How Rich Is The P.F. Chang's CEO And What's The Average Pay Of Its Employees?

P.F. Chang's offers a selection of Asian-fusion dishes, a concept that has proved to be quite popular among diners (though one thing you may not know about P.F. Chang's is that a lot of their food is pretty American). As a result of the chain's popularity, its chief executive officers, who play a crucial role in operations and decision-making, often find themselves richly rewarded for their efforts. Take current P.F. Chang's CEO Eduardo Luz, who was brought on board to fulfill the position vacated by Damola Adamolekun, who served as CEO from 2020 to 2023. 

While there's not much information on Luz's net worth, we do know the CEO has an impressive career history. In addition to holding the roles of president and chief marketing officer at Kraft Heinz, Luz was also CEO of 8Greens and chief brand and concept officer at Panera Bread. According to Salary.com, CEOs in the U.S. typically earn between $660,975 and $1,125,102 annually, but the median yearly salary is $880,692.

As for Adamolekun, P.F. Chang's former CEO and the current CEO of Red Lobster, his resume is equally impressive (especially for a CEO in their 30s). Before Red Lobster and P.F. Chang's, Adamolekun was an investment banker with Goldman Sachs and also spent time at investment firms TPG Capital and Paulson & Co. Estimates put Adamolekun's net worth at about $10 million, but this information cannot be verified.

While CEOs play important roles in businesses, a massive brand like P.F. Chang's couldn't function without its employees. Staff have provided an inside peek into P.F. Chang's regarding hiring practices and scheduling fluctuations, but pay information is a little harder to pin down. The job site Indeed offers some data on average salaries at the restaurant based on user reports. Bartenders rank the highest at $19.22 per hour while hosts and hostesses (who probably don't have as much pull in the restaurant as you think), are reported to earn $14.71 an hour. Based on these figures, yearly earnings at P.F. Chang's for these employees might range from $39,978 to $30,597, assuming full-time work of 40 hours per week.

As for the environment a worker might expect when employed at P.F. Chang's, over half of the reviews appearing on Comparably are favorable. While one review stated that staff are "[treated] with respect and valued," another said the company should consider "higher base pay for employees that go above and beyond." 

One self-described P.F. Chang's server on Reddit also noted that the expectations at the chain are higher than "more casual chain restaurants" noting tasks like food presentations and providing hot towels to guests. While it's not realistic to expect staff members to make the same salary as executives at P.F. Chang's, proper compensation not only improves customer service, it's also the right thing to do.