Fast Food King Wants to Be Missouri's Next Governor (Maybe)

Mike Hamra has deep pockets — and he's a Democrat

Oct 11, 2023 at 3:32 pm

Jenna Jones

Mike Hamra owns a lot of these.

The restaurants he owns allow diners to pick two — but Mike Hamra seems to be hoping that voters will pick him as the one.

The scion of a family-owned Springfield, Missouri, company that owns chain eateries across the South, including Wendy's and Panera Bread, Hamra recently formed an exploratory committee to run for Missouri governor in 2024, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Unlike the frontrunners for the job, Hamra is a Democrat. But he has enough money that he could still make this one interesting.

Just a few months ago, Hamra Enterprises announced it had acquired 24 more Panera Bread Co. locations in Alabama, Georgia and Louisiana. Two months before that, it announced plans to open 24 new Caribou Coffees throughout Missouri, including some locations in St. Louis. As of June, the company had 7,400 employees in 11 states.

Hamra's father Sam started the company in 1975 with a single Wendy's franchise, according to its website. Mike Hamra joined the company in 2001 after working for a time as a lawyer. He now serves as its president and CEO.

Hamra told the Post-Dispatch he was still mulling a potential run but would likely decide within the month. That could be bad news for House Minority Leader Crystal Quade, who previously announced her run in the Democratic primary back in July.

But it's surely good news for Missouri voters who want a leader who shares their penchant for fast food and reasonable prices — even if Hamra does call his bakery outlets "Panera" instead of the more politically advantageous St. Louis Bread Co. We just can just envision the attack ads now: "Hamra says Panera. Does he really deserve your vote, St. Louis?"

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About The Author

Sarah Fenske

Sarah Fenske is the executive editor of the RFT and its sister papers. She is the former host of St. Louis on the Air and continues to host its Legal Roundtable, as well participating as an occasional panelist on Nine PBS' Donnybrook. She lives in St. Louis.