In response to the increasing interest in and importance of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and the role of leadership in the restaurant industry, there is a strong need to better understand how restaurant firms engage in CSR initiatives. Based upon the upper echelons perspective, this study examines how generalist and specialist CEO characteristics are manifested in firms CSR profiles and how franchising and internationalization strategies moderate this CEO-CSR relationship. Results from the panel analysis show that generalist CEOs of restaurant firms are more likely to engage in CSR activities that accommodate a wide range of stakeholders. In addition, franchising and internationalization strategies positively moderate the relationship between generalist CEOs and CSR actions, encompassing various stakeholder groups.