Restaurant Regional Vice President

Cracker Barrel•Lebanon, TN

17d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Regional Vice President, Restaurant Operations is responsible for the operational, financial, and people performance of an assigned region (typically 55–75 restaurants). This leader drives consistent delivery of excellent food quality, outstanding guest experiences, and strong financial results while continuously simplifying operations and growing the business. The role leads and develops District Managers, partners cross‑functionally, and serves as a change agent for enterprise initiatives that improve the Guest and Employee experience. This role leads the Midwest and West Coast regions. Candidates should be located in or be willing to relocate to this geographic area.

Requirements

Bachelor Degree in hospitality management, business or related field
10+ years Restaurant leadership experience with extensive multi‑unit restaurant operations leadership experience, with at least 5 years direct responsibility for large regions (50+ locations preferred).
Proven ability to consistently deliver excellent food quality, strong guest experience results, and sustained financial performance in a complex operating environment.
Experience leading full‑service, family‑dining, or fast‑casual restaurant formats with high volumes, operational complexity, and strong service expectations.
Demonstrated success developing and leading District‑level leaders and building internal talent pipelines.
Strong business acumen, including P&L ownership, labor and cost management, and performance improvement through data‑driven decision making.

Nice To Haves

Background in brands with differentiated hospitality and scratch or menu‑driven food programs.
Experience leading operational simplification or transformation efforts across large, geographically dispersed teams.
Authentic, engaged leader who leads through others with clarity, accountability, and trust.
Comfortable balancing operational discipline with guest‑first decision making.
Change‑oriented operator who can simplify complexity while driving sustainable business growth.

Responsibilities

Own operational and financial performance for the assigned region, consistently optimizing sales, profitability, cost control, and overall business results.
Monitor regional and district sales, margin, and profit trends; coach District Managers to use data and insights to improve store level performance.
Identify opportunities to simplify operations, strengthen execution, and improve scalability while maintaining Cracker Barrel’s food and hospitality standards.
Actively coach, challenge, and influence District Managers to develop and execute effective store and district business plans.
Ensure consistent delivery of high‑quality food, operational execution, sanitation, and safety standards across all restaurants in the region.
In partnership with the Retail RVP, uphold overall company expectations related to guest service, food quality, sanitation, and policy compliance.
Participate in restaurant visits with District Managers to observe execution, assess adherence to operational standards, and provide direct coaching and feedback.
Serve as a leader and advocate for initiatives that enhance both the Guest and Employee experience.
Lead the recruitment, selection, onboarding, and ongoing development of District Managers, building a strong and ready leadership bench.
Partner closely with Talent Acquisition to identify, select, train, and develop new District Managers; continuously network externally to build a pipeline of future talent.
Consistently train and develop District Managers within the assigned region, identifying key attributes and skills of successful leaders and coaching others to develop those capabilities.
Monitor performance reviews and overall effectiveness of District Managers; provide timely coaching, development plans, and performance accountability.
Execute enterprise and regional strategies through District Managers, ensuring consistent adoption of new initiatives, policies, and procedures.
Act as a visible change agent, leading through influence to drive adoption of improvements that simplify operations and support business growth.
Partner cross‑functionally with Retail, HR, Finance, and other support teams to align field execution with organizational priorities.