---
title: "QSR Magazine: A&W CEO on the Enduring Popularity of Root Beer, Surviving the Labor Shortage and a Comeback of Epic Proportions"
url: https://burnaze.com/article/8bc65421-5ef7-43c3-9eda-3bd607d4c69e
source: "1851 Franchise"
original_url: https://1851franchise.com/qsr-magazine-aw-ceo-on-the-enduring-popularity-of-root-beer-surviving-the-labor-shortage-and-a-comeback-of-epic-proportions-2717237
category: "Burger"
industry: "Restaurants"
segment: "Burger"
topics: ["People","Operations"]
published: 2021-11-17T20:15:00.000Z
modified: 2026-11-01T01:20:27.124Z
image: https://newimage.1851franchise.com/cdn-cgi/image/quality=85,format=webp,width=1280,height=720/story/featureImage/374e6a1fc47b4a7cc08c229395bafc117935.jpg
---

# QSR Magazine: A&W CEO on the Enduring Popularity of Root Beer, Surviving the Labor Shortage and a Comeback of Epic Proportions

**TL;DR:** A&W CEO Kevin Bazner discussed the brand's enduring popularity and plans for future expansion. A&W has seen consecutive growth and has been able to navigate the labor shortage by focusing on franchisee support and quality.

*originally published in 1851 Franchise on 2021-11-17. [Read the original](https://1851franchise.com/qsr-magazine-aw-ceo-on-the-enduring-popularity-of-root-beer-surviving-the-labor-shortage-and-a-comeback-of-epic-proportions-2717237).*

## Story

Kevin Bazner, CEO of A&W, discussed how the 102-year-old classic American brand was able to navigate the past 18 months and how it plans to continue to expand in the future.

A&W will celebrate its ten-year anniversary of ownership by a franchisee-owned group this December, and Bazner discussed how the brand has put a greater emphasis on quality since the acquisition. The brand, which is literally older than sliced bread, has now survived and thrived during the Great Depression and two historic pandemics. A&W saw its ninth year of consecutive growth in 2020 and wrapped up the first half of 2021 with 14 signed franchise agreements and another 20 in the pipeline.

Bazner discussed how quality is A&W’s competitive advantage against other quick-service restaurant brands and how, over the past 18 months, the brand has been able to be reintroduced to local communities. Many A&W franchisees work in their stores so the community knows them, and the brand even has several third- and fourth-generation franchisees.

Bazner also discussed how the brand is facing the work shortage by evolving and focusing on franchisee support, retention and recruitment. A&W was recently named one of QSR Magazine’s 17 best restaurant franchising deals in 2021.

## Entities

- 1851 Franchise (publication)
- Restaurants (sector)
- franchise expansion (topic)
- QSR Magazine (publication)
- quick service restaurant (topic)
- labor shortage (topic)
- quality focus (topic)

---
Originally reported by 1851 Franchise (https://1851franchise.com/qsr-magazine-aw-ceo-on-the-enduring-popularity-of-root-beer-surviving-the-labor-shortage-and-a-comeback-of-epic-proportions-2717237). Summarized by Burnaze (https://burnaze.com/article/8bc65421-5ef7-43c3-9eda-3bd607d4c69e).