Newk’s Eatery co-founder and CEO Chris Newcomb’s first go-around as a restaurant owner included plenty of trial-and-error and learning on the job. As co-founders of McAlister’s Deli in 1989, Newcomb and his dad and brother learned about everything from recipes to scheduling to training by doing. Along they way, they also learned to ask for help.
“We met a lot of really smart people and started asking questions,” he said. “You can always learn a lot from the people who have accomplished a lot.”
The lessons stuck, and when Newcomb left McAlister’s it had grown to more than 50 company owned and franchise locations, laying the groundwork for a chain that today boasts 341 eateries in 24 states, according to its website.
Newk’s Eatery is a fast-casual concept with a focus on people and evidence of the lessons learned the first time around.
