• by Teresa Buyikian , April 9, 2025

One burger chain known for it small(er) burgers has brought on a seasoned executive to help the brand on its growth journey.

Charles Watson has been hired by Smalls Sliders as CEO.

Watson joined Smalls Sliders after almost 15 years at Tropical Smoothie Café, where he also served as CEO. During his tenure, Tropical Smoothie Café grew to 1,500 locations nationwide and tripled system-wide revenue to $1.42 billion.

"His proven ability to scale restaurant concepts while maintaining quality and culture is exceptional,” said Smalls’ founder Brandon Landry in the announcement. “What impressed me most is his genuine commitment to the success of both franchisees and team members, qualities that align perfectly with our brand's values.”

Landry founded Smalls in 2019, and the chain has since grown to approximately 375 “cans” (how the brand refers to their stores) open or in development.

"My focus is straightforward: drive profitability for our franchise partners and expand strategically while keeping our commitment to local communities at the forefront," Watson said in the announcement.

Earlier in his career, Watson held executive positions in hospitality at Wyndham Hotels & Resorts and Intercontinental Hotel Group.

The first Smalls Slider location was in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and the chain now has locations across the Southeast, Southwest, Midwest and West Coast. Specializing in cheeseburgers, the chain also serves russet potato fries with its signature seasoning, shakes and salads, but its mission is to “serve up cheeseburger sliders better than anyone else.”

After Smalls, Landry went on to found Walk On Sports Bistreaux. Both Smalls Sliders and Walk On are portfolio brands of 10 Point Capital. Tropical Smoothie Café was previously also a 10 Points brand, but exited in 2020.