Former Panera COO John Maguire named president of Maple Street Biscuit Company

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Cracker Barrel has appointed former Panera Bread COO John Maguire as president of Maple Street Biscuit Company.

Maguire assumed the post on May 16 and joins a brand viewed as key to Cracker Barrel’s growth. The 50-unit fast-casual chain was on pace to open six new units in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2022, bringing its total to 10 for the year.

Maguire has more than 30 years of restaurant industry experience, more than 19 of which were spent at Panera, from 1993 to 2012. He then became CEO and president of Friendly’s, where he spent more than six years. He was then CEO and president of Johnny Rockets for more than two years before joining MOD Pizza as COO in 2018.

Cracker Barrel acquired Maple Street in 2019 for $36 million. The breakfast-and-lunch concept was founded in 2012 by Scott Moore, who remains its CEO.

Cracker Barrel announced the new hire as part of its quarterly earnings report for the fiscal third quarter. Same-store sales rose 10.7% year over year, but operating income declined to 3.9% of total revenue, from 7.4% last year.

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