QSR and FSR’s Women in Restaurant Leadership (WiRL) platform champions women across every level of restaurant leadership—every day, all year long. To mark Women’s History Month, leaders from across QSR and FSR came together for an exclusive Q&A to share insights, advice, and perspectives on the state of women’s leadership today.
In full-service restaurants, every guest experience is personal, every culture is intentionally curated, and every decision matters. The women steering these brands bring vision, empathy, and strategic expertise to the table, proving that leadership isn’t just about the bottom line—it’s about inspiring teams, elevating experiences, and building lasting impact in the industry.
Continue reading for the full Q&A.
And come join the movement at our upcoming Women in Restaurant Summit in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Melissa Fry
CMO, Twin Peaks Restaurants
Women make up a significant portion of the restaurant workforce, yet remain underrepresented in top executive and ownership roles. From where you sit today, what’s the biggest barrier still holding women back—and what needs to change next to create real momentum?
The biggest barrier is proximity to power. Women are everywhere in this industry. We are running shifts, leading teams, driving guest satisfaction, building brands—but when it comes to ownership tables, capital decisions, and true enterprise-level authority, the seats are still limited.
And I don’t think it’s always overt bias. Sometimes it’s legacy networks. Sometimes it’s comfort. Sometimes it’s simply that leadership teams tend to replicate what they’ve historically looked like.
Another reality is that women get a lot of advice, but not always advocacy. Mentorship is important. Sponsorship changes the game. Someone willing to say, “Put her in that room. She can handle it.” That is what accelerates careers.
This industry runs on people. Women understand people deeply. The upside of unlocking that leadership potential at the highest levels is enormous. When women are trusted with the business at that level, they deliver.
The definition of leadership in restaurants is shifting—from command-and-control to culture, empathy, and adaptability. How has your own leadership style evolved, and why do you believe women are uniquely positioned to lead in this moment?
Early in my career, I felt like I had to be tough all the time. Direct. Unshakeable. I thought leadership meant being the strongest voice in the room.
Over time—especially navigating growth seasons and more challenging ones—I’ve realized leadership is more about steadiness than volume. It’s about clarity. It’s about creating alignment. It’s about helping people feel secure enough to execute at a high level.
I still have high standards. I’m wired that way. But I’ve learned culture is the multiplier. When people feel valued and trusted, performance follows.
Women are uniquely positioned right now because we are incredibly adaptable. We’ve been balancing complexity our entire careers. We read rooms. We build consensus. We can hold empathy and accountability at the same time.
And that is exactly what this industry needs at this moment.
In full-service restaurants—where experience, culture, and people are as critical as performance—what leadership skills are most essential today, and how do women leaders uniquely elevate the guest and team experience?
In full-service, you can’t hide behind a product. The experience is the product.
The most essential skills today are emotional intelligence, operational discipline, cross-functional fluency, and the ability to connect strategy to what’s actually happening in the restaurant.
Women often lead with a strong awareness of the full ecosystem. We think about the guest. We think about the server. We think about the manager on a double shift. We think about how a promotion looks in a boardroom—and how it plays in real life. That perspective protects the brand. It protects the culture. And it drives performance in a way that feels sustainable, not transactional. We elevate the experience because we naturally consider the human layer, not just the metric.
Alignment is everything. Marketing, operations, finance, culinary, franchisees—if we are not moving in the same direction, the guest feels it immediately. Strong leaders make sure strategy is clear, executable, and understood at every level of the organization.
Decisiveness under pressure is equally critical. This industry moves fast. Weather shifts traffic. A fight card changes. A competitor drops a promotion. Leaders have to make informed decisions quickly without creating chaos.
Emotional intelligence is not a soft skill in restaurants. It is a business skill. Understanding how a promotion impacts the team on a Saturday night, how communication lands during a sensitive season, how culture drives retention—this awareness protects performance.
Cross-functional fluency matters more than ever. As a marketing leader, I cannot just think about impressions and creative. I have to understand labor models, cost of goods, franchise economics, and technology platforms. Leadership today requires business literacy across the entire ecosystem.
Women often elevate this naturally because we tend to lead inclusively. We ask questions. We gather perspectives. We think about the downstream impact before we launch something. That doesn’t mean we lack decisiveness. It means when we decide, it’s informed.
Ultimately, the leaders who win today are the ones who can balance performance with humanity, speed with discipline, and strategy with empathy—and that balance is where women naturally thrive.
When you think about the next generation of women entering the restaurant industry, what do you want them to inherit—and what responsibility do today’s leaders have to make that future possible?
When I think about the next generation, I don’t just think about titles. I think about stability. I think about durable opportunities.
The reality is that this industry isn’t always glamorous. It’s high-pressure. It’s financially tight. It requires discipline, creativity, and resilience at the same time.
I want the next generation of women to inherit an industry that is both ambitious and sustainable—one where growth is smart, culture is protected, and leaders understand that brand health and financial health go hand in hand. I want them to inherit transparency. Clear career paths. Real access to P&L ownership. A seat at the table before a crisis hits, not just during cleanup.
But I also want them to inherit confidence in their voice. This industry has traditionally rewarded volume and bravado. The future belongs to leaders who are strategic, steady, and self-aware. Women should not feel like they have to mimic someone else’s leadership style to rise.
The responsibility of today’s leaders is to build responsibly. That means mentoring with honesty. Sponsoring with intention. Making tough decisions that protect the long-term health of the brand—not just the next quarter. And creating cultures where performance and humanity coexist.
We don’t just pass down brands in this industry. We pass down standards. We pass down culture. We pass down what leadership looks like.
If we get that right, the next generation of women won’t just participate in this industry. They’ll shape it.
Maria Swallie
Director of Off-Premises Business Development, Sunny Street Cafe
Women make up a significant portion of the restaurant workforce, yet remain underrepresented in top executive and ownership roles. From where you sit today, what’s the biggest barrier still holding women back—and what needs to change next to create real momentum?
One of the biggest barriers I still see is confidence. It is not a lack of opportunity, but often a lack of visibility. Many women in the restaurant workforce struggle with imposter syndrome or hesitate to pursue leadership roles because they do not see many women currently in those positions.
I work alongside incredibly capable women every day, yet too often they are not encouraged to step forward or do not believe they are ready for the next level. The reality is that many of the qualities women naturally bring to the table—including empathy, attention to detail, strong communication, and the ability to teach and develop others—are exactly what great leadership requires.
To create real momentum, women in leadership must actively mentor and encourage entry-level team members to take that next step. That encouragement can be transformative. When women see other women leading successfully and are personally supported along the way, it builds the confidence needed to advance.
The definition of leadership in restaurants is shifting—from command-and-control to culture, empathy, and adaptability. How has your own leadership style evolved, and why do you believe women are uniquely positioned to lead in this moment?
Over my 18 years at Sunny Street Cafe, my leadership style has evolved from being primarily operations-focused to being people-focused. Early in my career, my top priorities were hitting food and labor targets, driving efficiency, and meeting performance goals.
While those metrics still matter, I have learned that investing in people and building a strong culture is what truly drives sustainable success.
When you focus on developing your team, the operational results follow. You also create a pipeline of future leaders within your organization.
Women are especially well-positioned for this shift because many of us naturally lead with strong communication, empathy, and collaboration. We tend to create environments where people feel supported and encouraged to grow. When team members feel valued and developed, they perform at a higher level. I truly believe that when you treat people right, your team can achieve anything.
In full-service restaurants—where experience, culture, and people are as critical as performance—what leadership skills are most essential today, and how do women leaders uniquely elevate the guest and team experience?
Coaching and consistency are essential in today’s restaurant environment. Guests do not just come for the food—they come for the experience. That experience is shaped entirely by the team.
The strongest leaders create an environment where employees feel heard and valued, and where they are consistently developed. Many women leaders excel at fostering that sense of trust and encouragement. When team members feel confident and supported, they show up differently. They engage more positively, invest in the business, and work collaboratively toward shared goals.
That positive team dynamic is something guests can feel the moment they walk in. A supportive, unified culture translates directly into a better dining experience.
When you think about the next generation of women entering the restaurant industry, what do you want them to inherit—and what responsibility do today’s leaders have to make that future possible?
I want the next generation of women to inherit visibility. I want them to see women thriving in leadership roles and to believe—without hesitation—that they can achieve that same success.
Today’s leaders have a responsibility to actively identify and develop emerging talent. We need to look for potential and call it out, even when someone may not see it in themselves.
I am where I am today because someone recognized strengths in me and encouraged me to step into the catering department—an area I had never considered for myself. That belief changed my trajectory. As leaders, we owe it to the next generation to see them, support them, and help them step into opportunities they may not yet envision for themselves.
Joanne Forrester
President and COO, Moxies
Women make up a significant portion of the restaurant workforce, yet remain underrepresented in top executive and ownership roles. From where you sit today, what’s the biggest barrier still holding women back—and what needs to change next to create real momentum?
One of the biggest barriers I still see is a lack of opportunity and confidence. Women are capable, ready, and delivering every day—but we don’t always raise our hands, and too often, we aren’t pulled into the room for the big discussions.
I was fortunate to have leaders who believed in me, opened doors, and trusted me with responsibility before I felt fully ready. That belief changed the trajectory of my career. It reminded me that confidence often follows opportunity—not the other way around.
Another challenge many women navigate is the pressure around work and family. I’ve had moments where going for the next role didn’t come with immediate excitement, but with guilt. I wondered how I would manage it all and whether saying yes meant letting someone down at home.
What I’ve learned since is that feeling stretched isn’t failure—it’s growth. There are seasons when work asks more of you, and seasons when family does. Leadership isn’t about perfect balance every day.
If we want real momentum, we have to be intentional about creating opportunities, inviting women into big conversations, backing them for stretch roles, and holding ourselves accountable for developing diverse leaders.
The definition of leadership in restaurants is shifting—from command-and-control to culture, empathy, and adaptability. How has your own leadership style evolved, and why do you believe women are uniquely positioned to lead in this moment?
Early in my career, I thought leadership meant matching the intensity and style of the men around me—or trying to outwork everyone to prove I belonged. I felt like I had to earn my seat every single day.
Over time, I realized the leaders who made the biggest impact weren’t the loudest; they were the ones who built trust, developed people, and created clarity.
Thanks to mentors who believed in me and gave me the opportunity, I’ve always lived by “lift as you climb.” Today, my leadership is rooted in high standards and high care. I expect results, but I also invest deeply in people.
The restaurant industry today needs exactly that. Women naturally bring empathy, adaptability, and connection, and those qualities now define great leadership. In a people-first business, those skills drive culture, retention, and performance.
In full-service restaurants—where experience, culture, and people are as critical as performance—what leadership skills are most essential today, and how do women leaders uniquely elevate the guest and team experience?
Emotional intelligence, communication, and perspective are essential—alongside strong execution.
Guests feel the culture the moment they walk through the door, and that culture starts with leadership. Women often bring a heightened awareness of team dynamics, guest experience, and atmosphere. That perspective elevates how restaurants feel, not just how they function.
Women leaders also tend to develop deeper benches. They coach consistently, build confidence, and create safe environments for growth. When teams feel supported, performance follows—and so does guest loyalty.
When you think about the next generation of women entering the restaurant industry, what do you want them to inherit—and what responsibility do today’s leaders have to make that future possible?
I want them to inherit an industry where they don’t feel they have to become someone else to lead.
Be gritty. This business will challenge you—and that’s part of its magic. Find your leadership style and trust it. Walk into rooms knowing you earned your seat.
But I’d also tell them this: own your development. Don’t wait for someone to tap you on the shoulder or map out your career for you. Ask for opportunities. Seek feedback. Raise your hand for stretch projects. The leaders who grow fastest are the ones who take responsibility for their own path.
And for those of us leading today, our responsibility is to open doors, advocate for talent, create real growth opportunities, and model that strong leadership can be both driven and human.
When women rise, the entire industry rises with them.
Brianna Borin
COO, Snooze, an A.M. Eatery
Women make up a significant portion of the restaurant workforce, yet remain underrepresented in top executive and ownership roles. From where you sit today, what’s the biggest barrier still holding women back—and what needs to change next to create real momentum?
I think the opportunity in front of us is about access.
Women are already doing incredible work across this industry. We lead teams, shape culture, take care of guests, and keep restaurants and hospitality businesses running every day. The next step is making sure more women are given the chance to grow into the roles that lead to executive leadership—things like owning a P&L, leading across multiple locations, or being part of strategic decisions.
What is encouraging is that this is starting to shift. More companies are being intentional about creating pathways for women instead of waiting for them to happen organically.
Momentum comes when leaders actively create space for women to step into bigger roles and trust them with meaningful ownership.
At Snooze, one way we are bringing that to life is through action. This International Women’s Day, 10 of our restaurants will be run entirely by women across every position—front of house, back of house, and leadership. It is a way to highlight the talent that already exists and to show what leadership can look like when opportunity is shared.
The future feels less about fixing a gap and more about continuing to open doors.
The definition of leadership in restaurants is shifting—from command-and-control to culture, empathy, and adaptability. How has your own leadership style evolved, and why do you believe women are uniquely positioned to lead in this moment?
I started at Snooze as a host 18 years ago, and I’ve been in this industry for more than 25 years—so I’ve really grown up in it.
Earlier in my career, leadership often meant having the answers and driving results through control. Over time—especially as I moved through people, culture, and now operations roles—I’ve learned that leadership is really about creating the conditions for others to succeed and, as you rise, bringing others along with you.
Today, I focus on clarity and trust. Listening more than directing. Thinking about how decisions affect people just as much as performance. This business is about people—creating opportunities for them to win and grow while balancing life, relationships, and the challenges those things bring.
Over the years, I’ve learned a lot about showing up for both people and results.
The skills the industry needs most right now are empathy, adaptability, and emotional intelligence. Women often bring those qualities naturally and, when given the opportunity, can grow into leadership roles quickly and authentically.
In full-service restaurants—where experience, culture, and people are as critical as performance—what leadership skills are most essential today, and how do women leaders uniquely elevate the guest and team experience?
Listening is probably the biggest one.
Transparency matters, too. Teams want to understand the “why” behind decisions.
In a full-service environment, culture shows up directly in the guest experience. If your team feels respected and supported, guests feel it right away.
Women leaders often notice how the environment feels, not just how it functions. We tend to pick up on shifts in morale or energy before they show up in the numbers.
That makes a difference.
When teams feel seen, they show up differently. And when guests feel genuine care, they come back.
Our all-women-run shifts for International Women’s Day are not just symbolic. They reflect what is already happening every day across our restaurants.
When you think about the next generation of women entering the restaurant industry, what do you want them to inherit—and what responsibility do today’s leaders have to make that future possible?
I want leadership to feel normal for them. Not rare. Not surprising.
I want them to feel like they can be their authentic selves and still be taken seriously as leaders.
As leaders today, our responsibility is to build real paths forward—clear development opportunities, real ownership, and environments where women are trusted to lead.
Celebration is important, but opportunity is what changes the future.
I hope that the next generation does not have to rely on timing or luck the way many of us did.
Leadership should feel like a path, not something you have to stumble into. We have to help each other succeed—one job, one role, one day at a time. As one rises, we all rise.
Jennifer Weishaupt
Co-founder, Ruby Slipper & Ruby Sunshine
Women make up a significant portion of the restaurant workforce, yet remain underrepresented in top executive and ownership roles. From where you sit today, what’s the biggest barrier still holding women back—and what needs to change next to create real momentum?
From where I sit today, the biggest barrier isn’t capability, but access and culture.
Women make up a significant portion of the restaurant workforce, yet we’re still underrepresented in ownership and executive roles. That’s not a pipeline problem, but a visibility and sponsorship issue. Women are present across organizations, but not always included in ownership conversations—and even when we’re in the room, our voices aren’t always fully heard. There is still a “prove-it-again” bias, where women are often expected to consistently demonstrate performance before being considered for advancement, while others may be promoted based on perceived potential.
Cultural bias can also show up in subtle but meaningful ways. Whose ideas are validated in real time? Who gets the stretch assignments? Who is assumed to be ready for the next step? Over time, those moments compound and shape who rises. For many women, life stages like pregnancy or caregiving are still treated as career risks instead of normal parts of a long-term professional journey.
To create real momentum, a few things need to shift. First, women in ownership and executive leadership must stop being framed as exceptional. It should be expected and normalized. Representation matters, and when women regularly see other women in those roles, it changes what feels possible.
Second, leaders have to move beyond good intentions and build structure. That means clear promotion pathways, transparent evaluation criteria, and active sponsorship—not just mentorship. Sponsorship is advocating for women in rooms they’re not in, using influence to create opportunities, assigning high-impact projects, and backing them in advancement conversations.
Finally, we need to normalize conversations around life stages at the executive level. Organizations that treat caregiving and family responsibilities as compatible with leadership—not in conflict with it—will retain and elevate stronger talent.
When the question shifts from “Can she do it?” to “How do we support her growth?” that’s when real, lasting momentum follows.
The definition of leadership in restaurants is shifting—from command-and-control to culture, empathy, and adaptability. How has your own leadership style evolved, and why do you believe women are uniquely positioned to lead in this moment?
Early in my career, my leadership style was focused on proving credibility. Like many women in this industry, I felt the need to demonstrate that I belonged at the table. That often meant leading with results first and making sure performance spoke for itself.
Over time, my perspective shifted. I realized culture requires intention, consistency, and accountability. I began to see listening not as a secondary skill, but as a central one. Creating space for feedback, encouraging open dialogue, and being willing to adjust based on what I’m hearing has become a core part of how I lead today. Strong results still matter, but sustainable success is built on trust and clarity.
The definition of leadership in restaurants is evolving. It’s no longer about command and control—it’s about culture, empathy, and adaptability. Leaders must be able to guide teams through change, navigate complexity, and connect with people across different roles and life stages.
I believe women are uniquely positioned for this moment because many of these skills have long been part of how we operate. Empathy, collaboration, resilience, and the ability to balance multiple priorities are not new concepts for women in this industry. As the business shifts toward culture stewardship and people-first leadership, those strengths are becoming essential rather than optional.
Leadership today is less about having all the answers and more about creating an environment where people can do their best work. That’s a shift I’ve embraced—and one I’m excited to see gaining momentum across the industry.
In full-service restaurants—where experience, culture, and people are as critical as performance—what leadership skills are most essential today, and how do women leaders uniquely elevate the guest and team experience?
In full-service restaurants, performance metrics matter, but they’re only part of the story. Experience, culture, and people ultimately determine whether a guest returns and whether a team feels invested for the long term. Because of that, the most essential leadership skills today go beyond operational execution.
Emotional intelligence sits at the center. Leaders must understand that team morale and guest experience are directly connected. When employees feel supported, respected, and clear on expectations, that confidence translates to the floor. Guests may not see what’s happening behind the scenes, but they absolutely feel the difference between a healthy culture and a strained one.
Intentional culture-building is equally important. It is shaped every day by what leaders reinforce, what they prioritize, and how consistently they show up. That requires a steady presence and a willingness to listen in a meaningful way—not to respond, but to understand. That kind of listening builds trust and creates an environment where people feel valued and empowered to contribute.
Women leaders often elevate both the guest and team experience because there is a natural focus on how an environment feels, not just how it performs. That awareness influences communication, collaboration, and the tone set throughout the restaurant. Many women also prioritize inclusivity in a very intentional way, ensuring different voices are heard and considered. That strengthens decision-making and deepens team engagement.
At the end of the day, a great guest experience begins with a strong employee experience. Leaders who recognize and invest in that connection create restaurants that are not only high-performing but genuinely welcoming. In today’s full-service landscape, that balance of operational excellence and people-centered leadership is what sets brands apart.
When you think about the next generation of women entering the restaurant industry, what do you want them to inherit—and what responsibility do today’s leaders have to make that future possible?
When I think about the next generation of women entering the restaurant industry, I want them to inherit an environment where their presence in executive and ownership roles is completely unremarkable—because it is the norm, not the exception.
I want them to see clear, fair, and transparent pathways to advancement, with no ambiguity about what it takes to grow and no unwritten rules they have to decode along the way. Advancement should be tied to performance, capability, and leadership—not proximity, personality politics, or gender.
Most importantly, I hope they inherit an industry where leadership is defined by competence, vision, and character rather than by who traditionally held the role before them.
That future will not happen by accident. Today’s leaders have a responsibility to actively build it. We have to bring women into meaningful decision-making spaces—not just advisory roles, but the rooms where strategy is set, capital is allocated, and direction is determined. Representation only matters if it carries real influence.
We also have to model the kind of culture we want them to experience—one where ambition and empathy coexist, and where high standards are matched with strong support. If we build organizations that value both performance and people, the next generation will not have to prove they belong. They will be positioned to lead with confidence from the start.
