Chipotle workers can read Zaxbys promotion as a growth lesson

Zaxbys’ decision to make Russell Holland its chief development officer says something Chipotle workers already know: when a chain wants to grow, it still looks for leaders who understand stores, not just spreadsheets. Holland had been serving as interim development chief since February and brings nearly 20 years of experience as Zaxbys pushes past 1,000 units, a pace that depends on site selection, development and the kind of execution that can hold up once the doors open.

That is the same logic Chipotle has followed in its own leadership moves. In May 2023, the company hired Stephen Piacentini as chief development officer effective June 19, 2023, and said he brought more than 20 years of development experience as Chipotle aimed for a long-term target of 7,000 restaurants in North America. Piacentini had already worked as U.S. chief development officer at Wendy’s, as chief development officer at Jimmy John’s and in finance and development roles at Taco Bell, a résumé built around more than one brand and more than one kind of expansion problem.

For apprentices, general managers and field leaders, that matters because development work is only as strong as the labor model behind it. A good lease or a strong trade area does not fix a thin staffing plan, a weak back-of-house flow or a restaurant that cannot turn volume into consistent service. Chipotle’s current management structure reflects that reality. David Vilkama oversees development strategy, including new restaurant growth, real estate, design, construction and portfolio optimization, while Jason Kidd, named chief operating officer effective May 19, 2025, oversees operations of nearly 3,800 restaurants and about 130,000 team members.

The company’s format strategy shows how tightly growth and operations are now linked. Chipotle opened its 1,000th Chipotlane in November 2024 and said the drive-thru pickup format can complete orders in under 30 seconds. It also said it was building a real estate pipeline to support annual new-unit growth of 8% to 10%, with a majority of new restaurants expected to feature a Chipotlane. That is not just a real estate story; it is a bet that the restaurant can keep up with the volume once the site is live.

Recent numbers explain why chains keep rewarding operators who can bridge those worlds. Chipotle reported first-quarter 2026 comparable restaurant sales growth of 0.5% and revenue of $3.1 billion, after fourth-quarter 2025 comparable sales fell 2.5% on a 3.2% drop in transactions, partly offset by a 0.7% increase in average check. That is the backdrop for every growth decision now: expansion only helps when the stores can actually run it.