Habit Burger and Grill Named New Operating Chief
The restaurant chain has tapped a long-term Starbucks veteran to oversee its operational expansion strategy.
Updated on Sept. 30, 2026 in Hospitality
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Habit Burger and Grill has appointed Shauna McKenzie-Lee as its new chief operating officer. The executive, who previously spent over 10 years at Starbucks, joins the chain as it looks to expand its footprint beyond California.
Why it matters
The hire signals a shift toward prioritizing human connection and guest experience as the company scales. This focus comes as the brand seeks to outpace broader burger category sales growth.
Habit Burger and Grill finished 2025 with nearly 385 locations, reflecting a 1.6% year-over-year increase. This growth occurred against a backdrop of 1.5% sales growth for the burger category, which trailed the 3% growth seen in the overall restaurant industry.
The players
Habit Burger and Grill
A California-based restaurant chain operating nearly 385 locations focused on the burger segment.
Shauna McKenzie-Lee
The new chief operating officer who brings over a decade of experience from Starbucks to her current leadership role.
The details
McKenzie-Lee is centering her operational approach on direct engagement with field staff, including site visits to observe service systems. She recently participated in the company District Manager Summit to align local leadership with the brand's growth objectives. The chain is now shifting its focus toward a new, yet-to-be-revealed restaurant design to support its next phase of expansion.
Timeline
Habit Burger and Grill grew to nearly 385 locations by the end of 2025.
Shauna McKenzie-Lee attended the District Manager Summit in the summer of 2026.
Market Landscape
The move aligns with industry-wide efforts to differentiate guest service in a burger category that saw only 1.5% growth in 2025. By recruiting from Starbucks, the company follows a precedent of bringing coffee-sector service models into the quick-service restaurant space.
Operators should monitor upcoming changes to the chain's restaurant design as a signal for future site-development standards. Focus on how the new leadership integrates standardized human-connection protocols into field-level operations.
The takeaway
The transition underscores the value of recruiting operational leaders from high-volume, process-heavy environments. Watch the company's pending design reveal for insights into how they plan to reconcile scale with the priority of guest-facing human connection.
Further reading
For more on shifts in service-based business models, visit Hospitality.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Nation's Restaurant News.
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