Don Fox

Background

About Don Fox

Don Fox is a restaurant industry veteran with 50 years of experience, predominately in the QSR and Fast Casual segments. His first job was scrubbing pots and pans at the dish sink of a local Italian restaurant in NJ. He began his management career in 1976 with Six Flags amusement parks. In 1980, he embarked upon a 23-year career with Burger King Corporation, which included assignments in R&D and field operations. Don joined Firehouse Subs in 2003 as Director of Franchise Compliance, rose to COO in 2005, and became CEO in 2009. Under his leadership, the brand has grown to over 1200 restaurants in 45 states, Puerto Rico, and Canada. In December of 2021, Firehouse Subs joined the family at Restaurant Brands International. On April 1, 2023, after 20 years with the brand, he passed the leadership torch to his successor and assumed the role of Chairman. In 2011, Fox was awarded the Operator of the Year Award by Nation's Restaurant News. In 2013, he became a member of the National Restaurant Association's Board of Directors (now in his tenth year of service) and received the association's Advocacy Award. Also in 2013, he received the Silver Plate Award from the International Food Manufacturers Association and was named the #1 executive in the Fast Casual segment by FastCasual.com. Each year since 2018, he has earned a spot on the list of the Florida 500 - Florida's Most Influential Business Leaders. In 2019, he was named an Industry Titan by Women's Food Service Forum. A board member of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association since 2013, he served as its chairman in 2017. He serves on boards in both the non-profit and for-profit arenas, both within and outside of the restaurant industry (among them, Treehouse Eyes, the Army Historical Foundation and the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation). Fox is also a published author. Among his works:"Patton's Vanguard - The United States Fourth Armored Division"​, published in 2003 (soft cover edition released in 2007) and "Final Battles of Patton's Vanguard," published in 2020. Fox is a frequent speaker and panelist at conferences and events both within and outside of the restaurant industry.