Thought Leadership: Chris Padoan

Meet Chris Padoan, Regional Vice President (RVP) of the US South region for Burger King. With more than twenty years of experience in the restaurant industry and a previous operator, he has a strong appreciation for operations and the Franchise system.

Chris has been with the BK brand for over twelve years in various roles, all of which have been in the field where he can be hands-on in restaurants .Now, as one of the three RVPs for Burger King, Chris has a bird’s eye view oft he business. He spends most of his time “in market”, which includes participating in business reviews, visiting BK restaurants, and spending shoulder to shoulder time with Franchisees and operators. Nodding to the commitment it takes to be a successful operator, Chris says his favorite part of his day to day is helping operators find ways to improve their business.

“Where the rubber meets the road” is how Chris describes the relationship between the field team and Franchisees. The BK field team functions as partners and consultants to Franchisees with the goal of helping them improve their business through consistent operations. He stresses that the relationship between Franchisees and the field team is one of the most special parts of a Franchisee system. “A blueprint on how to operate best. Franchisees are able to focus on the model and not have to create it.”

Unique to Chris’s role is his relationship with the team at the Burger King corporate (BKC) headquarters also known as the RSC, located in Miami, Florida. “I work with and rely on BKC for strategy and various initiatives. They help us with tools and resources to execute in the field.”

As Chris has grown with the Burger King brand so has his leadership – “I want to support and inspire.”  It is important to him to help people identify what their personal and business goals are and how he can help them achieve those goals. His team spirit is evident as he discusses his enjoyment of working with Burger King Corporate and Franchisees. Chris is hard-working and driven, and believes teamwork requires humility and being able to empathize.

It is no coincidence that what Chris is looking forward to most in 2024 is rooted and made possible by strong operations. “I want to beat industry performance. I am loving where our brand is going, we have great momentum.”

Thanks, Chris, for all that you do in support of the Burger King brand – You Rule!

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