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Delivery company Waitr names Carl Grimstad as new CEO

CEO Adam Price has resigned amid staggering company losses; Grimstad is third CEO in two years for the delivery operator

Nancy Luna, Senior editor, Nation's Restaurant News

January 3, 2020

2 Min Read
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Adam Price, the CEO of struggling third-party delivery operator Waitr, has resigned and is being replaced by former iPayment CEO Carl Grimstad. Grimstad was also named to the board of directors effectively immediately, according to a regulatory document filed Friday afternoon.

This is the company’s third CEO in less than two years. Price rose through the ranks at Waitr, and was tapped as CEO in August 2019. The then-chief operations officer replaced company founder Chris Meaux, who remains on the board. 

In early December, the Louisiana-based third-party delivery company was sent a delisting warning from Nasdaq because its stock has remained below $1 per share for the last 30 consecutive business days.

Price resigned Dec. 27.

Board Chair Meaux said Grimstad’s “extensive operational, executive and leadership experience” will create substantial shareholder value for Waitr. 

Grimstad, 51, said a reshaping of the company, which is losing millions of dollars each quarter, is under way. 

“Over the past few weeks I, along with the company’s Board, advisors and key stakeholders, have been evaluating every aspect of Waitr,” he said in a statement. “This process has given me confidence in the future of Waitr. I see significant potential to build upon the solid foundation of the company’s existing relationships with diners and restaurant partners in terms of Waitr’s product offering and customer service, and I look forward to discussing these initiatives in future interactions with the financial community.”

Waitr works with chains and independent restaurants in cities with populations ranging from 50,000 to 750,000. The company’s drivers are W-2 employees, not contractors.  In its latest quarter, Waitr reported a net loss of $220.1 million and revenue of $49.2 million. Waitr also owns Bite Squad.

Grimstad's total compenation includes a base salary of $83,333 per month, a $3 million bonus, and stock options.

Contact Nancy Luna at [email protected] 

Follow her on Twitter: @fastfoodmaven

About the Author

Nancy Luna

Senior editor, Nation's Restaurant News

Nancy Luna is a senior editor at Nation's Restaurant News and a contributing editor at Supermarket News. She covers the industry's largest and most talked about fast-food brands including McDonald's, Starbucks, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, KFC and Subway. She is an award-winning journalist with more than 25 years reporting experience. As a veteran business reporter based in Southern California, Nancy has covered some of the country's most beloved food and retail brands including In-N-Out, Taco Bell, Trader Joe's, Aldi, Whole Foods Market, Target and Costco. Luna is a graduate of Cal State Fullerton. When she's not digging for news on her beat, you can find Nancy regaling her fans about her latest dining adventures on her Fast Food Maven social media channels. Contact [email protected]  or follow her on Twitter at https://twitter.com/fastfoodmaven

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