Chicken Salad Chick Adds Finance Veteran as CFO Amid Rapid Expansion
Event summary
- Chicken Salad Chick appointed Drew Travis as Chief Financial Officer on August 17, 2026.
- Travis brings 18 years of finance experience, including 10 years in the restaurant industry, most recently as Senior Vice President of Finance at GoTo Foods.
- The appointment follows recent hires of Chief Marketing Officer and Chief Development Officer in February 2026.
- Chicken Salad Chick operates 340 restaurants across 25 states and plans to expand into West Virginia, New York, and Michigan in 2026.
The big picture
Chicken Salad Chick's appointment of Drew Travis as CFO underscores its focus on financial discipline amid aggressive expansion. The move follows a pattern of strategic hires aimed at scaling operations, reflecting broader trends in the fast-casual sector where brands must balance growth with operational efficiency. With 340 locations and plans to enter new states, the company's ability to maintain strong unit economics will be critical.
What we're watching
- Expansion Strategy
- How Chicken Salad Chick will balance rapid national expansion with maintaining unit-level profitability.
- Financial Governance
- Whether Drew Travis can strengthen the financial foundation to support franchise owners during growth.
- Market Penetration
- The pace at which Chicken Salad Chick can successfully enter new markets like New York and Michigan.