Operations

Rita's Italian Ice & Frozen Custard CEO appearing on "Undercover Boss"

Provided

January 21, 2022

Rita's Italian Ice & Frozen Custard CEO and President Linda L. Chadwick will be featured on the CBS show "Undercover Boss" airing Friday, Jan. 28, according to a press release.

In going undercover, Linda was able to gain anonymity — and a preview into the world of a Rita's franchisee — resulting in impactful changes for the brand to help its growth nationwide.

"Going undercover allowed me to get an inside-look in our shops, hear from franchisees and interact with their teams on a much more an impactful level," Chadwick said in the release. "This was not just a valuable experience to learn how the brand initiatives were working, but a chance to see the business through the eyes of our franchisees and discover what we need to do as an organization to help them become more profitable and grow the brand."

Chadwick disguised herself as a longtime Rita's fan and retired teacher named Marcy Morgan, who is considering becoming a franchisee. Chadwick visited three franchise locations during her undercover journey, where she was able to get a first hand, behind-the-counter view into how these Rita's shops were operating and learn more about the people running the businesses.

Beginning in Tom's River, New Jersey, Chadwick joined the staff as a Treat Team member and was inspired by franchisee Hezrron Gonzales's American Dream story. After moving from the Philippines, Hezrron worked at a Rita's for 10 years before saving up enough money to buy his own location and a mobile unit allowing him to cater events outside of his shop.

Chadwick then visited franchisee Stefani Nieves in Holland, Michigan, a working mom whose shop included the drive-thru system being offered to Rita's franchisees to help increase revenue.

Her last stop was in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, where she worked alongside Chip Byers and Andrew Collins, franchisees committed to hiring Treat Team members with disabilities and autism.

"Going undercover showed me our franchisees are really engaged, want to run their shops effectively and are passionate about 'serving up happiness' to guests so they have a memorable experience," Chadwick said in the release. "Being offered a once-in-a-lifetime experience like this, you want to make the most of it. We know brand evaluation and improvement is a recipe for franchise success and growth, so we plan to apply the lessons learned throughout the organization to find more ways to help franchisees uphold brand standards, run successful shops and create a stronger bond with their local communities."

Rita's Italian Ice & Frozen Custard was founded in 1984 in Bensalem, Pennsylvania, and has nearly 550 shops across the U.S. and Asia.