Franchise Today

Tropical Smoothie Cafe is a leading franchise in the health-focused fast-casual market.  With nearly 1,500 locations nationwide, they offer an extensive menu of real-fruit smoothies, wraps, salads, sandwiches and flatbreads.  Charles Watson joined Tropical Smoothie Cafes in 2010 as VP of Franchise Development and was elevated to Chief Development Officer in 2015, following his personal responsibility for awarding more than 800 franchises, during his tenure.  In 2018 Charles went on to become CEO. A veteran hospitality pro, Charles has worked for several hospitality-related companies, including Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, Intercontinental Hotels Group, US Franchise Systems, Inc. and Hospitality Real Estate Counselors.  He is a graduate of The Hotel School at Cornell University and also holds a Masters in Business from The Terry School of Business, at The University of Georgia.