CYPRESS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Xperience Restaurant Group (“XRG” or the “Company”), one of the nation's leading operators of casual, polished casual, and fine dining restaurants, today announced the appointment of RJ Thomas as President.
Mr. Thomas, who joined XRG in July 2024, brings over three decades of proven leadership in the restaurant industry and is widely recognized for his ability to drive strategic growth, operational efficiency, and brand innovation. Throughout his career, Mr. Thomas has consistently delivered elevated guest experiences and enhanced business performance, positioning him as an ideal leader to guide XRG into its next phase of success.
Prior to XRG, Mr. Thomas served as President and Chief Operating Officer of Uncle Julio’s Corporation, a sponsor-backed restaurant concept, where he led operations for 45 locations, achieving sustained growth and operational excellence. Previously, during his 12 years as President and Chief Operating Officer of King’s Seafood Company, he spearheaded the launch of several new concepts, including Fish House and the reimagined Water Grill, while overseeing operations for 24 locations. Earlier in his career, Mr. Thomas advanced to Vice President, Operations at Claim Jumper Restaurants, contributing to the chain’s regional success.
“Since joining XRG, RJ has brought a strategic vision and hands-on leadership that have already improved operational performance and guest satisfaction,” said James Zenni, Founder, President, and Chief Executive Officer of ZCG. “His depth of experience and focus on innovation make him uniquely qualified to drive XRG’s continued growth, strengthen our iconic brands, and set up the Company for long-term success.”
“I’m inspired by the passionate employees at XRG and our opportunity to redefine the future of dining in the U.S.,” Mr. Thomas said. “As President, I’m thrilled to leverage my industry experience and love of hospitality to enhance our guests’ experiences, grow our national presence, and further strengthen our brands. Alongside the rest of the XRG leadership team, we will continue delivering excellence while building on the Company’s strong foundation for sustainable success.”
This leadership appointment reinforces XRG’s commitment to innovation, operational excellence, and delivering exceptional dining experiences. Under Mr. Thomas’ guidance, XRG is well-positioned to accelerate growth across its portfolio of best-in-class dining brands.
About Xperience Restaurant Group
Xperience Restaurant Group (XRG) is a leading casual and fine dining operator having iconic brands that serve unique experiences, great food, and unparalleled beverage offerings. Through its bold leadership, innovation, and brand development, XRG has transformed the U.S. Mexican dining landscape with its origination of Taco Tuesday, tableside presentations, and pioneering cocktail program. For over 65 years XRG’s brands have become synonymous with being the best-in-category with recent accolades, including Best Mexican Restaurants, Best Taco Tuesday, and Best Happy Hours in various media outlets throughout the country. XRG currently operates over 60 locations, has 4,000 team members and serves over 10 million guests annually.
XRG Concepts include Acapulco, Chevys Fresh Mex, El Torito, El Torito Grill, Las Brisas, Who Song & Larry’s, Sinigual, SOL Cocina, Solita, Rio Mambo, The RIM Scratch Craft Eats, and Cal Mex Cantina.
For more information, please visit www.xperiencerg.com.
XRG is a portfolio company of ZCG Private Equity, the private equity arm of ZCG (www.zcg.com), a leading privately held merchant bank comprised of private markets asset management, business consulting services, and technology development and solutions.
About ZCG
ZCG is a leading, privately held merchant bank comprised of three dynamic, cross-disciplinary platforms: private markets asset management, business consulting services, and technology development and solutions.
ZCG’s investors are some of the largest and most sophisticated global institutional investors including pension funds, endowments, foundations, sovereign wealth funds, central banks, and insurance companies.
For almost 30 years, ZCG Principals have invested tens of billions of dollars of capital.
ZCG has a global team comprised of approximately 400 professionals. The company is headquartered in New York, with affiliate offices located in Pune and Mumbai, India, and Riyadh, KSA. For more information on ZCG, please visit www.zcg.com.
