Thompson Hospitality to manage 8 MD restaurants under new group brand

Minority-owned and family-run food service management company Thompson Hospitality, which operates eight restaurants in Maryland from two of its 14 brands, Tuesday announced the official launch of Thompson Restaurants, a new group focused on expansion in the Maryland, Delaware and Virginia markets, as well as new markets nationwide.

Led by President and founder Warren Thompson, the Reston, Virginia-based Thompson Restaurants’ portfolio encompasses more than 70 locations across 14 brands. It operates Milk & Honey locations in Bowie, Clinton, College Park, Camp Springs, Fort Washington, Silver Spring and Woodmore as well as a Wiseguys Pizza store in Wheaton.

Thompson Restaurants has experienced growth over the past year, with several significant openings, including Milk & Honey and Makers Union at DC’s Wharf project, four new Wiseguy Pizza locations, Hen Quarter Prime and the introduction of CUT 132 in Columbus, Ohio.

The company has named Chief Operating Officer Alex Berentzen to oversee the division, which has close to 2,800 employees. Berentzen has been a fixture in the hospitality industry for more than 25 years, previously serving as president and COO at Organic Krush Lifestyle Eatery and has held positions at Fox Restaurant Concepts and Wegmans Food Markets among others.

The company plans to continue its expansion with a projected 7% annual growth rate in 2024 and 2025, driven by both full-service and fast-casual brands in addition to a focus on catering efforts. New markets, including Virginia Beach, Virginia, are also in the pipeline.

Along with the launch of the new restaurant group brand, the company is introducing universal gift cards for the first time. The program is set to launch in 2025.