Former Wingstop CEO to lead Jersey Mike's
Jersey Mike's Subs has tapped a 30-year industry veteran as chief executive.
The fast-casual sandwich shop chain has appointed Charles Morrison as CEO, effective April 28. He succeeds Peter Cancro who is stepping down as chief executive 50 years after acquiring the company's first location in 1975. Cancro will remain chairman and a significant minority shareholder.
Most recently, from 2022 to November 2024, Morrison was with drive-thru salad chain Salad and Go, where he served as a board member and then as CEO, and helped drive a nearly seven-fold increase in the company's store count.
Prior to that, from 2012 to 2022, Morrison served as chairman and CEO of Wingstop, where grew the business from fewer than 500 stores to over 2,000 locations in more than 10 countries while more than doubling average unit volumes At Wingstop, he led the company through one of the most successful initial public offerings in the history of the restaurant industry, noted Jersey Mike’s in a press release.
Morrison previously held leadership roles at several other well-known restaurant brands, including Pizza Inn, where he served as president and CEO, Pizza Hut, Steak and Ale and Boston Market.
"In Charlie, we have found the ideal next CEO for Jersey Mike's, and I look forward to him propelling our business even further,” said Cancro. “Having led Wingstop through a monumental period of growth and a successful IPO, he knows what it takes to lead a first-of-its-kind, category-defining brand, and I am confident he will bring that same energy and vision to Jersey Mike's. Importantly, he also shares our values and commitment to giving to the communities we serve.”
In 2024, Jersey Mike's was acquired by Blackstone in a move to accelerate the company's global expansion and support its continued investment in technology and digital transformation.
"With a wealth of experience in scaling leading franchise brands, Charlie is the ideal leader to build on Peter's extraordinary foundation and take Jersey Mike's into its next era of growth,” said Joe Baratta, global head of private equity strategies at Blackstone.
Added Morrison: “I have spent my career building and innovating at leading franchised brands, and what Peter has created at Jersey Mike's is nothing short of extraordinary. I am honored to be entrusted with continuing this legacy and I could not be more excited to get to work with this incredible team and the owners who bring it to life every day.”
Jersey Mike's has more than 3,000 locations in the U.S. and Canada.
