Noodles & Co. (NASDAQ: NDLS) has named Joe Christina as its president and chief operating officer. Christina brings more than three decades of leadership experience in the restaurant industry and will oversee operations and human resources.
“Joe is a highly accomplished leader with deep operational expertise and a proven track record of driving growth and innovation in the restaurant industry,” said Drew Madsen, CEO at Noodles & Co. “His experience as both a CEO and operations leader makes him uniquely positioned to further elevate our foundation of operations excellence, strengthen our team culture, and unlock the significant growth opportunities ahead. Joe will also help ensure the successful execution of our comprehensive new menu introduction in the first half of this year.”
Christina has a substantial background in quick-service and fast-casual restaurant leadership, with expertise in operations, financial management, market development, marketing, human resources and franchise leadership. He has demonstrated success in driving revenue and EBITDA growth in competitive markets through strategic planning and execution.
Christina’s career began at Burger King, where he was promoted through various key positions over 29 years, including restaurant manager, franchise owner, VP of global operations and training, and SVP of franchise operations for the West Division. In 2013, he became EVP of U.S. operations at Church’s Chicken, later rising to CEO, president and board member. He led the brand to significant year-over-year growth during his six years there. Most recently, Christina served as CEO of Tijuana Flats, where he revitalized the brand and led its expansion.
Christina succeeds Brad West, who announced his retirement in 2024 after eight years as COO. West will continue with the company as chief of staff through June 2025 to ensure a seamless transition.
