Taziki’s Mediterranean Café, known for its modern, made-to-order Mediterranean-inspired cuisine, recently wrapped up its annual conference, TazCon, held in Chattanooga, Tennessee, celebrating the brand’s growth and success in 2024. The three-day event brought together over 250 franchise partners, owners, operators, general managers, vendors and corporate team members for a dynamic series of speakers, workshops and celebrations.
This year’s TazCon was one for the books, featuring engaging main-stage addresses, marketing breakouts, keynote speakers and an awards dinner aboard Chattanooga’s Southern Belle Riverboat. Taziki’s Founder Keith Richards, CEO Dan Simpson, and other industry leaders delivered powerful insights into the brand’s vision and rapid expansion.
Jen Hidinger-Kendrick, founder and chief gratitude officer of The Giving Kitchen, an Atlanta-based nonprofit that supports food service workers in crisis, delivered an inspiring keynote about the organization’s support for food service workers in crisis, sharing impactful stories from Taziki’s own team members.
Highlighting the awards night was the General Manager of the Year presentation to Rigoberto Baltazar of Nolensville, Tennessee, whose outstanding leadership and dedication to his team and guests earned him the honor. As part of his award, Rigoberto received a well-earned trip to Walt Disney World Resort, sponsored by Coca-Cola, and had the unique opportunity to become “CEO for the Day,” working alongside Simpson for an unforgettable experience.
The General Manager of the Year award is based on guest satisfaction scores, engagement with Taziki’s Quest training platform and high Taziki Standard Assessment (TSA) scores. Rigoberto’s exceptional performance in these areas made him stand out among a highly competitive group of leaders.
“Rigoberto displays the values we strive for at Taziki’s — hard work, passion for customers and a dedication to a positive work culture,” said Simpson. “We couldn’t be prouder of his accomplishments and look forward to his continued impact at our Nolensville location.”
Taziki’s also recognized additional standout achievements:
- Marketing Vendor of the Year – Ovation
- Food Vendor of the Year – Hellas Bakery
- Distributor of the Year – Gordon Food Service
- Tech Vendor of the Year – R365
Various locations were recognized for their excellence in guest service, catering, sales growth and operational performance. Some of the standout awards included:
- Best Local Marketing Campaign – Jeffersonville/Louisville
- Top Catering 1st Party Sales (Corporate) – West End/Nashville
- Top Catering 1st Party Sales (Franchise) – Market Street/Chattanooga
- Excellence in Guest Response – Lee Branch/Birmingham
- Top Sales for a Franchise Store – Joyce Boulevard/Northwest Arkansas
- Best Year Over Year Sales Growth (Corporate) – Toco Hills/Atlanta
- Best Year Over Year Sales Growth (Franchise) – Plano/Dallas-Fort Worth
- Top Sales for a Corporate Store – Whitesburg Drive/Huntsville
The evening’s capstone honor, the Founder’s Award, was presented to Rodrigo Torres from the Huntsville Market. Beginning the year with two units, Rodrigo is on track to expand to five by year’s end. The award also celebrated the brand’s top-performing location across all markets.
As Taziki’s continues its momentum, the success of TazCon 2024 underscores its commitment to build lasting partnerships and foster a culture of excellence across its franchise network.
