Name: Shannon McKinney
New title: Senior vice president, chief operating officer, Jack in the Box
Previous title: Vice president of operations, PLK, America, Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen
Jack in the Box previously eliminated the chief operating role in 2024 as part of a planned corporate restructuring, but the company is bringing the position back with McKinney’s appointment. This is a similar move to one recently implemented by Starbucks, which reinstated the COO position with the hiring of Mike Grams in early June.
McKinney returns to the chain after working at Popeyes for nearly four years. He previously was employed at Jack in the Box from March 2019 to August 2021 as vice president of operations and brand performance, according to a Tuesday press release.
He has more than 25 years of restaurant experience, mostly focused on operations, according to his LinkedIn profile. He started his career in 1997 as a market training manager at Taco Bell and went on to work at the chain for over 15 years in various leadership positions. He also worked at Outback Steakhouse, Crispers and Bloomin’ Brands.
McKinney will work with Ryan Ostrom, chief customer and digital officer at Jack in the Box. Ostrom assumed responsibilities for operations when the chain got rid of the COO position. He will continue in his current role and lead customer experience and strategy.
“As COO, Shannon will oversee Jack’s operations team, with a focus on strengthening the core of our business to deliver great experiences for both our team members and our guests,” Ostrom said in a statement.
Jack in the Box has recently undergone significant shifts in its executive leadership. The company named Lance Tucker as CEO in April, nearly two months after Darin Harris resigned. The chain also promoted Dawn Hooper to CFO in May.
