Restaurant turnarounds rarely hinge on one move. However, Applebee’s made two that could define its future.
The chain has hired Michelle Chin as CMO and Jay Wong as COO, both starting in September 2025. This isn’t a routine leadership shuffle; it’s a smart organizational design play that links marketing firepower with operational excellence.
The timing tells the story. After Applebee’s first positive quarter since early 2023 (4.9% same-store sales growth in Q2), the brand is doubling down on the marketing operations integration that drove results.
Chin brings over 20 years of experience from Starbucks, Godiva, and Unilever, while Wong comes from Four Seasons and Marriott with expertise in hospitality operations.
Let’s explain how their KPI alignment strategy works, what metrics bridge marketing and operations in restaurant marketing, and how other brands can structure similar handoffs between creative strategy and operational execution.
Why this CMO Appointment Matters Now
The CMO appointment comes after Applebee’s ended eight consecutive quarters of negative same-store sales. It proves that marketing operations alignment can drive measurable results.
CEO John Peyton emphasized that Q2 success came from “strengthening in-house marketing capabilities” and “enhancing guest experience,” precisely what these roles address.
Value-Driven Growth Model
Applebee’s has had success by offering rotating 2-for-$25 promotions and engaging with customers on social media. Their TikTok views increased by 500%, and overall engagement grew by 215% across all platforms.
The success requires close teamwork among marketing, creative teams, and operations, which the new organization design supports.
Digital-First Restaurant Marketing
Modern restaurant marketing demands operational flexibility to support digital campaigns, menu innovation, and off-premise dining. The CMO/COO structure ensures that promotional promises can be consistently delivered across over 1,600 locations.
Franchisee Alignment Needs
With most locations franchisee-operated, marketing operations must work seamlessly with independent operators who need clear execution guidelines and performance metrics.
The KPI Alignment Framework
Both roles share responsibility for guest satisfaction scores, repeat visit frequency, and Net Promoter Score. Marketing drives awareness and expectation-setting; operations deliver the experience that validates or undermines those promises.
Revenue performance indicators
- Same-store sales growth (shared ownership)
- Average check size (marketing promotions vs operational upselling)
- Off-premise revenue percentage (digital marketing vs fulfillment execution)
- Menu item performance (marketing communication vs kitchen execution)
Operational efficiency measures
- Speed of service during promotional periods
- Menu complexity management during campaign launches
- Staff training completion on new promotional items
- Franchisee compliance with campaign execution standards
Digital engagement conversion
- Social media engagement to store visit attribution
- App usage and digital ordering growth
- Loyalty program activation and retention
- Email/SMS campaign redemption rates in-store
Brand consistency tracking
- Mystery shopper scores during campaign periods
- Social media sentiment during promotional launches
- Franchisee feedback on marketing program feasibility
- Training effectiveness on campaign execution
Marketing Operations Handoff Processes
Chin’s marketing team develops promotions with Wong’s operations input from day one. Menu innovation needs kitchen testing, supply chain validation, and staff training timelines before creative production begins. It prevents the disconnect between marketing promises and operational reality.
Launch Coordination System
Every campaign includes operational readiness checkpoints, such as staff training completion, supply chain confirmation, POS system updates, and franchisee communication. Marketing doesn’t launch until operations confirms system-wide readiness.
Real-Time Performance Monitoring
Daily dashboards track both marketing KPIs (engagement and traffic) and operational metrics (service times, order accuracy, and staff scheduling). When marketing drives unexpected traffic spikes, operations can adjust staffing and inventory immediately.
Feedback Loop Optimization
Monthly reviews combine marketing campaign performance with operational execution data. High-performing campaigns receive operational process documentation for replication, while underperforming ones receive a root cause analysis that covers both creative effectiveness and execution challenges.
Franchisee Enablement Process
Marketing provides simplified execution guides, training materials, and performance dashboards. So franchisees can deliver consistent experiences regardless of local market conditions.
Restaurant Marketing Org Design Principles
Both CMO and COO report to the same CEO with overlapping KPIs, preventing siloed optimization. Marketing can’t succeed without operational delivery; operations can’t drive traffic without effective marketing.
Cross-Functional Team Integration
Menu innovation involves marketing (consumer insight), operations (execution feasibility), and finance (margin analysis) from initial concept through launch and optimization.
Geographic Coordination Model
Marketing campaigns must work across diverse markets with different demographics, competition, and operational capabilities. The org design includes regional coordination between marketing and operations teams.
Technology Platform Alignment
Marketing technology (CRM, social media management, email platforms) integrates with operational systems (POS, inventory, scheduling) to create seamless customer experiences and unified performance tracking.
Training And Development Overlap
Both marketing and operations teams receive cross-training on each other’s priorities, constraints, and success metrics, enabling better collaboration and decision-making.
Lessons For Bangladesh Restaurant Brands
Bangladesh restaurant marketing faces similar challenges: diverse locations, franchisee coordination, and digital-first consumers. The CMO/COO alignment model works especially well for brands expanding rapidly across Dhaka, Chittagong, and regional markets.
Festival And Cricket Season Coordination
During Eid, Ramadan, or major cricket tournaments, marketing promotions can overwhelm operational capacity. Integrated planning ensures that promotional campaigns align with kitchen and service capabilities during peak periods.
Digital Ordering Growth Management
As food delivery services in Bangladesh continue to grow, marketing campaigns that encourage online orders must work closely with operations. It means focusing on packaging, coordinating deliveries, and ensuring food quality during transport.
Staff Training Scalability
Multi-location brands need marketing operations alignment for staff training on new menu items, promotional procedures, and customer service standards that support marketing promises.
Supply Chain Flexibility
Marketing campaigns featuring specific ingredients or limited-time offers require operations coordination with local suppliers and inventory management across diverse market conditions.
Conclusion
Applebee’s CMO appointment alongside their COO hire demonstrates that modern restaurant marketing succeeds through operational integration, not creative brilliance alone.
Michelle Chin and Jay Wong’s shared KPIs ensure marketing promises align with operational delivery, creating sustainable growth rather than promotional spikes that strain execution. For restaurant brands, the lesson is clear: marketing operations alignment isn’t optional; it’s the foundation of scalable growth.
The brands that thrive will be those that structure leadership, KPIs, and workflows to ensure every marketing campaign strengthens rather than strains operational excellence.
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