Multi-Unit Franchisee Magazine Issue I, 2012 | Page 44

MEGA

Reconnecting: with Tommy Haddock

T

ommy Haddock has added 10 Bojangles’ Famous
Chicken ’n Biscuits restaurants since we profiled him
six years ago. As he approaches 50 units, this “hands-in”
operator says his favorite photo of himself shows him
making biscuits—a testament to his made-from-scratch, multimillion-dollar organization and his ongoing love for operations.
Not that he would ever win his company’s biscuit-making
competition. “I can make a pretty good biscuit, but I’d lose out
on speed,” says the easygoing North Carolinian who opened
his first Bojangles’ restaurant 32 years ago.
A graduate of North Carolina State University’s School of
Forestry, Haddock worked for a local power company before
entering the restaurant industry. He learned from the best: Bojangles’ founder Jack Fulp (now deceased), who also happened
to be his father-in-law. “Jack connected me with the [Jerry]
Richardson family and we formed a partnership, opening our
first restaurant in January 1980,” he recalls. “When we opened
our first restaurant, we were the 13th in the chain. The number
13 has been good to us.”
Haddock’s wife of 40 years, Donna, handles administrative

Name: Tommy Haddock
Title: Co-founder and president
Company: Tri-Arc Food Systems
No. of units 2012:

46 Bojangles’ Famous Chicken ’n Biscuits
No. of units 2008:

36 Bojangles’ Famous Chicken ’n Biscuits
Age: 60
Family: Wife Donna and two sons
Years in franchising: 32
Years in current position: 32

PERSONAL
Key accomplishments: Our primary accomplishment is building, owning,
and operating 46 restaurants from scratch. We’re also proud that in 32
years we’ve never closed a restaurant—they’re all still open and running.
It was also an honor to receive the Restaurateur of the Year Award in 2006
from the North Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Association and to serve as
chairman of the board for that organization in 2003.
Biggest mistake: I try to forget my mistakes—I only look forward.
Smartest mistake: My smartest mistake was leaving an 8-to-5, Mondayto-Friday job to get into the restaurant business. There were times I asked
myself what in the world I had done, but looking back it was the smartest
thing I’ve ever done.
How do you spend a typical day? I’m up at about 6 a.m., and I try
to go by one of our restaurants—either inside or throu