Mooyah Taps Former Mongolian Concepts Exec as President

Mooyah Burgers, Fries and Shakes has tapped industry veteran Doug Willmarth as its new president, replacing Tony Darden who left the brand in the spring to join Jack in the Box as senior vice president and COO.

In his new role as president of the Plano, Texas-based burger chain, Willmarth will head the leadership team to develop and implement growth strategies to accelerate sales and build franchise owner success.

“We are excited to welcome Doug to the MOO Crew,” says Anand Gala, chairman and CEO, in a press release. “After an exhaustive search for the next brand leader, we believe that Doug has the skills, values and experience to help accelerate our positive comp store sales and unit growth. He shares my commitment to servant leadership and truly believes in putting the success of our franchise owners at the center of our strategy.”

Willmarth comes to Mooyah from Mongolian Concepts where he served as chief brand officer for four years. He announced his departure from the company on LinkedIn on Dec. 1: “Today is the end of my journey with Mongolian Concepts. From starting a new company, refreshing three legacy brands and pulling together as a team to weather the last two years, it has been quite a ride. I am so grateful for the team I have had the good fortune to work alongside, the operators it has been my privilege to serve and the leaders whom I have had the opportunity to watch and learn. As I embark on my next awesome adventure, I will take with me these lessons and be a better leader and teammate because of my time here.”

Before working for Mongolian Concepts, Willmarth held leadership positions with Wingstop, Pizza Hut, Chili’s and Genghis Grill.

Mooyah says Willmarth’s addition comes as the 90-unit brand expects record new unit openings and developments deals in 2022.