Former Subway Operator Who Tested Chain Incognito Now Leads Hangry Joe’s

Subheadline: After posing as a customer in Virginia, Brandon Wilhelm moved from franchisee and interim marketing chief to CEO and is refocusing the hot-chicken brand on higher-quality sites and tighter franchise standards.

Brandon Wilhelm quietly sampled Hangry Joe’s restaurants in Virginia the day before a scheduled meeting with the chain’s executives, according to his account. The longtime Subway operator — who spent nearly two decades building franchise territory across the Midwest — later became a multi-unit operator, an investor and a board member for the hot-chicken concept. He also took on interim marketing duties and on Oct. 6 was named chief executive.

Hangry Joe’s, launched in 2021, now has about 90 outlets across more than 20 U.S. states and a small number of locations overseas, including one in the United Arab Emirates. Wilhelm said his early visits convinced him the product had strong consumer appeal, even if some of the outlets were poorly sited.

As CEO he’s tightening criteria for new store locations and raising the bar for who can buy a franchise, while pushing to trim food expenses and steer a larger share of royalty dollars into advertising. Rather than chasing a three-hundred-unit footprint, he’s advocating for a more modest build-out — on the order of roughly 120 to 150 restaurants — concentrated in higher-performing markets.

Industry observers say that kind of course correction is common after rapid growth. “Growing too fast can hurt the guest experience and the brand,” said a franchising consultant who reviews expansion plans. Wilhelm’s background in franchise development, they note, gives him practical experience for the turnaround.

He’s also made clear that an exit to private equity is not his primary objective. For now, the emphasis is on improving existing stores and finding fewer, stronger places to grow.