Donald Nickerson Smith (born 1940) is a restaurant executive for

McDonald's McDonald's Corporation is an American multinational fast food chain, founded in 1940 as a restaurant operated by Richard and Maurice McDonald, in San Bernardino, California, United States. They rechristened their business as a hambur ...

, Burger King and other fast food franchise restaurants in the latter half of the 20th century. Smith was Senior Executive Vice President and COO of McDonald's Corporation, before leaving to become CEO of Burger King Corporation between 1977 and 1980, then Diversifoods the largest franchisee of Burger King, later leaving for Pepsico to improve sales in

Pizza Hut Pizza Hut is an American multinational restaurant chain and international franchise founded in 1958 in Wichita, Kansas by Dan and Frank Carney. They serve their signature pan pizza and other dishes including pasta, breadsticks and dessert a ...

and

Taco Bell Taco Bell is an American-based chain of fast food restaurants founded in 1962 by Glen Bell (1923–2010) in Downey, California. Taco Bell is a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc. The restaurants serve a variety of Mexican-inspired foods, includin ...

. Smith led the unsuccessful buyout of Diversifoods before resigning as CEO in 1985, to start a partnership with Holiday Inns Inc. and Investment Limited Partnership to form the Tennessee Restaurant Company. Smith's business practices helped shape the modern operational procedures and

advertising Advertising is the practice and techniques employed to bring attention to a product or service. Advertising aims to put a product or service in the spotlight in hopes of drawing it attention from consumers. It is typically used to promote a ...

models for the industry.

References

American food industry business executives Living people 1940 births McDonald's people Burger King people 20th-century American businesspeople {{restaurateur-bio-stub