Applebee’s has promoted vice president of operations Kevin Carroll to chief operations officer of the casual-dining brand.
In his new role, Carroll, who joined Applebee’s in June after close to three decades at Chili’s, will report to Applebee’s President John Cywinski.
“Kevin is an exceptional leader and operator who understands what it takes to achieve operational excellence,” Cywinski said in a statement. “He shares our passion for our guests and our strong belief in culture, franchisee collaboration and accountability. I know him well and am pleased to be promoting him to this role.”
Applebee’s has been dogged by continued sales challenges, as recent years’ efforts to revitalize the brand—which included a push to appeal to millennials and the introduction of wood-fired grills in all of its restaurants—did not pan out as intended. The chain’s parent, DineEquity, announced that it would potentially close up to 135 Applebee’s locations this year.
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