Exhibit 10.1

October 30, 2025

Mr. Todd Wilson

Dear Todd:

Welcome to BJ’s Restaurants, Inc. (the “Company” or “BJ’s”). We are delighted to extend you the offer to join BJ’s as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. Your offer is contingent upon board approval and the results of a background investigation and your acceptance of these terms.

We would like you to begin on Monday, December 15, 2025 (“Effective Date”) at 9:00 a.m. at the Company Restaurant Support Center located at 7755 Center Avenue, Suite 300, Huntington Beach, CA 92647. When you arrive at the Restaurant Support Center, please ask for Jen Jaffe. Our Human Resources team will take you through your Team Member Orientation, including key Company policies, resources available to you, and information about your benefit package, and will answer any questions you may have. Please bring documentation necessary to complete your Form I-9.

I’d like to recap your offer and outline our plans for you:

1.              Duties. The Company will employ you as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. In this capacity, you will perform such duties as the Company, in the exercise of its sole discretion, deems appropriate for that position. You will report to the Chief Executive Officer. Additionally, in this capacity, you also understand that you will be a “named executive officer” of the Company as defined by the regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and all other applicable laws, regulations and company policies.

2.              Employment Location. The principal location of your employment will be at the Company’s Restaurant Support Center in Huntington Beach, California. You will be expected to regularly be present at the Restaurant Support Center and also understand that it will be necessary for you to travel to the Company’s restaurant locations and to the offices of the Company’s vendor partners in order to perform certain aspects of your position as necessary.

3.              Salary. You will receive a bi-weekly gross salary of $22,115.39, which annualizes to a yearly salary of $575,000 payable in accordance with the Company’s payroll policies, as such policies may change from time to time (the “Salary”). Your compensation is subject to modification during your employment in accordance with the Company’s practices, policies and procedures.

4.              Initial Sign-On Bonus. You will receive an initial sign-on bonus in the amount of $250,000 gross, which will be paid to you after 30 days of employment. You will be required to repay the Company the sign-on bonus if you resign or voluntarily terminate your employment within the first 18 months of employment for any reason except if such resignation or termination is due to i) a material adverse change or reduction in your title, role or responsibilities by the Company, except in connection with the termination of your employment for Cause, upon your death, or upon your voluntary resignation, or ii) the Company’s failure to cure its material breach of this Agreement (collectively, “Good Reason”); provided, however, that a termination shall not be considered for Good Reason unless you have given notice to the Company of the event constituting Good Reason within ninety (90) days of the initial occurrence thereof, such event has not been cured by the Company within thirty (30) days after written notice thereof to the Company from you, and you resign no later than 180 days after the initial occurrence of such event.

5.              Relocation Expenses. You are expected to relocate to Southern California and provide your services based out of the Company’s headquarters in Huntington Beach, California. Your relocation expenses will be covered by the Company in accordance with BJ’s Relocation Policy and Guidelines, which includes a full pack, van line move, unpack, shipping of automobiles, house hunting trips, and which will be grossed up to cover taxes.

The Company will provide a temporary housing allowance of $5,000 per month for six months. In order to facilitate the relocation of your family, the Company will also reimburse you for reasonable travel between your pre-Effective Date residence and Orange County, California for six months. You will be required to repay the company for relocation expenses set forth herein if you resign from your employment with the Company for any reason or voluntarily terminate your employment within 18 months except for Good Reason. The Company will reimburse you for one round trip airline ticket per month between Austin and Los Angeles for 18 months following your hire date.

6.              Annual Bonus. As an Executive Vice President in our Restaurant Support Center, you will be eligible to participate in the Company’s Annual Incentive Plan (“PIP”) with an annual cash incentive opportunity of 65% of your base salary for fiscal year 2025. There is a current multiplier of 85% to 115% of the bonus opportunity based on individual impact and performance. Your 2025 cash incentive opportunity will be prorated to reflect your time worked during 2025. Any earned cash incentive opportunity would be paid by mid-March 2026 in accordance with the provisions of the 2025 AIP. You must be employed and in good standing as of the payment date in 2026 to receive any 2025 cash incentive. In the event of termination or resignation prior to receipt of any cash incentive, you will not be entitled to, or be considered eligible to, receive any prorated cash bonus under the Company’s Annual Incentive Plan. While the Company currently intends to offer annual cash incentive plans in future years, the continued offering of any such plan and the opportunity percentage will be at the sole discretion of the Company’s Board of Directors.

7.              Initial Equity Award. Subject to applicable securities laws, a recommendation will be made to the Compensation Committee of the Company’s Board of Directors to grant you an equity award pursuant to the Company’s Equity Incentive Plan that will be valued at $500,000. Your new hire grant will be made on December 15, 2025. You will receive this award in the form of 50% in restricted stock units (RSUs) and 50% in non-qualified options (NQ options) to purchase the Company’s common stock. The number of RSU shares will be determined using the closing price of the Company’s common stock on the Nasdaq Global Market on the grant date of the award or the most recent trading day when grants take place on market holidays. The number of NQ option shares under the award, if any, will be determined with the estimated “fair value” of a NQ option calculated using the Black-Scholes option pricing model on the grant date of the award. For example, if the “fair value” of a NQ option for the Company’s common stock is $10.00 on the grant date, then you would be awarded options to purchase 10,000 shares of the Company’s common stock ($100,000 / $10.00). The actual “fair value” calculation on the grant date of your award may be higher or lower than this example. Vesting for this award, regardless of whether it is NQ options or RSUs, will be 33.33% annually, beginning with the first anniversary of their grant date, over a total of three (3) years.

8.              Annual Equity Award. You will also be eligible for additional grants of equity awards from time to time at the discretion of the Compensation Committee of the Board. Annual equity grants are typically made on or around January 15 of each year, and our annual target is $750,000 for this role. In 2025, the annual equity award was granted with the following equity mix: (1) 60% in Performance Share Units (PSUs) based on achievement of a Total Shareholder Return metric specified at the beginning of the performance period; (2) 20% in RSUs; and (3) 20% in NQ options to purchase the Company’s common stock. Vesting of the NQ options or RSUs has historically been 33.33% annually, beginning with the first anniversary of their grant date, over a total of three (3) years, and vesting of any of the PSUs has historically been at the conclusion of the three-year performance period, based on the achievement of the metrics set forth in the PSU grant materials. While the Company currently intends to offer annual equity grants in future years, the continued offering of such grants and the amount and form of the equity will be at the sole discretion of the Company’s Board of Directors.

9.              Other Benefits. Following 30 days from your Effective Date, you will be entitled to enroll in any benefit plan that the Company may offer to its team members from time to time, according to the terms of such plan, including, but not limited to, the Company’s health insurance program, which will become effective the first of the month after enrollment. The Company will reimburse you for the cost of COBRA for up to 60 days during the waiting period before you are entitled to enroll in the Company’s medical insurance plan. Nothing contained in this offer letter shall affect the right of the Company to terminate or modify any such plan, or other benefit, in whole or in part, at any time and from time to time.

10.             Monthly Auto Allowance. You will also receive a monthly non-accountable automobile allowance of $1,000, less applicable withholdings. The allowance is intended to cover all costs of using your personal automobile for Company business purposes, including gasoline, mileage, insurance and other automobile expenses.

11.           Business Expenses. You will be reimbursed for expenses you incur that are directly related to the Company’s operations and business, pursuant to the provisions of the Company’s business expense reimbursement policy. A Company-provided business credit card, a cell phone and laptop will be issued to you for Company business purposes. You will receive a dining (“red”) card which will cover unlimited BJ’s food purchases (excluding alcohol and tip) and will be subject to the terms of our Dining Policy.

12.           Performance and Salary Review. You will receive a performance and salary review annually at the end of each fiscal year in accordance with the Company’s policies. A review is not a guarantee of a salary increase.

13.           Paid Absences. The Company does not have a formal paid vacation policy for our Director-level and above team members. Accordingly, you are expected to use your reasonable judgment and professional discretion when requesting paid time off for any reason, in light of your current work schedule and the Company’s business and operational requirements. Paid absences should be reasonably requested in advance and approved by your supervisor.

14.           Termination With or Without Cause. Your employment is at will and may be terminated by you or the Company, at any time, with or without notice, and with or without cause. If the Company terminates your employment without cause (for reasons other than your death or disability) or you resign for Good Reason (as defined above), on or after the Effective Date, you will be eligible to receive a severance payment of twelve (12) months of your annual Salary then in effect and, if you are not covered by any other comprehensive group medical insurance plan, the Company will also pay you an amount equivalent to the employer portion of your COBRA payments for the severance period. Any severance amounts paid will be based upon your then-current annual base salary at the time employment ends and will be paid in a lump sum, less applicable withholdings. The aforementioned severance payment is conditioned upon your agreement to release all claims, if any, you may have against the Company and/or any of its employees, officers, agents and representatives, insofar as permissible under the law. For the purpose of the severance payment provision in this Agreement only, “Cause” shall include, but is not limited to:

Except due to a resignation/voluntary termination for Good Reason, you will not be eligible for the severance payments or benefits set forth herein if you resign from your employment with the Company for any reason or voluntarily terminate your employment.

15.           Trade Secrets/Confidentiality. You hereby acknowledge that, as a result of your position with the Company, the Company will give you access to the Company’s proprietary and confidential information and trade secrets. Therefore, as a condition of your employment and the Company’s disclosing such proprietary and confidential information to you, you agree to sign and be bound by a Trade Secrets/Confidentiality Agreement. If you have any proprietary materials, documents, electronic data or other proprietary information of your former employer(s) in your possession, you must return all originals and copies of such proprietary information, including any copies of electronically stored information from your former employers’ computer systems, email, or other electronic storage devices, and must not retain any such copies before your start date with the Company. The Company also prohibits you from disclosing or using any proprietary or confidential information of any former employer in the course of your employment with the Company or from sharing any such proprietary materials or information with anyone at the Company.

16.           Arbitration Agreement. As a condition of your employment, you agree to sign and be bound by a Mutual Arbitration Agreement, pursuant to which you and the Company will resolve any disputes that arise between you and the Company about your employment, to the extent permitted by law.

17.           Company Policies. You will be required to comply with the Company’s policies and procedures, as they may be constituted from time to time, including but not limited to those set forth in BJ’s Restaurants Restaurant Support Center Handbook and Code of Integrity, Ethics and Conduct. Notwithstanding, the terms set forth in this Agreement or any other written fully executed agreement between you and the Chief Executive Officer of the Company shall prevail over conflicting Company policies and procedures.

18.           Entire Understanding of Agreement. By signing this letter, you acknowledge that the terms described in this letter set forth the entire understanding between the parties concerning the terms of your employment and supersede all prior representations, understandings and agreements, either oral or in writing, between the parties hereto with respect to the terms of your employment by the Company. All such prior representations, understandings and agreements, both oral and written, are hereby terminated. However, nothing in this paragraph is intended to, nor does it, affect additional written agreements entered into by the parties contemporaneous with or subsequent to this agreement, including, without limitation, the Trade Secrets/Confidentiality and Arbitration Agreement referenced in Paragraphs 15 and 16 above. No term or provision of this letter may be amended, waived, released, discharged or modified except in writing, signed by you and an authorized officer of the Company.

19.           At Will Employment. This letter is not intended to constitute a contract of employment but is merely intended to outline certain details of our offer of employment to you. Your employment with the Company is not for any specific period of time and is “at will.” This means that both you and the Company reserve the right to terminate the employment relationship at any time, with or without notice, for any or no particular reason or cause. While the terms of your employment and compensation may change from time to time, the “at-will” nature of your employment with the Company will not and cannot change.

20.           Severability. If any provision contained in this letter is determined to be void, illegal or unenforceable, in whole or in part, then the other provisions contained herein shall remain in full force and effect as if the provision which was determined to be void, illegal, or unenforceable had not been contained herein.

The terms of this offer of employment expire in ten (10) days from the date hereof. Please acknowledge your acceptance of this offer of employment on the terms indicated by signing the enclosed copy of this letter and returning it to me as soon as possible.

We are excited to bring you onto the BJ’s team! Please do not hesitate to call me if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

/s/ LYLE TICK

Lyle Tick

Chief Executive Officer

BJ’s Restaurants, Inc.

I accept the above offer of employment with BJ’s Restaurants, Inc. on the terms described in this letter:

EXHIBIT 99.1

BJ’s Restaurants, Inc. Announces Appointment of Chief Financial Officer

HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif., Nov. 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BJ’s Restaurants, Inc. (NASDAQ: BJRI) today announced that Todd Wilson has been appointed Chief Financial Officer (“CFO”), effective December 15, 2025.  

Mr. Wilson brings nearly two decades of exceptional financial leadership to BJ’s. Most recently and since November 2022, Mr. Wilson has served as the CFO of Red Robin Gourmet Burgers, Inc., a publicly traded full-service restaurant chain, where he played an integral role in improving restaurant-level margins and achieving improved financial results, while driving effective communication with the investment community. During his tenure at Red Robin, he was responsible for the Company’s financial disciplines including accounting, financial planning & analysis, tax and treasury. Prior to joining Red Robin, from 2018 to 2022, Mr. Wilson served as the CFO of Hopdoddy Burger Bar, a privately held L Catterton Growth portfolio company, where he engineered significant operating margin expansion, doubled unit count through organic growth & acquisition, and completed two successful debt refinancings. From 2016 to 2018, he was Vice President of Finance for Jamba Juice, leading finance & investor relations, and spearheading the process that culminated in a successful strategic sale of the company. Prior to that, he served in progressive financial leadership roles at Bloomin’ Brands from 2006 to 2016. Mr. Wilson received his MBA from the University of South Florida and his bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida.

“We’re delighted to welcome Todd to the BJ’s family,” commented Lyle Tick, Chief Executive Officer and President. “He is an accomplished restaurant executive with a proven track record of driving operational excellence, developing high-performing finance teams and effectively managing communications with the investment community. Combined with a deep knowledge and passion for the restaurant industry, we believe his expertise and leadership will be invaluable as we continue to strengthen our financial foundation and execute our long-term strategic initiatives. We look forward to Todd’s contributions as we build on our momentum and deliver long-term shareholder value,” concluded Tick.

Mr. Wilson added, “I’m excited to be a part of the BJ’s family during this exciting time for the Company. BJ’s has built an exceptional brand with a loyal guest base and strong market position in the casual dining space. I look forward to working closely with Lyle and the entire BJ’s team as we capitalize on the tremendous opportunities ahead.”

About BJ’s Restaurants, Inc.

BJ’s Restaurants, Inc. is a national casual dining brand with brewhouse roots. Founded in 1978, BJ’s owns and operates over 200 restaurants across 31 states, combining high-quality ingredients, bold flavors, sincere service, moderate prices and a fresh atmosphere. The brand’s chef-crafted menu offers something for everyone, from its signature deep-dish pizzas and slow-roasted entrees and wings to its often imitated but never replicated world-famous Pizookie® dessert. As the most decorated restaurant-brewery in the country and winner of the 2025 Vibe Vista Award for Best Beer Program and 2024 Best Overall Beverage Program, BJ’s has been a pioneer in craft brewing since 1996, serving award-winning proprietary handcrafted beers brewed at operations in four states and by independent third-party craft brewers. All BJ’s locations offer dine in, take out, delivery and large party catering, providing guests with multiple ways to enjoy the experience at BJ’s. Whether you’re gathering with family for dinner, catching the game with friends or celebrating life’s special moments, BJ’s creates the perfect backdrop for connection and community. To learn more, visit www.bjsrestaurants.com or follow @bjsrestaurants on Instagram, Facebook and X.

For further information, please contact ICR at (332) 242-4370 or at InvestorRelations@BJRI.com.