A&W Canada Creates COO Role, Taps 20-Year Veteran Brent Todd for Top Job

VANCOUVER, BC – January 09, 2026 – A&W Food Services of Canada Inc. has announced a significant strategic restructuring of its executive leadership, appointing 20-year company veteran Brent Todd to the newly created position of Chief Operating Officer. The appointment, effective March 2, 2026, signals a deliberate move by Canada's second-largest hamburger chain to integrate its core operational functions under a single, seasoned leader.

The move follows the announced retirement of Neil Farmer, the long-serving Vice President, Restaurants, who dedicated over four decades to the company. Todd’s promotion from within the ranks to this powerful new role is seen as a vote of confidence in his leadership and a reflection of A&W’s strategy to foster internal talent while adapting its structure for future challenges.

A Strategic Consolidation of Operations

The creation of a Chief Operating Officer position is a notable evolution in A&W's corporate structure. Unlike the previous framework where restaurant operations were managed separately, Todd’s new mandate is substantially broader, encompassing the leadership of Operations, Purchasing, and Distribution. This consolidation creates a single point of accountability for the entire operational value chain, from sourcing ingredients to the final customer experience in its more than 1,000 restaurants.

This integrated approach suggests A&W is prioritizing a more holistic and efficient management of its complex network. By linking purchasing and distribution directly with restaurant operations at the executive level, the company is better positioned to streamline its supply chain, manage costs, and ensure consistency across its vast, predominantly franchised system. The press release noted Todd will be “supported by a very talented team,” indicating a deep bench that will now report through this new, unified structure. The move aligns A&W with executive structures seen at other major quick-service restaurant (QSR) giants, where a COO often plays a pivotal role in driving day-to-day execution and efficiency, allowing the CEO to focus on long-term strategy and brand growth.

Navigating a Challenging QSR Landscape

Brent Todd steps into his new role at a critical time for the QSR industry. While A&W has demonstrated remarkable resilience, the company itself acknowledges operating within a “challenging macroeconomic environment” marked by a slowdown in consumer spending. Despite these headwinds, the chain posted its third consecutive quarter of positive same-store sales growth in its most recent fiscal update, attributing the success to “value-driven menu initiatives” and an increase in guest counts.

This performance underscores the importance of operational excellence, an area squarely within Todd's new purview. His immediate challenges will likely involve bolstering supply chain resilience against fluctuating commodity costs and logistical hurdles. A key focus will be leveraging A&W's scale to optimize purchasing and distribution, ensuring that franchisees and, ultimately, customers are insulated from price volatility wherever possible. Furthermore, Todd will be tasked with enhancing the company's acclaimed “five-star operating system” and supporting the continued rollout and optimization of the “A&W Rewards” loyalty program, which launched in April 2025 to drive digital engagement and growth.

Expansion also remains a key part of the strategy. With A&W targeting nearly 1,100 total units and continuing to develop its partnership with Pret A Manger, Todd’s operational oversight will be crucial to ensuring new locations open smoothly and maintain the brand’s quality standards from day one.

A Two-Decade Journey to the Top

The appointment is also a powerful statement on A&W’s corporate culture and commitment to internal development. Described in the company’s announcement as “one of A&W’s most successful leaders,” Brent Todd’s two-decade career with the brand is a testament to the value of institutional knowledge. His progression through the ranks provides him with a granular understanding of the company’s inner workings, from operational procedures to franchisee relations.

Promoting a long-tenured insider to such a critical new role ensures leadership continuity and a deep alignment with the company’s core values. In an industry that often sees high executive turnover, A&W’s decision to elevate Todd underscores a belief in stable, experienced leadership as a cornerstone of long-term success. His deep-seated knowledge of the brand’s history, culture, and operational nuances will be an invaluable asset as he steers the company through its next phase of growth and adaptation.

An Evolution in Leadership

The transition marks a changing of the guard, as the company bids farewell to Neil Farmer, whose remarkable 40-year career began as a part-time employee and culminated in the role of Vice President, Restaurants. Farmer was widely respected for his deep operational expertise and his talent for building “trust and collaborative relationships with A&W franchisees”—a crucial element in a system with over 1,000 franchised locations.

While Todd will need to continue fostering these vital franchisee relationships, his expanded COO title represents a clear evolution beyond Farmer's role. It reflects a strategic decision to elevate the entire operational and supply chain function to the C-suite. This shift from a specialized VP of Restaurants to a comprehensive COO is a proactive measure, designed to equip A&W with a more robust and agile leadership framework. As Todd prepares to take the operational helm, his appointment marks a pivotal moment for A&W, reflecting a deliberate strategy to fortify its operational backbone for the competitive years ahead.