Jack in the Box has appointed Taylor Montgomery as its new president, placing the Taco Bell veteran on a path to become the burger chain’s next chief executive within the next 12 months.
Montgomery will assume the newly created position on September 14, 2026, and will work alongside Executive Chairman and Interim CEO Mark King during the transition. Jack in the Box said Montgomery is expected to succeed King as CEO within a year and join the company’s board at that time.
The appointment is part of a previously announced CEO succession process and comes as Jack in the Box attempts to rebuild sales momentum and strengthen franchisee economics. The company has experienced six consecutive quarters of negative same-store sales, although comparable sales returned to positive territory in its most recent period.
Montgomery’s mandate will focus on sustainable sales growth, restaurant-level performance and franchisee profitability. In a company statement, he said Jack in the Box is an “iconic brand with tremendous potential” and that he plans to work with King and the leadership team to accelerate same-store sales growth, strengthen restaurant execution and bring more guests to the brand.
His appointment brings experience from one of the strongest-performing brands in the U.S. quick-service restaurant sector.
