Freddy's fronted by Baylor Bear
Chris Dull, B.S.Ed. ’95, was named Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers CEO in May 2021. He succeeded the franchise’s co-founder Randy Simon, who remains chairman of Freddy’s board. Dull leads the fast-casual restaurant chain based in Wichita, Kansas, that has more than 440 locations nationwide.
Dull entered the restaurant industry shortly after graduating from Baylor. He has held several executive positions within the Global Franchise Group, which owns brands such as Marble Slab Creamery, MaggieMoo’s Ice Cream and Treatery and Great American Cookies.
While at Baylor, Dull was a linebacker on the Bears football team during College Football Hall of Fame member Grant Teaff’s tenure. Dull, who named his son after former Baylor assistant coach Cotton Davidson, credits his Baylor coaches for his professional leadership skills.
“My coaches, as a whole, taught me how to be a man,” Dull said in an October 2021 article in The Lariat. “They taught me to be tough. They taught me how to grind. They taught me to be humble.”
Freddy’s, which has a Waco location across Interstate 35 from Baylor’s campus, opened its first franchise in Hutchinson, Kansas, in December 2004. The 300th location opened in March 2018, and the 400th franchise opened earlier this year. Freddy’s franchises can now be found in 33 states.
To ensure success for every restaurant, Dull focuses on three pillars of excellence: cleanliness, quality and hospitality.
“In order for us to continue to be successful, all of our restaurants and all of our teams have to be focused on delivering the expectations around those three areas of excellence,” he said.
Dull’s favorite Freddy’s meal is an original triple with mayonnaise and tomatoes, onion rings and a Diet Dr Pepper. A business executive role may seem unlikely for someone who majored in education; however, Dull said that a CEO is an educator.
“You are teaching people and leading people and developing people all day, every day,” Dull said. “The degree that I have and the learnings I took with me from Baylor University have always been very valuable.”