College Station, Texas — In addition to its exponential growth in new markets, Layne’s Chicken Fingers has acquired the original three locations in College Station, Texas. Prior to the acquisition, the restaurants were owned by Mike Garratt, who was the sole owner of Layne’s before its foray into the franchise space. When the brand made this transition, Garratt maintained licensure in College Station and continued to run the three original restaurants as he served alongside the franchise leadership team. At the time of his recent retirement, the Layne’s corporate team …
franchise development
Washington, D.C. — District Taco, a premier authentic Mexican fast-casual restaurant, has signed a 10-unit development agreement with D3 Tacos LLC to bring new District Taco locations to Hudson County, N.J., and Richmond and Kings counties, N.Y. The brand is excited to bring its unique and fresh Yucatán style food to new guests as they expand into their first New Jersey and New York locations. District Taco is differentiated in the market by its Yucatán-inspired menu based on the family recipes of the brand’s co-founder, Osiris Hoil. “We cannot wait …
Newport, Calif. — Toastique, a vibrant, artisan toast and juice café conceptualized on the East Coast, is set to launch its first storefront in California on Sept. 16, 2023. The new location will be opening at 226 Marine Ave., a former Starbucks location, at the corner of a seaside street on Balboa Island in Newport Beach, Calif. The approximately 1,500-square-foot establishment will provide both indoor and outdoor café style seating, including bar seats and tables. Toastique was first launched in 2017 in Washington, D.C., and has gained recognition over the …
Athens, Ga. — Zaxby’s, a rapidly growing Athens, Ga.-based QSR franchise, now with over 930 locations, has recently signed a franchise development deal that will lead the company to enter its 21st state: Arizona. “This is such an exciting time for us,” says Bert Lane, Zaxby’s vice president of development. “Not only are we seeing growth in our tried-and-true Mid-Atlantic states and Southeast, but we’re thrilled to expand our footprint in the western part of the United States.” This year alone, Zaxby’s has sold 51 new locations and is on …
Lake Forest, Calif. — Del Taco® has debuted its new “Fresh Flex” Drive-Thru Only location. Opening in Albuquerque, N.M., the location’s small footprint spans just 1,200 square feet. “Our Fresh Flex design offers a modern, sleek look that is aligned with our Del Taco® Better Mex® brand promise — better quality, better value,” says Tim Linderman, chief development officer. “This design allows us to reduce the overall footprint of the building which creates more real estate flexibility and the potential to reduce total buildout costs which will allow us to …
Atlanta — Krystal, the original quick-service restaurant chain in the South, is unveiling a strategic refranchising initiative aimed at propelling the expansion of its brand presence. The program involves offering existing company-owned locations in markets previously unavailable for franchising, with a targeted focus on attracting established multi-unit operators who possess a proven track record and a desire to acquire a successful portfolio of existing restaurants and continue to build the market with new locations. This strategic move aligns with Krystal’s ambition to amplify its footprint across the United States, transitioning …
San Diego — QDOBA, America’s #2 fast-casual Mexican restaurant brand, is planning for rapid expansion. With 750 restaurants in 45 states, the privately held company expects to double in size over the next decade, with plans to open 40 new restaurants this year, followed by 60 in 2024, and 80+ annually beginning in 2025. “QDOBA is an exceptionally well positioned brand in one of the most attractive restaurant categories. We possess long-standing momentum, strong unit economics, a compelling operating model, an extraordinarily passionate guest following and significant untapped geographic potential,” says …
Belmar, N.J. — Playa Bowls, a leading superfruit bowl franchise, has opened its 200th shop. This new opening marks Playa Bowls’ 71st franchise agreement this year, demonstrating the brand’s dedication to growth since first launching in Belmar, N.J., in 2014. The brand plans to open 33 additional shops before the end of the year. “Playa Bowls once began as a patio table outside of a pizza shop, and now, nearly a decade later, we’ve reached 200 locations across the nation,” says Abby Taylor, chief marketing officer of Playa Bowls. “With …
Manasquan, N.J. — Jersey Mike’s Subs has added Paul Brodeur as vice president of franchise sales. Brodeur’s long history with Jersey Mikes began at age 14 when he worked in the original location in Point Pleasant Beach, N.J. He also was the company’ s first area director. “Paul brings to the sales team a deep understanding of the brand’s history and culture,” says Brian Sommers, chief development officer, Jersey Mike’s Franchise Systems, Inc. “His 30 years of sales experience will help elevate our high-performing sales team to the next level, …
Tampa, Fla. — The Melting Pot, a 94-unit experiential dining fondue franchise, has had a hot start to the year with over 30 restaurants reopening after a push to remodel, a new pair of franchise owners joining the system and strong trends in guest count. “We’re beating last year’s numbers in terms of sales and guest count,” says Collin Benyo, franchise growth strategist. “There are great results that are exceeding our standards, and both the franchisees and guests are feeling that.” With over 30 restaurants remodeled in line with the …