Sharing the "Why": Donatos Pizza CEO Aims to Grow the Right Way

Name: Kevin King
Title: CEO and President
Company: Donatos Pizza
Units: 464
Age: 60
Years in franchising: 20
Years in current position: 7 months

It turns out the second time is the charm.

Donatos Pizza CEO & President Kevin King is a familiar face returning home. He served as the brand’s VP of development from 1990 until 2003, when he was a key part of the company’s early growth. He moved on to hold leadership roles at other brands, such as Domino’s, Papa Murphy’s, and Smoothie King, before returning to Donatos as president in 2022. Last year, following the retirement of longtime leader Tom Krouse, he also added the CEO title at the Columbus, Ohio-based pizza chain that boasts more than 460 locations in 29 states. He says coming back to Donatos wasn’t just a career move; it was a homecoming driven by a mission to fuel sustainable growth while preserving the brand’s cherished values.

He describes his primary role as that of “chief inspiration and vision person.” His leadership style is centered on clarity of purpose and the ability to galvanize an entire organization behind a shared direction. He’s focused on leveraging Donatos’ family values, innovation, and franchise partner support—not to mention their profitability—for further national expansion.

While acknowledging the challenges of a busy CEO schedule, King identifies his biggest leadership hurdle as consistently making time for his team. He recognizes the profound impact his actions have on the organization and the constant need to be on his game as a visible role model. This self-awareness and commitment to presence, even amidst the daily minutiae, highlight his dedication to his people.

Under King’s leadership, expect Donatos Pizza to continue embracing technology and innovation in ways that will enhance the brand’s efficiency and improve customer satisfaction. King says the company is focused on leveraging AI and automation to streamline operations, allowing teams to focus on hospitality while providing customers with convenient and high-quality experiences.

Ultimately, Kevin King’s approach at Donatos blends a strategic vision, a commitment to human connection, and a focus on purpose, positioning the beloved pizza brand for continued growth and success.

“Our commitment to quality, community, and franchise partner success remains at the heart of everything we do,” he says.

LEADERSHIP

What is your role as CEO? My role is chief inspiration and vision person. I need to set the vision and get the organization behind that vision. Of course, there are some execution and other responsibilities, but it all starts with the right vision and inspiration. 

How has Covid-19 affected the way you have led your brand? Covid changed everything for most people. Of course, it changed me as a leader. It forced us to think more about safety and wellness and how to keep and protect our teams and our guests. It also made us focus on connection. What we all learned during Covid was that humans need connection to thrive. We have to keep connecting with our guests and our team members. 

What has inspired your leadership style? My style has been influenced by every leader I have worked for. I tend to observe and learn. These leaders impacted me either positively or negatively, and I have taken pieces from every leader I have had. Some I want to emulate, and some I want to avoid. I have had some incredible leaders, and I am so grateful for them. They inspired me and helped me be a better leader. 

What is your biggest leadership challenge? Making time to spend more time with my team. It is easy to get caught up in the minutia of the day and not engage team members. I always have to remember that my actions don’t go unnoticed and will impact the organization. 

How do you transmit your culture from your office to frontline employees? Connecting with the front line comes through visits, video communication, written communication, and what my team can bring to life. I am huge on giving the “Why.” I need to make sure that my team provides the “Why” in every ask they have of our field teams. 

How can a CEO help their CMO develop and grow? A CEO can help them grow by being a great listener and being engaged with them in challenging and building on others’ ideas. I want to challenge them to be a great student and constantly curious. Curiosity is one of the most critical traits of all leaders. Life is a journey and not a destination. We will learn and grow every day. 

Where is the best place to prepare for leadership: an MBA school or OTJ? I believe that all types of learning are helpful, and so much depends on your leadership style. For some, it might be school, and for others, OJT. My advice is to do what works best for you. For a CEO, there is no substitute for OJT and daily learning. No MBA program can give you all that you need. That doesn’t take away from the value that an MBA offers, especially if that matches your learning style. 

Are tough decisions best taken by one person? How do you make tough decisions? Tough decisions are part of being a leader. When I approach a tough decision, the first step is to investigate and learn. I dig into the details and then follow the principles of Agápe Capitalism. Donatos Founder Jim Grote defined Agápe Capitalism with three tenets: “Lead with love, follow the Golden Rule, and do the right thing.” For every tough decision, I start by going through those tenets. If you do the first two, the third is pretty easy. 

Do you want to be liked or respected? First and foremost, I want to be respected. I know that I earn respect by my actions. I also know that as a leader, I have a much better chance of being liked if I am respected first. 

Advice to CEO wannabes: Learn, learn, and learn. The next step is to lead. You don’t manage an organization; you lead it. The final thought is that, as a leader, your number one job is to inspire your team. 

MANAGEMENT

Describe your management style: I am a very curious person, and that drives me to seek to understand. I feel like I can lead much better if I can contribute, and I can’t contribute if I lack understanding. Second, it is about growing and developing. I strive to make sure we are all continuously learning and growing. A final thought is around making sure the team is comfortable taking risks. I do not want a comfortable team. I want a team that is going to push and challenge. Making a mistake is okay. If we never make mistakes, we are not challenging ourselves. 

What does your management team look like? I strive to make my leadership team diverse. I want people who complement each other and aren’t copies of each other. This is challenging as we tend to hire people more like us. Work hard to hire people with diversity of thought. 

How does your management team help you lead? They help by sharing inspiration and having diversity of thought. They challenge in a constructive way. Finally, we act as a unit. 

Favorite management gurus: Do you read management books? Jim Collins is a big inspiration for me, and I love his thinking. I also love Simon Sinek and his books. 

What makes you say, “Yes, now that’s why I do what I do!”? Seeing thrilled guests and team members who are happy is huge. Finally, I look at the outcomes we get when we do things the right way. 

OPERATIONS

What trends are you seeing with consumer spending habits in your stores? Consumers are looking for value and experience. We have to work hard to improve the value by giving them more. Also, they want an experience. What can we do to give them a memorable experience? 

How is the economy driving consumer behavior in your system? We have to deliver on value and make sure we exceed expectations on experience. Failure has big negative consequences.

What are you expecting from your market in the next 12 months? I don’t see improvement in the next 12 months. Our execution will determine if we grow or decline in the next 12 months. 

Are your franchisees bullish or bearish about growth and adding additional units? Cautious.

Are commodity/supply costs any cause for concern in your system? We seem pretty steady on prices unless tariffs cause issues in the next few months. 

In what ways are political/global issues impacting the market and your brand? The fear and caution are definitely impacting guest sentiment right now. 

TECHNOLOGY

How much influence does your IT department have on your brand? Critical: 90% of our orders go through our technology stack. It is a huge priority and concern.

How have your company’s tech tools changed over the past five years? We have overhauled it over the past several years. We still have a growing list of wants, but we have made great progress. 

How does technology influence your decisions? It is a part (sometimes, a critical part) of every decision.

Are you using AI? How? Yes. We are using it in a call center and thinking about it across the business.

How do you measure your ROI on technology investments? They are hard to measure. I wish there were clear-cut tools. I look at technology as table stakes for growing our business. 

How did/do you create a culture where use of technology advancements is welcome and used? The only way for me is to constantly tell the “Why.” People won’t embrace what they can’t see. 

PERSONAL 

What time do you like to be at your desk? 7:30 a.m.

Exercise in the morning? No. But I need to exercise.

Wine with lunch? Never.

Do you socialize with your team after work/outside the office? Yes. We spend so much of our lives at work and need to be social and human. I also want them to know that I value them and their families. I think this is critical to team cohesion. 

Last two books read: Source Code by Bill Gates and Insanely Simple by Ken Segall.

What technology do you take on the road? MacBook, iPad, and iPhone. My backpack is heavy, but I need the tools.

How do you relax/balance life and work? I spend time with my wife and dogs to relax. I have gotten better at balance but still have work to do to get there. 

Favorite vacation destination(s): New places. I love to explore the world. 

Favorite occasions to send employees notes: When they need encouragement or do extraordinary things.

Favorite company product/service: Apple.

BOTTOM LINE

What are your long-term goals for the company? I want to achieve our 120-year vision. We have metrics and goals around that. 

How has the economy changed your goals for your company? It hasn’t changed the goal. It may extend the time. 

Where can capital be found these days? Everywhere. Be creative. 

How do you measure success? I measure with numbers and scorecards. But the true measure of success is how many lives I can positively impact. 

What has been your greatest success? Raising three wonderful children. 

Any regrets? I have made lots of mistakes, but I don’t spend time regretting.

What can we expect from your company in the next 12 to 18 months? We are going to be innovative in many ways, open more stores than ever before, and improve our guest experience across the brand.