Dan Cronican

As a founding member of Four Entertainment Group (4EG), Dan Cronican oversees the management and growth of the company’s Mac Shack concept, a fast-casual mac + cheese bar. Cronican is currently expanding the Mac Shack brand throughout college campuses in the Tri-state area. Cronican enjoys continuing to learn about food, wine, and beer and thrives in the hospitality industry’s fast pace. His obsession with great beer and American comfort food fuels his outstanding leadership of the Mac Shack Division and current expansion.

Cronican began his career in hospitality at the age of 12 as a rack room assistant at a local golf course where he also helped in the clubhouse restaurant. Growing up, Cronican worked nearly every job within the restaurant industry and continued bartending and serving at several different restaurants while attending The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio.

In 2001, Cronican reconnected with his childhood friend Ben Klopp, who had already partnered with his college friend David Halpern to open aliveOne and Estelle’s bars in Chicago. Cronican joined Klopp and Halpern to expand their operation of upscale bars, and through a partnership with another college friend Bob Deck, the four opened a second aliveOne location and Mt. Adams Pavilion in Cincinnati in 2002. After much success with the first four locations, the team continued to open and operate several additional establishments. In 2007, the team converted their individual businesses into a larger operating company that is now Four Entertainment Group.

Cronican lives in Cincinnati with his family. When not working on being the King of Mac & Cheese he enjoys spending time with them, going to his two children’s soccer games, hanging out with their many pets or enjoying a cold beer.