Nearly three years ago, a phone call sparked a turning point for David Whitaker. A recruiter reached out about the COO role at Bojangles—a brand he was familiar with during his time in Atlanta. After tasting the iconic flavors again and seeing the potential growth of the brand, he knew this was where his seasoned expertise could ignite something special.
Fast forward to 2025, and Whitaker embodies the “It’s Bo Time!” spirit. As COO, he has helped improve the company’s operations following the pandemic while also helping it become an industry pacesetter for implementing new technologies to improve productivity. Three projects that he is particularly proud to have helped establish are Bo Labor, Bo Food and Bo University. All three tools are examples of how he’s leading his team on a path to ‘make it matter’ in the upcoming year.
“Every part of our operations is pivotal to our success as a brand,” Whitaker said. “The knowledge we give our team members, the ability to efficiently coordinate the work they do, and the stability of having the best tools and supplies available for team members to use within their roles - those are my top priorities, and that’s how we’ll collectively make it matter in 2025.”
Whitaker is also focused on creating a stabilized team. He recognizes restaurant employees are under daily pressure to solve local problems and still produce results. By providing tools for knowledge and efficiency, Whitaker wants to ensure every team member has what they need to thrive within the organization. Whitaker states, “Our best chance at monumental brand growth is by retaining our great talent. We want our team members to thrive in their roles and grow along with the company.”
As a longtime restaurant industry professional, Whitaker turned his first job as a fast-food restaurant team member into a career – working his way through the ranks of several restaurant chains. Growing up in the suburbs of Boston, he was one of eight children and started working full-time at age 15 to assist his family financially. He planned to join the U.S. Air Force after high school until he was persuaded by his boss to give it six more months at the restaurant. Those six months turned into a 40-year passion split between Wendy’s, Outback Steakhouse, Arby’s and other national chains.
Whitaker’s passion is now dedicated to helping Bojangles grow into a nationally recognized brand through operational excellence and heartfelt leadership, and he knows the strength of his team is why that matters. That’s why he makes it matter every day!