Doug Willmarth, the president of Mooyah Burgers Fries and Shakes, is stepping down after three years at the helm.
Willmarth in a LinkedIn post said he was letting his team “take the wheel on the road to awesome,” and he thanked them for the opportunity to lead the fast-casual brand, which has about 80 units and is based in Plano, Texas.
His next step, he said, would be announced on Tuesday.
Mooyah, meanwhile, in a statement said Willmarth's leadership leadership had a significant impact on the company and was appreciated. But the company did not immediately name an interim or successor.
"Mooyah's future is bright, and our dedicated corporate team remains focused on supporting our franchise owners while executing effective brand strategies at every level," the company said. "Most importantly, we're committed to delivering the best-tasting burger experience for our guests, featuring Certified Angus Beef burgers made-to-order, hand-cut fries, and hand-spun shakes made from 100% real ice cream."
Mooyah was acquired by private-equity firm Balmoral Funds LLC and Gala Capital Partners LLC in 2017. The chain had cracked 100 units before the pandemic, including international, but lost some during the COVID shutdown. Mooyah ended 2023 with 75 units domestically, down 3.8%. Sales, however, were up 1% to $71.8 million, according to Restaurant Business sister brand Technomic.
Mooyah positions itself as having “America’s best cheeseburger,” Willmarth said, with 3.8-ounce certified Angus beef patties and buns baked in house.
Over the past three years, Willmarth has been working to reignite the chain’s franchise growth, while investing in Mooyah’s tech infrastructure, with the addition of kiosks and other back-of-the-house initiatives.
In an interview last month, Willmarth said Mooyah’s traffic was up 3% year to date, and the third quarter was promising to be the best the chain had seen all year, in terms of traffic. Sales were up 4% so far this year.
“We believe this is because we have been focused on value, from the standpoint of making sure people understand what they’re getting for the price they pay. So we haven’t had to resort to the $5 deal, or lots of discounts,” said Willmarth.
The chain opened its first drive-thru earlier this year and Willmarth said Mooyah is preparing to open two corporate units that are smaller footprint (1,200- to 1,400-square feet, versus the traditional 2,200- to 2,400-square feet), in an in-line format with kiosks, improved digital-order and third-party-delivery pickup. Those units will also test proximity services that will alert staff when a customer is nearing the restaurant, he said.
UPDATE: This article has been updated to correct Willmarth's role at Mooyah Burgers. He was president.
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