Krystal Restaurants, the original quick-service restaurant chain in the South, recently named Steve Patel their new Vice President Information Technology. Patel will lead information technology for the brand and its nearly 300 restaurants. He is a seasoned IT professional with more than 22 years of experience.
“Steve’s extensive experience and proven results in IT paired with his innovative and strategic mindset makes him a valuable asset for our organization as we look to expand our brand with systems that will improve services and processes for our teams and the guests we serve,” said Tom Stager, President of Krystal Restaurants LLC. “Through his leadership, we look forward to staying abreast of the latest opportunities in technology for our brand.”
Prior to joining Krystal, Patel served as Owner and Consultant for Atlanta-based Elevation Technology. He provided infrastructure services, PCI-DSS compliance consulting, web, and mobile app accessibility compliance consulting. He also supported clients through marketing technology consulting, cloud transformation consulting, and point of sale deployments assistance. Elevation Technology caters to small restaurant brands without large IT departments.
Patel is new to the Krystal organization, but he has more than 17 years in IT for restaurants. He most recently served as Vice President Information Technology for Huddle House/Perkins Restaurants. He was also Executive IT Director for one of the world’s leading chicken restaurant chains, Church’s Chicken. His earlier experience in restaurant technology included senior level support and engineering roles with The Wendy’s Company and the Wendy’s Arby’s Group.
“By joining the Krystal team, I’m looking forward to bringing a new level of information security and strategic thought leadership to the Information Technology department,” said Steve Patel, Vice President Information Technology for Krystal Restaurants LLC. “As the company expands their presence and looks to offer new and innovative technology, it’s critical for my team to help them keep pace. I’m excited to be part of these momentous developments.”
Steve Patel holds a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from the College of Charleston. His community initiatives include being the former Corporate Chair for the Annual Corporate Build for the Atlanta Habitat For Humanity. Patel has also served as a non-medical volunteer at COVID-19 vaccine centers.
Headquarted in Atlanta, GA, Krystal Restaurants LLC is the original quick-service restaurant chain in the South. Krystal hamburgers have been served fresh and hot off the grill on the iconic square bun since 1932. The company proudly sticks to the classics, but over the years, they’ve never been afraid to innovate.
Krystal has grown to be in 10 states with nearly 300 restaurants and continues to deliver a one-of-a-kind taste experience through their unique menu items that are offered at a great price. The company’s Atlanta-based Restaurant Support Center serves a team of more than 3,500 employees. In 2019, the company was selected to USA Today’s Top-10 Best Regional Fast Food List.
For more information, visit Krystal.com or follow on Facebook or Instagram.
