100 years ago, the first fast food restaurant opened in Wichita, Kansas: White Castle. They sold hamburgers for a nickel each; allowed customers to see how their food was being prepared; and served their food quickly and efficiently. These three factors made the company very successful, so several competitors tried to copy their model.
Also in 1921, the Pig Stand in Dallas, Texas initiated the “drive-in” because “people with cars are lazy and they don’t want to get out of them.” Truer words than that have never been spoken!
Over the last 50 years, the Fast Food industry in the United States has exploded:
- In 1970, Americans spent approximately $6 billion dollars on fast food
- In 2017, the industry exceeded $200 billion in sales
- This year, it’s estimated that Americans will spend over $225 billion
Fast Food culture and leadership has caught my eye before. Check out my post summarizing Dee Ann Turner’s It’s My Pleasure: Chick-Fil-A’s Compelling Culture.
Today, it’s appropriate to take a look at Popeye’s Louisiana Kitchen and the story of Cheryl Bachelder, their former CEO, who saved that Fast Food restaurant. She is described as a “Dare to Serve” leader—a different kind of leader, with a rare combination of traits, courageous enough to take the people to a daring destination yet humble enough to selflessly serve others on the journey. We can all learn from her approach to leadership.
Click here for a summary of Cheryl Bachelder’s Dare to Serve