Conference in Dallas spotlights award winners, leadership development and brand innovation
Dallas, TX (Restaurant News Release) Taziki’s Mediterranean Café, the leading Mediterranean franchise known for its modern, made-to-order cuisine, recently concluded its annual conference, TazCon, drawing more than 200 franchise partners, operators, general managers, marketing and catering personnel, corporate leaders, board members and vendor partners for three days of learning, collaboration and recognition.
The conference held at the Omni Frisco at The Star featured two dynamic keynote speakers – former Tennessee Titans Coach Jeff Fisher, who shared insights on building teams that perform at the highest level, and memory expert Ron White, who challenged attendees to sharpen focus as a tool for professional growth. In addition, breakout sessions included Bill Black, former CMO of Scooter’s Coffee, discussing customer service at the “last four feet,” and Tim Ryan, retired Dallas FOX morning anchor, offering guidance on media readiness for operators representing the brand on-air.
The awards dinner held at The Star, worldwide headquarters of the Dallas Cowboys, honored exceptional accomplishments with highlights including:
- General Manager of the Year – Presented to Fran Reid, who moved from the established Nashville market to Raleigh last year and was instrumental with the conversion into a successful corporate market. The award was sponsored by Coca-Cola and includes a trip to Walt Disney World Resort.
- Founder’s Award – Presented to Jona Ford, who has strengthened the Richmond, Virginia, market and opened a high-performing new unit in Roanoke.
- Marketing Vendor of the Year – The Coca-Cola Company
- Food Vendor of the Year – Olympia Foods
- Distributor of the Year – Distributor Market Advantage (DMA)
- Tech Vendor of the Year – Square
In addition to these marquee honors, top-performing restaurants and teams were recognized for achievements in sales, catering and guest satisfaction, including:
- Top Catering Sales (Corporate) – Nashville, West End
- Top Catering Sales (Franchise) – Athens, Prince Avenue
- Excellence in Guest Response – Birmingham, Gardendale
- Top Sales (Corporate) – Birmingham, Mountain Brook
- Top Sales (Franchise) – Huntsville, Whitesburg Road
- Highest Franchise Multi-Unit Sales – Arkansas Market
“TazCon is where strategy, recognition and innovation intersect,” said Dan Simpson, CEO of Taziki’s Mediterranean Café. “This year’s event reflected the caliber of leaders and partners across our industry, and the momentum being built that will carry us into the next phase of growth with focus and combined strength.”
Taziki’s also announced two major initiatives during the event – a new mobile app launching in 2026 to enhance digital engagement, and a November guest-facing fundraiser in support of The Giving Kitchen, a nonprofit that assists food service workers in times of crisis.
Taziki’s encourages its guests to eat well and live the good life by providing fresh, better-for-you menu items aligned with a classic Mediterranean diet, which has been ranked No. 1 for the eighth consecutive year by U.S. News and World Report.
To stay updated with the latest brand news, new menu items and new openings, visit Tazikis.com.
About Taziki’s Mediterranean Café
Founded by Keith and Amy Richards in 1998, after a trip to Greece where they fell in love with the food and culture, Taziki’s Mediterranean Café is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama. Taziki’s is a fresh celebration of the Mediterranean diet with a colorful menu that offers handcrafted, elevated, affordable fare the entire family enjoys. For the eighth year in a row, the Mediterranean diet has been ranked best overall diet in the U.S. News & World Report annual rankings. Much of the original menu is still the same, with added efficiency in the process and technology to make the brand a systems-driven, scalable operation. This year the brand is celebrating 27 years of success and now serves its modern Mediterranean fare to customers at over 100 locations in 18 states. For more information, visit Tazikis.com and follow Taziki’s on Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly known as Twitter).
Contact:
Josiah Kinman
Champion
936-615-8979
jkinman@championmgt.com