Meche Accelerates the Fast-Casual Franchise’s Growth, Champions its People-First Culture
MOOYAH Burgers, Fries & Shakes, a Texas-based fast-casual franchise, has appointed Michael Meche president. The Texas native and longtime MOOYAH fan focuses on franchisee success, operational efficiency and people-oriented leadership to lead the brand into its next stage of growth. He brings extensive restaurant franchise experience to the role.
Meche got his start in franchising when he worked for a Papa John’s franchisee as a teen. “Over time, I grew within the organization and eventually transitioned into the corporate side, working on joint ventures and gaining a deep understanding of profit and loss statements and how to run a successful business. From there, I moved into franchisee support – handling everything from franchisee selection to onboarding and training – and that’s where it really clicked for me. That experience has prepared me for this role at MOOYAH,” Meche said.
He cited MOOYAH’s product, culture, growth potential and business model as its major selling points. “We know exactly who we are: We have a simple menu, we focus on what we do best and we do it with pride. Great brands don’t try to do everything – they focus on doing one thing really well. For us, it’s burgers, so we’ve always focused on making the best, and we’ll continue to level up our product with new technologies and ingredients in pursuit of that mission.”
He said he’s excited about building and refining the brand’s processes. “I’m energized by the opportunity to keep innovating by pushing the boundaries of what the better burger experience looks like. I’m also really focused on supporting our current franchisees. If we can take great care of them and help them succeed, they’ll be inspired to continue growing with us.”
Anand Gala, founder and managing partner of Gala Capital Partners, MOOYAH’s parent company, said Meche’s leadership skills and franchising background make him an ideal fit for the position. “Michael understands that everything starts with the restaurant, and his passion for delivering consistent quality every time is really what will continue to enable our franchisees to thrive,” Gala said.
Servant Leadership
Meche said he is a believer in servant leadership. “I’ll sweep floors, clean bathrooms and do whatever it takes to keep the restaurant running smoothly. My mission is to support our people so they can go full throttle and love what they do as much as I do.”
When he isn’t working, Meche enjoys spending time with his wife and two daughters.
About MOOYAH Burgers, Fries & Shakes
Founded in 2007, MOOYAH serves fresh, never-frozen 100% certified Angus beef brand burgers, all-natural turkey burgers and plant-based vegan burgers. The fast-casual brand’s buns are baked in-house daily, and guests can choose from five cheeses, bacon, avocado and 17 free sauces and toppings. MOOYAH also hand-spins 100% real ice cream shakes in flavors including vanilla, Hershey’s chocolate, Reese’s, Oreo and more. The brand’s next-generation prototypes include drive-thrus, cutting-edge kitchen technologies, self-order kiosks and dynamic digital menu boards.
