Southern Classic Chicken Promotes Tom Gerdes to Vice President of Operations

“As we grow, it made perfect sense for us to promote Tom and give him a bigger role to ensure that we are consistent in all aspects of our brand,” said Nick Binnings, Director of Brand Development for Southern Classic Chicken. “We are confident that he is the best person to bring our basic operations processes and incredibly craveable product into harmony.”

A member of the Southern Classic Chicken team since March 2021, Tom Gerdes initially joined the brand as its Director of Training, helping to build out foundational operational and training tools for the legacy business groups. Gerdes is well-equipped for his new role, bringing 18 years of restaurant operations experience in categories such as production, quick-service, and casual dining. Additionally, he spent the last 10 years supporting human resources and learning and development for regional and brand-level operations.

Now transitioning to Vice President of Operations, Gerdes will help Southern Classic Chicken to scale their people processes and cultivate a company culture that supports growth and drives team members and guests to keep coming back to each location.

“I’m so honored that my Southern Classic Chicken family has given me the opportunity to bring this brand to the next level,” said Tom Gerdes, Vice President of Operations at Southern Classic Chicken. “I want us to have multiple, best-in-class training environments here in Shreveport.”

Southern Classic Chicken serves up home-style fried chicken made with a proprietary marinade and batter complemented by fresh side offerings inspired by its southern roots. The family-focused brand is well-known across Northern Louisiana for its fried chicken and value pricing where an average meal ranges from $5-7. Sourcing the freshest ingredients and products possible is the top priority so the brand can provide the “absolute best” to its customers at a better price point and value than competitors.