A WiRL-Wind Year: The Start of Something Big

Last September, I touched down in Atlanta for QSR and FSR’s inaugural Evolution Conference and NextGen Restaurant Summit. As I stepped into the Grand Hyatt lobby, I was flooded with a rush of emotions: excitement, awe, and a healthy bit of nerves. However, one underlying emotion felt much more sinister—it was a moment where I asked myself, “do I belong here?”

As a senior in college, I thought I had an idea of what it would be like to be a woman in business—chin always up high, strutting through the office with a sense of unwavering confidence. In my own naivety, imposter syndrome and the glass ceiling didn’t feel real. I wasn’t at that point in my life yet— I couldn’t quite see it. But there, standing in the hotel entrance with my luggage in one hand and my pride in the other, I felt more doubtful of my place in the world than ever.

In the restaurant industry, this seed of doubt and disparity takes root. According to a recent FSR feature, at leading restaurant groups, women hold just 6.3 percent of head chef titles, while 71 percent of servers in the U.S. identify as women. In fact, close to 60 percent of women report they’ve worked in a restaurant, but very few hold positions of leadership. This gap is exacerbated by societal norms, stereotypes, and systemic biases.

Through mentorship and incentive programs, advocacy groups, educational outreach, and overall industry recognition, there is a way forward. We’re already seeing a tremendous effort from chains such as KFC, where women now constitute 51 percent of the collective team. We also can’t forget about the famed Whataburger “She-Suite,” who took the stage in Nashville at our debut Women in Restaurant Leadership Together Summit back in February.

Speaking of the Together Summit, I’m sure we’ve all heard its backstory by now: what started as an hour-long women’s networking event in Atlanta turned into a bustling hub of restaurant professionals so large the fire marshals threatened to shut it down. Less than six months later, more than 300 women from across the nation came together in Nashville for an exclusive two-day conference to connect, create mentorship opportunities, and learn from each other in a safe, welcoming environment.

We couldn’t stop there. As graduation approached, I grappled with finding my niche. When our editorial director, Danny Klein, asked if I wanted to take over the platform we’d been building for WiRL, I immediately said yes. I was so inspired by the energy created at the Together Summit and wanted to do everything in my power to keep that momentum going.

Allow me to let you in on our plans for the future: webinars, downloadable content, newsletters, a podcast, and more digital and print features. We’re bringing WiRL back to Nashville in February 2025 for round two—it’s going to be bigger and better than ever. And next up is the return of our Cocktail Hour event in Atlanta, which is already running out of seats. You can find out more here (and be sure to use the WIRL50 discount code to take half-off the rate).

I hope you’ll join me on this journey to launch an initiative never before seen in our industry—one where we can face today’s challenges head-on, have tough conversations, support each other, and maybe learn a thing or two along the way. I’m proud and extremely excited to bring you into this family and continue telling the stories of powerhouse women in the QSR and FSR space.

Want to get involved? Connect with our LinkedIn group, titled Women in Restaurant Leadership (WiRL), and stay tuned for more updates. You can also join us in person at the next QSR Evolution Conference/FSR NextGen Restaurant Summit coming up this September, where we’ll be hosting a WiRL State of the Union roundtable, multiple fireside chats, and the networking hour I mentioned before.. This time, we’ll give the fire marshals a heads up! 

Yours,

Satyne Doner , associate editor, WiRL (sdoner@wtwhmedia.com)