Shannon McKinney is returning to Jack in the Box as senior vice-president and chief operating officer, and as a new member of the executive leadership team.

With more than 25 years of experience in the restaurant industry, McKinney is set to enhance operational efficiency and lead high-performance teams at Jack in the Box.

At Jack in the Box, he worked from March 2019 to August 2021 as vice-president of operations and brand performance.

His career began in leadership roles at Taco Bell, followed by positions at Outback Steakhouse as senior director of training and field implementation, vice-president of operations at Crispers and Fresh Alternatives, and vice-president of franchise business management at Bloomin’ Brands.

His most recent roles were at Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen (PLK), where he served as regional vice-president of operations and vice-president of operations at PLK America.

Jack in the Box chief customer and digital officer Ryan Ostrom will continue to lead the broader customer experience and strategy.

McKinney joins Ostrom’s team to drive operational excellence across the Jack in the Box system.

Ostrom stated: “As COO, Shannon will oversee Jack’s operations team, focusing on strengthening the core of our business to deliver great experiences for both our team members and our guests."

McKinney expressed his enthusiasm, saying: “I look forward to helping the brand reach a higher level of quality, while partnering with Ryan to unlock growth by delivering consistent, craveable guest experiences that keep our brand top of mind and drive long-term loyalty.”

Jack in the Box, headquartered in San Diego, California, operates and franchises the Jack in the Box hamburger chain with 2,180 restaurants across 22 states, and Del Taco, a Mexican-American QSR chain with 590 restaurants across 17 states.

In its latest financial report, Jack in the Box announced a 7.8% decrease in revenue for the first quarter of fiscal 2025, dropping to $336.7m from $365.3m in the same quarter of the previous year.