When BJ’s Restaurants CEO Lyle Tick started visiting locations in the Dallas market, a few points stood out immediately.
One, the chain has a lot of assets to work with. He says the physical restaurants feel different from the average casual-dining chain—they’re big, welcoming, social, and open, including a large bar. Secondly, Tick was fascinated by the diversity of customers. He remembers seeing families, groups of women, young men hanging out, and even high school baseball teams. All of these segments coexisted seamlessly in the same space, proving to Tick that BJ’s can serve as a community gathering place. It reminded him a lot of what pubs do in the U.K. or what diners used to do in the U.S.
But as he examined closer, a burning question remained on his mind—what exactly is BJ’s?
“What is the heart of BJ’s?” Tick asked himself. “And then when I did a little bit more research, it felt like I wasn’t finding a clear answer to that question.”
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When he dug into some of the past investor materials, the messaging seemed fragmented. There was talk of being a “no veto” option, which led to a broad menu, operational difficulties, and loss of a brand narrative. Tick notes that BJ’s originally had a unique point of view with deep dish pizza, craft beer, and the Pizookie. It was about camaraderie, connection, and shareable food. But over time, that culture seemed to lose some clarity.
This is where Tick believes he can add value as CEO. The executive, who previously served as president of Buffalo Wild Wings for four and a half years, was promoted to his current position earlier this month.
“My career has come from the brand world, and whether that was in my time in the spirits business or in the beauty business or with [Buffalo Wild Wings], a lot of my time has been about helping brands find their next chapter of growth, but doing that by going back and being really clear on who they are and where they’re going to drive their differentiation,” Tick says. “And it felt like there was an opportunity for BJ’s to be more powerful in doing that. And so it felt like my skills matched up pretty well with what the brand and the business needed, and I could add some value.”
Tick is basing his CEO journey around rediscovering and reigniting what made BJ’s special from the start. He’s spent time with founders, conducted research, and tried to “get under the skin of the brand”—what it means to people and where the emotional connections lie. Alongside that, BJ’s asks one question before any decision: Will this make the experience better for the guest, and will it make things easier for our team members?
BJ’s is emphasizing four strategic priorities. The first is improving the employee experience. The chain is focused on bringing in the right talent and having the right training to provide them the tools they need to succeed. Another is the menu. The brand is doubling down on its core platforms (pizza, Pizookies, and craft beer) and simplifying everything around them. For instance, the chain completely re-engineered its pizza from the ground up. The brand went through operational testing, controlled consumer testing, and now it’s in market tests.
The third priority is what Tick calls “Wow Hospitality.” It’s a term that originated at BJ’s, but was lost over time. To support this mission, the company is introducing AI forecasting for better labor scheduling, prep, and more.
The fourth and final point is the restaurant footprint. The remodel program is showing strong results, and the brand has taken time to analyze where it wants to grow next. BJ’s is rebuilding its development pipeline with an eye on new restaurant openings. The chain is hoping to ramp up in the second half of next year and into 2027.
“We’re operating more efficiently than we have in quite a long time, and we see that coming through and NPS scores being higher than they’ve been in a very long time,” Tick says. “We see that in our food and beverage comps being down quite a bit, and all of those things indicate that we’re getting more efficient but doing it in the right way.”
Tick joins the brand at a time of positive momentum. BJ’s same-store sales rose 1.7 percent and traffic lifted 2.7 percent in Q1 while several casual-dining competitors reported negative comps.
The CEO attributed the traction to multiple key factors. One is the Pizookie Meal Deal, an offering that combines the fan-favorite Pizookie with compelling value. It’s helped drive traffic during the week and stay strong over the weekend and kept BJ’s top of mind for guests. This movement tells Tick that as BJ’s raises awareness and consideration, customers are choosing to dine at the chain more often.
Then there’s virality. The Pizookie Platter, which is a giant Pizookie with around eight scoops of ice cream, took off on TikTok.
“We have individuals coming in and trying to eat on their own and groups coming in,” Tick says. “[The Pizookie Platter has] started to pick up some momentum, and the team moved really quickly to make sure we had all the pans and we could fan the flames of that.”
Tick also praises the brand collaborations, like the Snickers Pizookie and the Fryckle Pizookie with reality TV star Snooki. These efforts have helped keep BJ’s part of the social conversation and extended its reach in relevant ways, the CEO says.
BJ’s consumers tend to skew younger, a little higher income, and lean toward what Tick calls “everyday treat” or “social splurge” visits. The CEO explains that this kind of occasion is less about big calendar events like graduations or Mother’s Day—though BJ’s does well on those too—and more about things like a weekly family dinner or a casual night out with friends.
And those types of visits have held fairly consistent throughout the year so far.
“I think when guests are coming in, they feel like they’re getting a good value, they feel like they’re getting treated well, and those things start to feed on each other,” Tick says. “So there’s a bit of momentum now that I feel like, given the way it’s happening, we will hopefully be sustainable.”
