When Gregg Majewski founded Craveworthy Brands in 2022, he set out to change how restaurant groups grow. Less than three years later, his company oversees 18 brands, 4,300 employees, and is on pace to exceed $300 million in systemwide sales. But Gregg insists that none of those numbers matter without one foundational element — culture.
“Until culture is right, there’s no reason to look at numbers,” Majewski says. “If you can’t get your team to believe in where you’re going, you can’t run good numbers.”
A veteran of the restaurant world, Majewski helped scale Jimmy John’s from 33 to 300 locations while introducing the “freaky fast” model that became part of American restaurant lore. Now, with Craveworthy, he’s building a diversified portfolio that includes brands like Big Chicken (with Shaquille O’Neal), Taffer’s Tavern (with Jon Taffer), and Genghis Grill — all united by one mission: to bring culture and profitability back into balance.
In just 28 months, Craveworthy has grown into an $300M+ system, operating over 300 restaurants across 18 brands. The company employs 4,300 people, including 110 corporate staff, and continues to expand into international markets such as Brazil, the Middle East, and China.
Much of that success, Majewski says, comes from empowering franchisees to thrive.
“We want our franchisees running to the bank with wheelbarrows,” he laughs. “If they don’t win, we don’t win.”
To help operators succeed, Craveworthy invests heavily in data, training, and tools — including Restaurant365, which Majewski calls “the most important cost outside of anything else” for operators looking to understand and control their business.
Majewski is obsessed with the numbers that define habits. When it comes to building brand loyalty, he’s tested it down to a science:
“You’ve got to get a guest in six times before they become your raving fan. Six is the magic number.”
That approach drives Craveworthy’s focus on local store marketing, community involvement, and hospitality at every level — from sponsoring Little League teams to handing out free sub coupons on college campuses. “The grassroots side of things will never die,” he says.
Despite his embrace of data and digital tools, Majewski is cautious about technology replacing the human touch.
“We’re allowing technology to remove the hospitality aspect of what we do,” he warns. “Guests pay more than they would cooking at home because they want service and experience. We can’t forget that.”
Craveworthy uses AI in limited, strategic ways — like employee training through Opus — but Majewski emphasizes that people still need to understand the data and lead by example.
From his “boots on the ground” leadership style to his pay-it-forward philosophy, Majewski’s focus on culture extends beyond his own organization.
“My greatest win is when my team gets a better job,” he says. “If they grow beyond me, that means I did my job as a leader.”
As Craveworthy continues to acquire and elevate legacy and emerging brands, Majewski’s formula remains simple: build culture first, empower people, then scale responsibly.
“Culture drives performance. Performance drives numbers. And numbers let us keep building opportunities for more people.”
Connect with Gregg Majewski
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