Checkers and Rally’s announced Wednesday that it hired Starbucks veteran Chris Tebben as its new CEO.
Tebben follows France Allen, who said in April that she was stepping down to focus on board work.
“I am fortunate to be inheriting the strong foundation that Frances and the team have put in place, and I am honored that the Board has entrusted me to steward the Checkers & Rally’s brands into their next chapter of profitable growth,” Tebben said in a statement. “I couldn’t be more excited to lead these two iconic brands that have endured for over 40 years by serving up craveable burgers and the best fries in the business, while delivering a tremendous value proposition for both customers and franchisees. As I look to the future, I believe Checkers & Rally’s is primed to exceed consumers’ rising expectations when it comes to hyper-convenience, and I look forward to working with the team to continue to innovate in every area of our business.”
Tebben previously served as president at Mars Retail Group, where he oversaw the global expansion of M&M’s flagship stores starting in 2022. Before his role at Mars, he spent eight years at Starbucks. Tebben played a key role in the company’s growth, particularly with the Starbucks Reserve brand. His efforts included opening several high-profile locations both domestically and internationally, such as the launch of the world’s largest Starbucks Reserve Roastery in Chicago.
He held several key leadership positions at Starbucks, including vice president of retail strategy, vice president of licensed stores, and vice president of the multi-billion-dollar frappuccino and tea businesses. In these roles, he led marketing, digital transformation, and product management initiatives across the U.S. and Latin America. Earlier in his career, Tebben served as CMO for Pei Wei under P.F. Chang’s and as CMO for Pizza Hut in the U.K. and Ireland while at Yum! Brands.
“After a thorough search process, we are very pleased to welcome Chris to the Checkers & Rally’s organization. His comprehensive experience in nearly every aspect of restaurant leadership, coupled with his proven track record of delivering sales, traffic, and unit growth, make him a perfect fit to take these brands to the next level,” Checkers independent board member David Barr said in a statement. “On behalf of the entire Checkers & Rally’s family, I would like to thank Frances Allen for her leadership and dedicated service, and we wish her the best on all her future plans.”
Checkers and Rally’s merged into one concept in 1999 and primarily operates via franchising with nearly 800 units throughout the U.S. The chain is focusing growth in Wisconsin, Ohio, New York New Jersey, Pennsylvania, California, Las Vegas, Arizona, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.
In June 2023, the brand revealed that it was owned by a group of creditors. Majority ownership moved from private equity firm Oak Hill Capital Partners to senior lenders Arbour Lane Capital Management, Garnett Station Partners, and Guggenheim Investments. As part of the deal, Checkers reduced its long-term debt from $300 million to $75 million and was also given $25 million for store remodeling and growth initiatives.
Allen had served as CEO since February 2020.
“I have been honored to lead Checkers & Rally’s for nearly five years, and I am proud of all that the organization accomplished, especially given the unprecedented challenges of COVID, staffing, and inflationary pressures,” Allen said in a statement. “As I depart, I am delighted to welcome Chris to the organization, and I am confident that he not only has the right professional experience to lead and grow this business, he also has a leadership personality that will make for a great cultural fit with our franchisees, operators, and teams.”
