Randy Ashbrook, a 40-year restaurant veteran from McDonald's and Arby's, takes over operations at the 60-unit sandwich chain as it pushes franchise growth.
Alpha Score of 50 reflects weak overall profile with weak momentum, weak value, moderate quality, moderate sentiment.
Erbert & Gerbert's, the 60-unit sandwich chain based in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, named Randy Ashbrook as its chief operating officer. Ashbrook brings more than four decades of experience across some of the largest quick-service systems in the U.S.
Over his career Ashbrook held leadership roles at McDonald's, Cinnabon, Chevy's Fresh Mex, Arby's, Inspire Brands and Taco John's International. He spent 15 years at McDonald's working on both the franchisor and franchisee sides. That dual perspective shaped an approach that balances brand standards with the realities of running a store, he said.
At Arby's and Inspire Brands, Ashbrook advanced through district manager, field operations leader and senior director of operations. He led high-volume markets and focused on people development and operational discipline. Most recently he served as senior director of operations services and training at Taco John's International, where he built training systems and operational frameworks to support franchisees.
In his new role Ashbrook will focus on improving unit-level economics, supporting franchisees and building systems that drive consistency across the network. He said a key priority is working with franchise owners to identify efficiency improvements while preserving the brand's guest experience and local personality.
“I've spent my career focused on helping restaurant operators and their teams perform at their best,” Ashbrook said. “I'm excited to join Erbert & Gerbert's and work alongside our franchisees to strengthen operations, improve performance and deliver a great guest experience.”
Erbert & Gerbert's serves distinctive sandwiches, soups and original brand personality through 60 restaurants in 10 states. The system includes traditional and non-traditional locations and continues to target franchise growth.
McDonald's, where Ashbrook spent 15 years, carries an Alpha Score of 51 (Mixed) on AlphaScala.
The hire comes as restaurant operators focus on labor efficiency, operational consistency and protecting unit-level profitability. Ashbrook's experience across large-scale systems and franchise operations positions him to address those challenges directly, the company said.
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