Perkins American Food Co., the company formerly known as Perkins Restaurant & Bakery®, recently convened its Brand Conference, an event themed 'Elevate' that gathered over 300 corporate team members, franchisees, and partners. This conference, held at Mystic Lake Center in Minnesota, represented a significant step in the brand's post-pandemic recovery, serving to celebrate achievements and establish a forward-looking strategy. The event focused heavily on recognizing the contributions of its franchise network, which is central to the company's operational model and market presence.
A core component of the conference was the presentation of awards to top-performing franchise partners. Patrick Doyle of Queen City Family Pancakes was named Franchisee of the Year. Doyle, a franchisee since 1993 who operates three locations in South Dakota and Nebraska, was recognized for leadership, maintaining high brand standards, and achieving a 10% sales growth in 2023. Toni Ronayne, President of Perkins American Food Co., noted Doyle's commitment to guest experience and community involvement, including work with the Chamber of Commerce and Give Kids the World.
The conference also introduced the inaugural President's Award, presented to Jim Rahfaldt of CyHawk Hospitality. Rahfaldt's nearly 40-year association with Perkins includes roles as Regional Manager and Franchise Consultant, and he now owns 19 restaurants across seven states. Ronayne commended Rahfaldt for his sustained leadership, innovation, and dedication to the brand. These awards, along with recognition for other partners in sales growth, guest experience, and community service, underscore Perkins' strategy to foster excellence and collaboration within its franchise system.
For vendors serving the human resources and talent management industry, this news highlights several key trends and implications. The relaunch of a major brand conference indicates a return to strategic, in-person collaboration and investment in partner relationships, which often drives demand for HR-related services like leadership development programs, performance recognition systems, and franchisee training modules. The specific recognition of operational excellence and sales growth metrics suggests that franchisors are increasingly data-driven in evaluating partner performance, which could influence the tools and analytics platforms vendors develop for the franchise sector.
The emphasis on franchisee success stories, such as Doyle's 10% sales increase, demonstrates the tangible business outcomes linked to effective franchise management and support. This reinforces the importance for HR vendors to offer solutions that help franchisors recruit, train, and retain high-caliber franchise partners. Furthermore, the brand's evolution to Perkins American Food Co. and its focus on 'elevating' offerings while balancing tradition and innovation reflects a broader industry movement toward brand revitalization, which often requires aligned talent strategies and change management support.
With nearly 300 locations, Perkins' post-pandemic trajectory and commitment to strengthening franchise partnerships signal potential growth and stability in its network. This could create opportunities for vendors providing services related to franchisee onboarding, compliance training, and culture alignment. The company's detailed vision and expansion plans are available on its official website at https://www.perkinsrestaurants.com. The successful execution of the Elevate Conference suggests that Perkins is positioning itself for renewed competitiveness, making its approach to franchise relations a case study in resilience and strategic partnership management for the broader restaurant and franchising industries.
