Quaker Steak & Lube, known for its award-winning food, including Best Wings USA and more than 20 sauces, announced that industry veteran Bruce Lane has joined its executive team as vice president of franchise services. TA Restaurant Group, which acquired Quaker Steak & Lube in 2016, appointed Lane as part of its aggressive strategy to reinvigorate the 43-year-old brand and grow Quaker Steak & Lube into a nationally recognized concept through franchising. Quaker Steak & Lube feels the success of the brand coincides with the success of their franchise community. Therefore, in his new role, Lane will be fully engaged in all aspects of the business, responsible for leading the brand’s supercharged franchise development efforts, franchise operations and spearheading strategic efforts to expand the popular restaurant chain’s footprint nationwide.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Bruce to the Quaker Steak & Lube executive team and have no doubt that his impressive experience in franchise operations and development will be a huge asset as we continue our goal of expanding the brand nationwide,” says John Ponczoch, senior vice president of TravelCenters of America and head of TA Restaurant Group. “We believe Quaker Steak & Lube’s potential for success is limitless, and are committed to evolving the brand while staying true to the guest-centric values that have made it an American favorite for decades. As we continue investing in our people, product, and processes, we look forward to working with Bruce to accelerate our franchise successes to take the brand to new heights.”
An industry veteran, Lane has extensive experience developing operationally sound and profitable restaurants and implementing growth and marketing strategies for several national foodservice and retail brands, most recently with franchise development and operations divisions at Fuddruckers and 7-Eleven. Additionally, as a multi-unit operator of five Waffle House locations, he has a comprehensive understanding of the franchising industry that makes him uniquely qualified to help drive Quaker Steak & Lube’s franchise success and expansion.
“When I was introduced to the TA Restaurant Group team, their passion for Quaker Steak & Lube and commitment to revitalizing the concept was contagious, and I’m thrilled to be coming on board in the midst of such an exciting chapter for the brand,” Lane says. “I look forward to leveraging my deep knowledge of the franchising industry to propel Quaker Steak & Lube’s national expansion and help the brand achieve its aggressive development goals.”
TA Restaurant Group, a division of Fortune 500 company TravelCenters of America, is one of the country’s largest multi-unit operators with a franchise network of over 600 units with nearly 40 different foodservice concepts. Under the leadership of its experienced executive team, TA Restaurant Group has begun to strengthen the brand, which most recently has included adding a new corporate chef and launching a new menu nationwide. TA Restaurant Group also is evolving Quaker Steak & Lube’s restaurant design, while keeping the signature ambiance of racecars suspended from the ceilings and gas station memorabilia lining the walls. The brand will put a renewed focus on providing more flexible, non-traditional buildouts for franchisees to allow more aggressive growth in stadiums, colleges, kiosks, and airports.
