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Jim Sullivan is taking the wheel at Smashburger as the fast food chain’s latest CEO. The name of the game is to “refresh” the burger chain’s identity and “reclaim” its footing in a flooded market, he told Business Insider.
Sullivan, who has worked at Smashburger since June of 2024 as the brand’s chief development officer and, since February, its president, was appointed to the role of CEO on Tuesday. He replaces Denise Nelsen, who left the company in February after less than a year in the role.
Sullivan is the sixth person to hold the title of CEO since Smashburger’s 2007 launch. His goal is to make the brand that put thin and crispy burger patties on the map nearly 20 years ago smash the competition — literally and figuratively.
“This brand was built on five main pillars: taste, taste, taste, variety, and value, and that’s what I’m going to be laser-focused on,” Sullivan said. “So whether it’s in-restaurant, online, or third-party, we want to make sure that we have a consistent theme, and that’s about our high-quality products.”
Questions of ownership, value, and brand identity have circled the chain for years. Stalled talks of an early IPO gave way to an acquisition by Jollibee in 2018. In the years since, Smashburger has faced shaky financials and decreased its footprint from a peak of 335 global units to 204 open locations across 30 US states and seven countries.
Sullivan said the recent launch of the “Summer of Smash” menu, featuring the return of its Smoked Brisket Bacon Smash and a new lineup of offerings under $4.99 to attract price-conscious consumers, was in line with this strategy.
After driving growth at major chains like Qdoba and CKE Holdings —which runs Hardee’s and Carl’s Jr. restaurants — Sullivan is also doubling down on new franchises. The chain operates 121 corporate locations and 83 franchises. Over the next 12-18 months, Sullivan said he plans to hire outside experts to help with expansion into nontraditional marketplaces like airports and college campuses.
“For us, the focus is going to be winning back guests and getting our food back in more of our consumers’ mouths, to put Smashburger back where it belongs: the category leader in the premium fast casual space,” Sullivan said.
After years of sizzling, stalling, and starting over, it appears Sullivan is hoping he can flip the script — and maybe a few patties — on Smashburger’s fast-casual comeback campaign.
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