The former chief executive of Pizza Inn Holdings has joined rapidly expanding chicken wing chain Wingstop as its president and chief executive officer. Charles Morrison, a 20-year veteran of the restaurant industry, will replace James Flynn, who becomes executive chairman of the board of the Richardson, Texas-based company. Morrison will be responsible for the overall strategy and development of the brand. Morrison was president of Steak and Ale and The Tavern Restaurant for Metromedia Restaurant Group. He previously held management positions with Boston Market and Pizza Hut.
Flynn grew the chain to 515 locations in 34 states and Mexico from 88 locations in 15 states when he joined in 2003 and has overseen eight consecutive years of same-store sales increase. Wingstop focuses solely on cooked-to-order chicken wings, which come in 10 flavors. Founded in 1994, Wingstop was acquired in 2010 by affiliates of Roark Capital Group, an Atlanta-based private equity firm.
