It was well past the usual lunchtime rush, yet Chris Newcomb seemed uneasy occupying a booth at the Jackson, Mississippi, restaurant that proudly carried his nickname, Newk’s. The source of his discomfort? James Patterson’s camera. As Newcomb sat with an ahi tuna salad and a slice of vibrant pink cake strategically placed before him, he adjusted his posture and gaze as Patterson, the photographer, directed. Despite his reassurances, it was evident that posing for photos wasn’t his favorite activity.
The original concept for the photoshoot was to feature the entire family team behind Newk’s Eatery’s remarkable success. However, Don Newcomb, his father, was at home in Oxford, immersed in his latest venture, My Guys Biscuits and Bar-B-Que, while also managing his hobby farm. Younger brother Neil was stationed in Charlotte, North Carolina, overseeing Brixx Wood Fired Pizza’s franchise operations. Debra Bryson, instrumental in the expansion of both McAlister’s Deli and Newk’s Eatery, was occupied with grandparent duties. It became clear that Franchise Times had not perfectly timed their visit to Mississippi. Their trip also coincided with the weekend of the Ole Miss football team’s biggest rivalry game, further complicating a visit with Don Newcomb in Oxford. Despite the timing missteps, the trip was rich in culinary experiences. Dining at three Newk’s locations across two cities, they savored the menu – from the signature homemade pimento cheese sandwiches to the bacon-infused mac and cheese and the decadent lobster and crab bisque. At Newk’s, the focus is unmistakably on the quality of the food.
Newk’s Eatery has significantly benefited from the extensive knowledge the Newcomb family acquired during the development, expansion, and eventual sale of McAlister’s Deli. McAlister’s, initially named Chequers, was the realization of Don Newcomb’s entrepreneurial aspirations, rooted in his experiences growing up with limited means.
“The price of getting it right was first getting it wrong. … You need to be in the trenches and bloodied by your own decisions.” — Don Newcomb
Don, a practicing dentist at the time, envisioned a restaurant concept but needed someone to manage its day-to-day operations while he continued his dental practice. “If I didn’t have spit on my hands every day, I didn’t have a business,” he humorously remarked.
His eldest son, Chris, was still in college when his father called him home. Chris openly admits to being a “professional college student,” having explored pre-med, real estate, and finally business studies. “I wasn’t trying to find myself,” he says with a smile. “I was having fun.”
The opportunity for McAlister’s Deli arose when the movie, Heart of Dixie, was filmed in Oxford in 1988. The film crew transformed an old gas station into a 1950s-style diner. “When the crew left, the restaurant business was calling me,” Don recalls. He utilized funds from his real estate investments—derived from cashing out his practice’s self-directed profit-sharing plan—and invested in the diner. He incorporated some of his wife’s recipes and experimented with others from his extensive cookbook collection.
Debra Bryson was the only employee who declined a buyout, expressing her desire to join Don in the restaurant venture. She proved to be an invaluable partner. “She’d do the work and I’d come up with the ideas,” Newcomb explains. Bryson’s strengths lay in design and real estate aspects of the business.
Neil joined the family business while still a teenager. The three Newcombs possess distinct personalities and management styles. Don describes himself as someone who prefers solitude, Chris as an outgoing and “superb operator,” and Neil as possessing a politician’s demeanor (more akin to Jack Kennedy than Donald Trump).
Despite being self-described as introverted, Don is assertive when pursuing his goals. Chris recounts a story of his father discovering a white barbecue sauce paired with smoked chicken at a small restaurant in Florida during a vacation. “When we opened Newk’s, he tried to get the recipe; he hounded the guy,” Chris says. The owner’s son eventually informed Don that his efforts were futile, as his father would never share the recipe. Undeterred, Don purchased a gallon of the sauce and returned home to experiment until he replicated the flavor as closely as possible. This anecdote epitomizes the Newcomb family’s dedication to quality and their relentless pursuit of culinary excellence, traits that are hallmarks of any successful Newcomb Family Restaurant.
After expanding McAlister’s to over 40 locations, Don felt a sense of responsibility to the franchisees and expressed concern about maintaining consistent quality and support. Reluctant to take on external partners, he sold the business in 1999 to two seasoned restaurant industry veterans. His advice on partnerships is clear: “Avoid partners unless they’re smarter or richer than you are, or otherwise, why do you need them?” (McAlister’s was later acquired by Roark Capital in 2005.)
Newcomb family poses a triple threat
“I wanted to be more independent. Family businesses are tough. I respect people who get it right.” — Neil Newcomb on his decision to buy into Brixx Wood Fired Pizza
During the five-year non-compete period following the sale of McAlister’s, Neil became a McAlister’s franchisee in North Carolina, while Don and Chris became Moe’s Southwest Grill franchisees. Observing McAlister’s continued growth under new ownership, Don recalls saying to his sons, “Hell, they aren’t doing anything that different than we were. Let’s do it again.”
Chris readily agreed, but Neil decided to sell his McAlister’s franchises and venture out on his own with Brixx Wood Fired Pizza, a fast-casual pizza concept known for its craft beer selection and high-quality pizzas. “I wanted to be more independent,” Neil explained. “Family businesses are tough. I respect people who get it right.” He currently serves as president of Brixx’s franchise system. While Neil carved his own path, the core family ambition for restaurant success remained, soon manifesting in the concept of a new Newcomb family restaurant.
It might seem unconventional for a dentist to transition into the demanding restaurant industry—an industry often compared to the unpredictable nature of show business. Customer preferences can be as fickle as audience tastes.
However, Don perceived similarities between dentistry and restaurants. He believed both require “skill, care, and judgment.” They also demand an entrepreneurial mindset, a trait that Don embodies. The sixth of eight children, he was raised in a modest four-room house with kerosene lamps and no running water. “My parents didn’t have much education, but they had a wealth of knowledge on what’s important,” he says, emphasizing the values of accountability, humility, and striving for excellence they instilled in their children. “The difference between failure and success is doing a job nearly right and exactly right,” he states. This philosophy of meticulous attention to detail became a cornerstone of the Newcomb family restaurant approach.
Growing up in poverty—which Don describes as “one hell of a motivator”—all eight siblings achieved college degrees, supported by those who came before them. His older brother Guy, a pharmacist, helped finance Don’s education, along with the Navy. This family support and his brother’s contribution inspired the name of his third concept, My Guys Biscuits and Bar-B-Que.
From a young age, Don displayed entrepreneurial tendencies, selling garden seeds in the summer and Christmas cards in the winter. As a high school sophomore, he secured a job as a soda jerk at a drugstore. He found enjoyment and appreciation in earning money. He fondly remembers a widow who regularly tipped him $5, recognizing his financial need. At the end of the summer, the drugstore owner offered him a permanent position if he switched high schools to work after school. Lacking a car, he hitchhiked between home, school, and work.
He cherished his time as a soda jerk, and he credits this experience as the catalyst for his career in the restaurant industry, even though he never directly worked in the operational side of his own restaurants – that was the domain of his sons. “I’m the coach,” he explains. “Sometimes I make substitutions.” Throughout the development of both McAlister’s and Newk’s, he maintained his dental practice. “I practiced dentistry for 30 years,” he states with pride. This diverse background enriched his perspective and contributed to the unique approach of the Newcomb family restaurant ventures.
Food quality is the undisputed key to Newk’s success. Some dishes are cherished family recipes, while others are refined versions of traditional recipes, enhanced to perfection. This commitment to culinary excellence is central to the Newcomb family restaurant brand.
Newcomb family poses a triple threat
Newcomb family poses a triple threat
Like his father, Chris’s training at McAlister’s was largely “learn as you go.” In their first year, sales reached $234,000 (not profit), prompting them to elevate their operational standards. They sought advice from other restaurant operators about menu offerings and customer preferences. They temporarily closed the restaurant and revamped everything from the décor to the menu. “My brother and I weren’t paid,” he recalls, but at ages 22 and 18, they weren’t expected to be the primary financial providers. This hands-on experience and willingness to adapt were crucial lessons for the future of the Newcomb family restaurant brand.
When the family sold McAlister’s, their experience as Moe’s Southwest Grill franchisees taught them the importance of franchisee input. They had retained ownership of several buildings housing McAlister’s locations. When the new management sought to acquire these properties, Don agreed to sell on the condition that Chris be released from his non-compete agreement two years early. This strategic move demonstrated their foresight and planning for their next venture in the Newcomb family restaurant sector.
Chris emphasizes that second chances in business are rare, so they approached Newk’s as a “do-over,” applying all the lessons learned from McAlister’s. The first Newk’s Eatery opened in Oxford in 2004. As Chris was living in Jackson with his wife and three children, “I moved in with my parents” to fully dedicate himself to the new venture.
He spent five nights a week in Oxford for nine months. Why Oxford again? “Oxford has been a good town for us,” he explains. “It’s a forgiving town; they’ll give you another shot.” This loyalty to their roots played a significant role in the Newcomb family restaurant story.
Bryson returned to design the restaurants and, as Chris puts it, to “broker the peace between father and son,” navigating the dynamics of a family business partnership. Don provided the initial financing for Newk’s.
They streamlined the menu, reducing it by half compared to McAlister’s, and concentrated on the quality and freshness of ingredients. Chris is recognized as the “food person” in the family, and Newk’s menu items are prepared from scratch in an open kitchen. To simplify operations, they opted for a single bread type and introduced a self-service beverage station. A central roundtable serves as a condiment and snack station, but also a strategic element in customer service. The open kitchen concept allows customers to see their food being prepared, mitigating perceived wait times. “The roundtable buys you four minutes in time” from order placement, Chris explains. These operational efficiencies, combined with a focus on fresh, quality food, are key differentiators for the Newcomb family restaurant experience.
Another time-saving measure is locating salt and pepper shakers at the central roundtable, eliminating the labor-intensive task of refilling shakers at each table. These seemingly small details contribute to overall efficiency and customer satisfaction at every Newcomb family restaurant.
At Newk’s, a strong team ethos prevails. “There’s no front or back of house,” Chris emphasizes. “We cross train and pay above minimum wage.” Employees are given clear pathways for advancement and pay raises. The dining room attendant position is notably well-compensated, as they represent the last point of contact for guests. A good attendant knows regular customers by name and treats them like guests in their own homes. Chris highlights that some attendants receive Christmas tips of up to $100 from regulars, showcasing the strong customer relationships fostered at Newcomb family restaurant locations.
Original abstract paintings by a local artist add vibrant color to the restaurants. During a headquarters tour, it was noted that one office featured a large original painting. When asked about acquiring it, Angel McGowan from procurement playfully replied, “I’m in procurement,” implying that failing to secure an original painting for her office would be a professional shortcoming. This detail illustrates the commitment to quality and local engagement that defines the Newcomb family restaurant brand.
When Don officially retired in 2014, Chris sold a majority stake to Sentinel Capital Partners, a private equity firm based in New York City with $2.6 billion under management. Sentinel’s website states their interest in “backing strong talented management teams.” Sentinel brought in James Greco as a consultant to facilitate company growth, which at the time consisted of 65 units. After a brief consultancy period, Greco joined the company as COO.
Greco explains that Sentinel Capital was attracted to Newk’s because it exemplifies a new generation fast-casual restaurant. It is “culinary-driven,” he says, and the open-kitchen design provides “freshness cues” to customers. Newk’s also offers a “higher-level of service,” with servers delivering food and bussing tables. Beer and wine service, along with a grab-and-go section featuring pre-made sandwiches, salads, and bulk items like chicken salad and pimento cheese, add to the appeal. Catering is another significant revenue stream. They are also currently implementing “Generation Two,” an upgraded restaurant décor. These enhancements are all part of the ongoing evolution of the Newcomb family restaurant experience.
While the food quality was already exceptional—”Chris knows an awful lot about food preparation and flavors,” Greco notes, and both father and son share a passion for cooking—Greco implemented back-of-house software for inventory management and food cost control, along with enhanced policies and procedures to streamline operations and prepare for further expansion of the Newcomb family restaurant chain.
The goal is to position Newk’s for substantial growth. By the end of 2015, there were 95 units open, with a target of 30 more in the following year. “We only do multi-unit deals,” Greco states, and the majority of franchisees are experienced multi-unit, multi-concept operators, demonstrating the strong appeal and proven business model of the Newcomb family restaurant franchise.
Fred LeFranc, founder of Results Thru Strategy, a foodservice consultancy based in North Carolina, is impressed by both the concept—”It’s not your typical fast-casual,” he observes—and the Newcomb family’s ability to create another successful concept after McAlister’s Deli. This repeated success underscores the Newcomb family’s deep understanding of the restaurant industry and their ability to create enduring brands.
LeFranc also recounts an experience at a franchisee location near his home where the manager offered him a soup tasting without solicitation. He interpreted the employees’ pride in the food as a sign of a strong system-wide culture, a testament to the positive work environment fostered within the Newcomb family restaurant organization.
Newk’s Eatery ranks No. 275 on Franchise Times’ Top 200+ list, with system-wide sales of $142 million across 80 units in 2014. Approximately 85 percent of the restaurants are franchised. The average unit volume for company-owned stores is $2.5 million, and same-store sales are robust, according to Greco. These figures highlight the financial success and market position of the Newcomb family restaurant chain.
Greco and Chris collaborated to create detailed job descriptions for their respective roles. Product and menu development, marketing, and finance fall under Chris’s responsibilities, while operations, franchising, real estate/construction, and HR are managed by Greco. This clear division of responsibilities ensures efficient leadership and strategic growth for the Newcomb family restaurant brand.
“Chris is a great guy,” Greco affirms. “He’s very in tune to this business.” He emphasizes that Chris essentially grew up in the restaurant industry, with his father launching McAlister’s when Chris was in college. “It’s all he knows; it’s been his life,” Greco points out. This lifelong immersion in the restaurant world is a significant asset for the continued success of the Newcomb family restaurant legacy.
While Don may be officially retired, he remains active with his My Guys chain, although his enthusiasm is less fervent compared to his previous ventures, even with his appreciation for the biscuits.
He now enjoys spending time riding his tractor and relaxing by his farm’s fishing pond. However, he acknowledges a key difference this time around: “I don’t have Chris or Debra to do the work,” recognizing the invaluable contributions of his son and long-time partner in building the Newcomb family restaurant empire. The Newcomb family’s enduring impact on the restaurant industry is a testament to their entrepreneurial spirit, dedication to quality, and commitment to family values.
