November 02, 2026 // Franchising.com // SAN FRANCISCO — Starbird, known for its bold, globally inspired flavors and culinary-forward approach to fast-casual dining, has appointed industry veteran John Phillips as chief development officer. With nearly 30 years of experience scaling restaurant brands and building franchise partnerships, Phillips will play a key role in advancing Starbird's national growth strategy as the company expands its footprint through new restaurant openings and strategic franchise development agreements.
Phillips brings extensive experience in restaurant operations, franchise development and business leadership across some of the industry's most recognized brands, including The Habit Burger Grill, Burger King and El Pollo Loco.
Most recently, Phillips served as chief global business partnership officer at The Habit Burger Grill, a subsidiary of Yum! Brands. In that position, he spearheaded international expansion efforts and structured master franchise partnerships to support the brand's growth in domestic and global markets.
As chief development officer, Phillips will lead Starbird's company and franchise development efforts, including market planning, real estate development, franchise recruitment and strengthening relationships with existing franchise partners. He will also oversee the company's growing pipeline of new restaurants as Starbird expands into additional markets nationwide.
“John has spent his career helping restaurant brands expand into new markets and build successful franchise partnerships, making him an outstanding addition to our leadership team,” said Greg Levin, CEO of Starbird. “His deep industry experience, relationships and strategic approach will be instrumental as we accelerate our growth across the country while maintaining the operational excellence and guest experience that define Starbird.”
Phillips' appointment is the latest in a series of strategic leadership investments designed to support Starbird’s next phase of growth. Over the past year the company has added Greg Levin as chief executive officer, Stefanie Lee as chief financial officer, and Jonathan Zacks as vice president of marketing. The company also welcomed former Jersey Mike's president Hoyt Jones as an advisor to its board of directors.
“Starbird has built something special with its commitment to great food, culinary innovation and a distinctive approach to chicken that sets it apart” said Phillips. “I'm excited to join the team at such an important stage in the company's journey and build on the strong foundation already in place. There's a significant opportunity to work alongside our franchise partners to bring Starbird to more communities and help shape what’s next for the brand.”
With restaurant operations and franchise development efforts spanning California, Colorado, Texas, Washington, Illinois and beyond, Starbird continues to build momentum as it expands its presence in existing and new markets.
To learn more about Starbird, please visit starbirdchicken.com.
Founded in San Francisco in 2016, Starbird is a culinary-forward chicken brand known for high-quality ingredients, bold, globally inspired flavors and its innovative approach to the category. The menu features Starbird’s signature crispy and grilled chicken across sandwiches, tenders, wings, wraps, salads, and nuggets, complemented by signature sides, housemade sauces, lemonades, iced teas and local craft sodas. Built upon pillars of culinary innovation, a frictionless service model and operational excellence, Starbird has established a differentiated position within the $34 billion U.S. chicken category. Today, the brand operates over 20 locations and continues to expand into new communities.
Starbird’s fresh, chef-driven approach has earned widespread industry recognition, including being named Nation’s Restaurant News’ Chicken Showdown winner in 2023, appearing on Fast Casual’s Top 100 Movers & Shakers for nine consecutive years (ranking #7 in 2025), and landing on Restaurant Business/Technomic’s Future 50 list. Starbird has also been featured in Food & Wine’s “Top 10 Airports for Food and Drink.”
For more information, go to starbirdchicken.com, or follow the brand on Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn.
SOURCE Starbird
Starbird is fundamentally changing the future of fast food by delivering feel good crispy chicken and a positive, tech-driven customer experience.