the 100 mark, signifying an more optimistic outlook among operators.
NRA research found that 37 percent of operators anticipate having higher sales in six months compared with the year-ago period. That is up from 33 percent in August, which represented the lowest level in 19 months. At the same time, 19 percent of restaurateurs said they expect that sales will be lower in six months, down from the 23 percent who had a similar outlook last month.
The RPI is based on the responses to the NRA’s monthly tracking survey.
Contact Paul Frumkin at paul.frumkin@penton.com.
Daily supplements of omega-3 fatty acids may improve symptoms of depression, but only in people taking antidepressant medications, according to a new study.
Daily supplements of omega-3 fatty acids may improve symptoms of depression, but only in people taking antidepressant medications, according to a new study.
Following the outstanding success of last year’s edition, NutraIngredients-USA.com will host its 2nd virtual conference and expo dedicated to weight management, showcasing the latest trends and strategies in weight management for the food, beverage and dietary supplements industries.
Following the outstanding success of last year’s edition, NutraIngredients-USA.com will host its 2nd virtual conference and expo dedicated to weight management, showcasing the latest trends and strategies in weight management for the food, beverage and dietary supplements industries.
