Jack in the Box names former Taco Bell CEO Mark King interim chief executive

Jack in the Box has handed the keys to a familiar turnaround operator. The chain said May 13 that Mark King became executive chairman and interim chief executive immediately, replacing Lance Tucker after just over 13 months in the job. King had already been inside the company’s orbit, joining the board in November 2025 and becoming chair in March 2026.

The timing matters because this was not a clean handoff during a growth run. Jack in the Box said second-quarter fiscal 2026 same-store sales fell 3.8% in the quarter ended April 12, the company’s fifth straight decline. Franchise same-store sales were down 3.9%, while company-owned restaurants fell 2.8%. Management said the drop was driven mainly by lower transactions, partly offset by higher prices. In fast food, that mix usually means the pressure is landing where crews and shift leaders feel it first: on ticket counts, labor pacing, and the daily push to keep guest traffic moving.

Jack in the Box said results did not meet expectations, even as trends improved into the third quarter. The company also said it would accelerate its JACK on Track commitments, a signal that the response to weak sales is moving beyond marketing and into operating discipline. Alan Smolinisky was named lead independent director as part of the transition.

King’s return to the CEO chair is notable well beyond Jack in the Box. He previously led Taco Bell, and his résumé also includes leadership roles at TaylorMade Golf, adidas North America, and Xponential Fitness. For Taco Bell managers and crew members, that background is a reminder of how much value the restaurant industry places on operators who understand both franchise relations and store execution. King is the kind of executive who has been rewarded for balancing guest experience, brand growth, and the realities of running a large, franchise-heavy system.

The Taco Bell connection is also recent enough to matter. Yum! Brands said on June 29, 2023 that Sean Tresvant would become Taco Bell division chief executive effective January 1, 2024, succeeding King after his retirement announcement at the end of 2023. That puts King in the small circle of recent Taco Bell leaders whose experience is now being used elsewhere in QSR, at a moment when operators are under pressure to protect traffic, keep franchisees aligned, and avoid letting weak sales become a staffing and morale problem in the stores.