Atlanta — This is it! Southern Kitchen and BBQ, an Atlanta-based Southern home-style restaurant brand, has launched its franchising program and signed professional NBA player Paul Millsap as its first area developer for Greater Atlanta. The newly revamped Southern food brand has also appointed Tamala Fowler as its CEO and partnered with renowned BBQ restaurateur and Food Network star Pat Neely to assist in recipe development and new menu offerings. This Is It! was founded more than 35 years ago by the Anthony family, which has a rich, 80-year history …
franchise development
Denver — Slater’s 50/50, a full-service restaurant concept known for first creating the 50/50 burger patty made with 50% ground bacon and 50% ground beef, will soon make its Colorado debut. The restaurant will open at in Denver’s RiNo Arts District, located within The HUB, a mixed-use building featuring office, retail and restaurant tenants. Construction is slated to begin in the new year, with doors projected to open in late spring 2020. The Denver expansion will be led by local franchisee Charles Murray. Murray left his 30-year career in investments …
Spartanburg, S.C. — Eggs Up Grill has appointed Todd Owen as its new vice president of franchise development. Owen brings a rich background in successful franchise development, leading sales and business development with brands that included Qdoba Mexican Eats, spearheading growth from 60 to more than 600 locations. “We selected Todd after a thorough and extensive search of the industry’s top talent in franchise development,” says Ricky Richardson, CEO of Eggs Up Grill. “We’re thrilled to welcome Todd to the Eggs Up Grill team and know that he will make …
Krystal to Sell 100-150 Corporate Restaurants to Franchisees as Part of Brand Revitalization
by Katie Lee
Atlanta — The Krystal Company plans to refranchise approximately 100-150 company-owned restaurants to well-capitalized multi-unit operators as part of its ongoing business and fleet revitalization. To that end, Krystal has engaged The Cypress Group, a specialized investment banking firm, to manage the refranchising initiative. Restaurants in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi and Tennessee will be refranchised. “We’re ready for the next step in the brand transformation that began when I came on board in 2018,” says Paul Macaluso, Krystal’s president and CEO. “We’ve seen great success with the new restaurant prototype, remodels and …
Minneapolis — Moe’s Southwest Grill®, a fast-casual restaurant franchise that serves southwestern food, opened its first restaurant in the state of Minnesota on October 18. The restaurant is located between Terminals E and F in the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport. The new location is owned and operated by existing multi-unit franchisee HMS Host, the world’s largest provider of food and beverage services for travelers. The Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport location marks the fourth Moe’s Southwest Grill opening for the group, and the first since 2013. Other Moe’s non-traditional restaurants owned by HMS …
Chicago — Aloha Poke Co., a fast-casual brand that 3 years ago pioneered Poke concept restaurants in the Midwest, plans to expand through franchising. Solidified already in five U.S. markets as the top spot for innovative poke bowls inspired by the popular Hawaiian diced, marinated seafood dish, Aloha Poke is targeting its next growth wave in a concentrated set of markets. The goal is to have 100 locations open and in development by 2022. At the onset of franchising, the brand will focus growth in areas where existing locations have …
Boston — Garbanzo Mediterranean Fresh, a leading fast-casual Mediterranean franchise, is coming to Boston. This will be the fast-growing brand’s first location in New England. The restaurant is opening this winter at 134 Boylston St. and will be followed by several other locations in the market. “I’m so excited to open our first location and share our fresh cuisine with Bostonians,” says Derek St. George, co-owner of the new Boston locations who will be opening the restaurants with brother and sister duo Karl and Leigha Schmidt. “Today’s consumer is very …
Fayetteville, Ark. — Slim Chickens, a leading fast-casual franchise which features dine-in and drive-through, has launched an aggressive multi-unit growth initiative to expand its presence in key markets across the United States. With a goal to reach 600 locations over the next 10 years, the brand is focusing its expansion initiative on Southern, Midwestern, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern states in the near term. The announcement comes on the heels of seven recently signed multi-unit franchise agreements totaling 71 units. With 350 locations in development, Slim Chickens is slated to open its …
Atlanta — Tropical Smoothie Cafe, a leading national fast-casual cafe concept, has awarded 64 franchise agreements in the third quarter. The brand plans to sign 200 franchise agreements, open 130 cafes and grow same-store sales by 5 percent in 2019. Year-to-date, Tropical Smoothie Cafe has opened 90 cafes and awarded 179 franchise agreements. Tropical Smoothie Cafe franchisees have signed multi-unit agreements for a number of markets across the country, including Chicago; Tampa, Fla.; Orlando, Fla.; Cleveland, Ohio; and New Haven, Conn. “Our focus on operational execution and delivering a remarkable …
Chicago — Potbelly Sandwich Shop, the iconic neighborhood sandwich shop, has signed a multi-unit franchise agreement to open shops in Macy’s department stores, adding to the fast-casual brand’s significant multi-unit franchise growth in 2019. “This franchise agreement marks a major milestone in our multi-unit franchise growth,” says Peter Ortiz, vice president of franchise development at Potbelly. “A development deal with one of the nation’s premier retailers is a testament to our focus and prioritization of our franchising initiative. We’re thrilled for what’s in store for the future with Macy’s.” The …