Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux has a new CEO. Again.
The 78-unit sports-bar franchise on Tuesday announced that it has hired Chris Dawson, a former executive with automotive services company Driven Brands, as its new CEO. Dawson replaces Scott Taylor, who became CEO in January after more than 12 years with Walk-On’s.
"Chris Dawson will assume the role of Walk-On’s CEO as Scott Taylor begins a new chapter outside of the company," Walk-On's said in a statement. "Scott was an incredible champion of our brand, our team members, our customers and our continued growth, and we thank him for the 12+ years he has dedicated to Walk-On’s. We would not be where we are today without him."
Walk-On’s said Dawson’s experience scaling franchise brands will help the chain continue its recent franchising push. Dawson spent more than five years at Driven, where he worked on brands such as Take Five Oil Change and Maaco. He was most recently president of the franchisor's paint and collision division.
He also has restaurant franchising experience. He was director of new unit growth at Denny’s from 2014 to 2017 and before that he was a Cicis Pizza franchisee for more than six years.
“Chris and I share a passion for building a strong culture and a winning team,” said Brandon Landry, Walk-On’s co-founder, chairman and former CEO, in a statement. “He has built successful franchise systems, and the teams that allow him to deliver on the goals of franchisee profitability and amazing guest satisfaction.”
Baton Rouge, La.-based Walk-On’s has been growing quickly behind a 2020 investment from 10 Point Capital, which believes the chain can one day have more than 500 restaurants.
“The next few years are about leadership and building a world-class infrastructure to support our franchisees as we scale,” said 10 Point Managing Director Scott Pressly in a statement. “Chris joining the brand underscores our commitment to investing in support of this growth.”
Taylor joined Walk-On’s as president and COO in 2010 and has been credited with helping to build the brand. Landry called Taylor “the natural choice” for his successor when he stepped down in January.
Before joining Walk-On’s, Taylor had two decades of hospitality experience at Marriott International, Shells Seafood and Beef ‘O’ Brady’s.
Landry, a former basketball walk-on at LSU, founded Walk-On’s in 2003 in Baton Rouge. He left the CEO role to focus on other entrepreneurial opportunities, but remains involved with the brand as chairman.
Last year, Walk-On’s unit count increased by 20% and sales rose 18.8%, according to data from Restaurant Business sister company Technomic.
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