Neighborhood Chain Expands Successful Program to All Restaurants
Jefferson’s, the neighborhood restaurant concept, launched its popular Coach of the Year program in all 35 locations this year, expanding on last year’s successful pilot. The program has honored and announced 35 neighborhood Coaches of the Year for 2024–one per city where Jefferson’s has locations–with each winner receiving a $500 Jefferson’s gift card and their names added to plaques displayed in their local restaurants.
Last fall, Jefferson’s Restaurants kickstarted their “Coach of the Year” pilot program in three cities–Joplin, Topeka, and Lawrence, launched to coincide with National Coaches Day on October 6. The goal was simple but meaningful: to shine a light on local leaders who shape lives through sports. Too many coaches are underrecognized or underpaid, despite being essential pillars of our communities.
This year, the program opened to nominations across Jefferson’s five-state reach in Missouri, Kansas, Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee. The contest received over a thousand heartfelt and detailed submissions, an overwhelming response that underscored what the Jefferson’s community hoped would be revealed through the expansion of this initiative: that the coaches’ towns and schools had the same desire to recognize their hard work.
A Growing Legacy
The contest’s success lies not in its scale but in its stories. The owners and franchisees noted the difficulty in choosing a single winner from so many deserving nominees. The nominations included stories of coaches who mentored and supported children who had lost parents, provided rides to games and practices and college visits for athletes who would not otherwise be able to attend, and coaches who covered fees, gear, and breakfasts for their players out-of-pocket. Many of these nominees have coached for years–sometimes decades–without being paid, and often doing so in addition to another full-time job.
The contest collected stories from coaches of more than a dozen sports, from swimming to football to roller derby, and across all age groups. Even across many very different sports, these stories had clear common throughlines: all of these coaches are profoundly caring, selflessly invested in their players’ whole-person development, and committed to equity so that all who want to play can play. Many of the nominators were former athletes, who wrote that the relationships formed with their coaches have been lifelong, going far beyond the sport.
Beyond Wings and Burgers
“When you think of Jefferson’s, you might think of wings or sports,” said Brandon Graham, President of Jefferson’s. “But our restaurants are also community hubs, where teams celebrate victories, families make memories, and friends gather to connect. The ‘Coach of the Year’ program reflects our belief that businesses like ours have the opportunity—and responsibility—to recognize and uplift the people who make our neighborhoods stronger. So many of our nominators wrote that their coaches have been or continue to be lifelines for them. We’re excited about looking for even more opportunities to build community connections and celebrate the local leaders, givers, and helpers that keep us going.”
