Women in Restaurant Tech: How Franchisee Experience Shapes Popeyes’ Growth and Operations

Popeyes has built a devoted fan base and cemented its place in fast-food history. With plans to expand to more than 4,200 locations across the U.S. and Canada by 2028, the QSR brand is focused on strategic operational growth. Devin Games, Popeyes’ Vice President of Operations Services, is a key driver of this expansion initiative who brings deep franchisee experience and a data-driven approach to operational excellence.

At the 2024 Crunchtime Ops Summit, Games shared insights into how she leverages her background to strengthen franchisee relationships and optimize restaurant performance. Having started her career in her parents' Domino’s franchise before advancing through multi-unit leadership and international operations roles, Games has a unique perspective on the intersection of corporate strategy and franchisee success.

Optimizing Franchisee Success to Drive Expansion

Games understands firsthand the challenges franchisees face, from supply chain disruptions to workforce development. Her approach at Popeyes is centered on three key pillars:

• Enhancing Operational Efficiency: Games is focused on refining processes that improve speed, consistency, and profitability across all locations. By implementing data-driven decision-making, Popeyes ensures that franchisees have the right tools and insights to optimize day-to-day operations.

"The franchisees are probably the part of this industry I'm most passionate about," Games shared. "Having that unique experience of having seen my parents' side of things allows me to connect with the franchisees in a different way than probably many people in my seat have in the past."

• Strengthening Franchisee Support and Training: Games prioritizes investing in leadership development and hands-on coaching. Popeyes equips franchisees with best practices for managing teams and maintaining brand standards through structured training programs and real-time feedback loops.
• Bridging Corporate and Franchisee Perspectives: Having experienced both sides of the business, Games is a strong advocate for franchisee needs at the corporate level. By fostering transparent communication and collaborative problem-solving, she makes certain that strategic decisions align with the realities of restaurant operators on the ground.

"I really try to be generous with my time. My favorite thing is when I'm on the road, and I'm with franchisees and restaurants, meeting managers; I want them to see that they could be in my seat someday."

Leadership Lessons for Growth

Reflecting on her career and leadership philosophy, Games highlighted four key themes that guide her approach to driving sustainable growth at Popeyes:

• Regularly reassessing career goals and leadership impact
• Building strong advocacy networks to support personal and professional growth
• Balancing corporate objectives with franchisee priorities to drive alignment
• Maintaining a direct connection with front-line operations to stay grounded in execution
  
  

To learn more insights from the panel, click here.