Dunkin’ franchisee Areas USA’s Chief Operating Officer Richard “Rich” Schneider has won the International Foodservice Manufacturers Association’s (IFMA) 2025 Silver Plate Award. The award is the latest recognition of his nearly three-decade commitment to excellence in the hospitality industry. To Rich, it’s a continuation of his father’s legacy.
“I always say working in a family business is an education you can’t pay for. I got my start washing dishes at the Silver Lake Inn, my family’s restaurant,” shares Rich. “I grew up feeling the profound impact of hospitality on individuals, families, communities, and even entire countries.” As the son of Richard Schneider Sr., the U.S. team captain in the 1984 Culinary Olympics, Rich credits his father with laying the foundation for his future as a leader.
From left to right: IFA First Vice Chair Greg Cocchiarella, Inspire Franchisee Rich Schneider, Inspire Franchisee Roz Mallet, and International Foodservice Manufacturers Association CEO Phil Kafarakis. Rich Schneider recognized at 71st annual Silver Plate Awards. From left to right: Ashley Coneff, Rich Schneider, and Barbara Schneider.
Twenty-five years later, Rich has advanced from dishwasher to Chief Operating Officer, overseeing growth for Areas USA which now boasts more than 1,900 restaurants across ten countries. “I learn something new each time I walk into one of our travel venues,” says Rich. “But my favorite moments are the ones spent in our restaurants. Offering guidance and support to our teams is the most important investment I make every day.”
At Areas USA, part of Rich’s growth portfolio includes non-traditional Dunkin’s that fuel on-the-go guests in Florida and Maryland service plazas, as well as California’s Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). For Rich, Inspire is a one-stop shop with built-in efficiencies that make it a powerful franchisor of choice.
“Inspire is the pinnacle of globally recognized brands with high-quality products that cover a variety of concept categories. Basically, Inspire is a well-oiled machine designed for success,” says Rich. “Most importantly, Inspire understands non-traditional venues, which is what our company exclusively operates.”
Non-traditional restaurants are high-traffic venues that require operational flexibility and creativity – locations like airports, shopping malls, college campuses, casinos, and service plazas. Inspire’s portfolio includes a variety of dayparts and formats, including multi-brand, co-locations, and kiosk concepts that make Inspire an attractive partner for non-traditional operators.
As someone who strongly believes in the power of collaboration, Rich values Inspire’s vision and strategic growth initiatives. “We benefit from the way Inspire continues to push ahead as a trailblazer,” says Rich. “We’re facing challenges together hand-in-hand as Inspire produces solutions and efficiencies that create the strongest profitability we need in unique, non-trad environments.”
Inspire strives to be the franchisor of choice in the restaurant industry. Anything is possible with Inspire: any brand, any format, any space. To learn more about franchising with Inspire and our brands, visit inspirebrands.com/Franchising.
