Joshua Kobza on franchisee profitability
From The Future of Leadership - A CEO Speaker Series - Joshua Kobza · · Miami Herbert Business School
“One of the first things that we did about three years ago is we became one of only companies that reports our franchisee profitability to our investors. So every year we say our franchises making more money because we think it's really important that our investors know are our systems healthy.”
On , Joshua Kobza, Chief Executive Officer at RESTAURANT BRANDS INTL INC, spoke about franchisee profitability during The Future of Leadership - A CEO Speaker Series - Joshua Kobza on Miami Herbert Business School.
About Joshua Kobza
Joshua Kobza, CEO of Restaurant Brands International (RBI), has emphasized the company's focus on franchisee profitability and long-term investment in its brands. In a January 2026 CEO speaker series, Kobza stated that RBI reports franchisee profitability to investors, saying, "every year we say our franchises making more money because we think it's really important that our investors know are our systems healthy." He added that the company ties corporate bonuses to franchisee profitability to generate "alignment and trust." Kobza has also discussed the "Claim to Flame" plan for Burger King, which he said involved investing over $400 million in 2024 and 2025 to improve product quality, remodel restaurants, and support franchisees. He described the results as "working well so far," noting same-store sales growth of over 6.5% in Burger King U.S. during one quarter. Kobza has characterized the fast food industry as "very stable" with "incredible global growth drivers," citing the formalization of the restaurant sector in developing markets. He described the coffee business, particularly Tim Hortons, as "a very routine-based business" and "an addiction business" due to its recurring customer visits. Regarding the impact of weight loss drugs, Kobza estimated that if 10-20% of people used such drugs and reduced caloric intake by 10-20%, the effect on the overall restaurant industry would be "negligible." He has also highlighted the importance of restaurant general managers, stating that a "great manager sets the tone, creates a positive environment, and significantly impacts employee retention and customer experience."