Director of Food and Beverage

What We Do At Applegreen, our mission is to delight customers in transit with passionate hospitality and brands they love. Applegreen is a leading roadside retailer operating high-quality travel plazas and service areas in the US, Ireland, and the UK. Founded on a commitment to innovation, operational excellence, and customer experience, Applegreen combines fuel, convenience retail, and a diverse portfolio of food and beverage offerings to create welcoming destinations for customers. In the U.S., Applegreen partners with major transportation authorities and operates more than 100 service plazas along some of the country’s busiest highways and turnpikes. The company is known for modern facilities, strong national and local food brands, and an emphasis on freshness, quality, and sustainability. At Applegreen, our people are at the heart of what we do. We foster a culture that values teamwork, development, and accountability, offering employees opportunities to grow their careers in a fast-paced, dynamic environment. Applegreen continues to expand while remaining focused on delivering exceptional service to customers and creating a great place to work. Our Core Value Our core values define who we are and guide how we work every day. They shape our decisions, inspire our actions, and influence how we engage with our customers, suppliers, business partners, and one another. Our customers and communities are at the heart of everything we do. We value and develop our people. We are driven by pace, passion and performance. We seek opportunities and embrace change. Benefits You Receive Applegreen offers a competitive benefits package designed to support the health and financial well-being of our associates and families. Available benefits include a variety of company-sponsored and voluntary options such as: Hybrid position with three days per week worked in our Glen Rock NJ office location and two days per week worked remotely. Medical/Dental/Vision Insurance Paid Time Off 401 (k) with Company Match 25% Annual Bonus Earned Wage Access – Pay on Demand Education Assistance Employee Referral Bonus Pet Insurance What You’ll Do This role is responsible for providing leadership to ensure brand specific standards are executed at the highest level to achieve superior traveler experiences. This individual assesses current operations, people and customer/brand metrics to identify opportunities to improve overall performance and works with cross functional teams and Franchisors to implement initiatives that drive and grow the business. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES: Own relationships with key franchisors and restaurant brand partners. Act as the executive liaison for all food brand stakeholders. Negotiate and manage performance commitments, operational standards, and growth initiatives. Ensure all brand standards, audits, and compliance requirements are consistently achieved. Lead discussions regarding new concepts, remodels, menu innovation, and promotional calendars. Operational Excellence Partner closely with Operations leadership to improve restaurant performance. Develop and implement systems that drive consistency across all locations. Establish performance benchmarks and accountability measures. Lead corrective action plans for underperforming brands and locations. Ensure food safety, sanitation, and regulatory compliance requirements are met. Team Leadership Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing food brands team. Build succession pipelines and leadership capability within the organization. Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement Customer Experience & Innovation Champion a guest-first culture throughout the foodservice organization. Improve customer satisfaction, loyalty, and brand perception. Lead initiatives that enhance speed of service, quality, convenience, and digital engagement. Evaluate new technologies, ordering platforms, loyalty programs, and menu innovations. ESSENTIAL SKILLS, EXPERIENCE, AND EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS: A minimum of 10 years of operations leadership experience in brand-centric multi-unit, multi-state QSR organizations. Strong organization skills, ability to set priorities, multitask and deliver on tight deadlines to achieve business objectives. Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to engage and influence individuals at all levels of the organization. A dynamic individual who adapts well to change and can thrive in a rapidly growing organization that continues to evolve. Strong business acumen and analytical skills with a solutions-focused mindset Thorough understanding of systems and technology Demonstrated ability to lead, motivate and develop talent Has sound judgement and objective logical decision‑making skills. Proven ability to deliver results and effectively influencing decisions Is resilient and calm under pressure. This job description is not an exhaustive list of all functions that the employee may be required to perform, and the employee may be required to perform additional functions. Additionally, the job responsibilities may change at any time as necessitated by business needs. #J-18808-Ljbffr