Dive Brief:

• P.F. Chang’s has appointed Sonika Patel as chief marketing officer, effective immediately, per information shared with Marketing Dive. She will report to the restaurant brand’s CEO and President Eduardo Luz.  
• Patel is tasked with providing strategic vision and execution across all brand and digital marketing touchpoints and will work to foster brand loyalty, drive customer engagement and strengthen market position.
• Patel most recently served as head of marketing for Ticketmaster North America and previously filled several marketing roles at PepsiCo, where she helped reposition the Pepsi brand for a new generation of consumers.

Dive Insight:

P.F. Chang’s is the latest restaurant chain to appoint new marketing leadership ahead of 2025, joining a list that includes Red Lobster, Domino’s and Papa Johns. Earlier this year, Cracker Barrel and Smashburger also appointed new CMOs as casual and fast-casual restaurants continue to address post-pandemic challenges.

Patel was selected due to her diverse marketing experience and an innovative approach to consumer engagement, according to chief executive Luz. The company offers Asian-inspired dining at more than 300 restaurants in 22 countries and U.S. airports, and is looking to reach a “wide range of customers consistently,” Luz said in a press statement.

Patel previously was senior vice president and head of marketing for Ticketmaster North America, where she led marketing across sports, music and entertainment, with a focus on creative content and strategic partnerships. Across four years at PepsiCo, she worked on brands including Mountain Dew and flagship Pepsi. In 2019, she played a role in launching “Pepsi, For The Love of It,” at the time the brand’s first new tagline in seven years.

Across her career, Patel has led sports marketing initiatives alongside the NFL, NBA and NHL and worked on product campaigns for partners like TikTok, Apple and Snap. Experience with sports marketing and digital platforms — two areas of continued growth and investment — could be helpful as she works to develop and execute P.F. Chang’s’ global marketing strategy.

P.F. Chang’s earlier this year continued its expansion by opening five new franchise locations in major airports. In 2023, Luz was appointed CEO and president after serving as chief brand and concept officer at Panera Bread.