Bringing southern hospitality and its hand-branded, cooked-to-order tenders, Slim Chickens continues to break barriers in the fast-casual segment. This year the brand made history with more openings across the United States and globally than ever before.
In 2022, the brand celebrated several milestones including its 200th store opening, conquering 15 new franchise territories with its development deals, and opening 50 new locations. With the lucrative year on its ledger, the brand made history, establishing more than 300 signed agreements across the globe attaining a total of 1,100 units in development deals. In addition to its rapid franchise growth, Slim Chickens boasts a 3.8 million AUV*. More impressively, the brand has held a robust 44% increase in comp stores sales growth over the last four years.
“This year we have tallied up an impressive year of growth into new markets on a national and global scale more than ever before and we could not be prouder,” said Vice President of Franchise Development, Jackie Lobdell. “We are honored to have a dedicated team of skilled and knowledgeable franchisees who continue to extend our southern hospitality to new markets around the world. As the chicken craze continues to flourish, our leadership team, training methods, resources, and established franchisees will continue to maintain our positive growth trajectory. We remain resilient and relentless time and time again and look forward to further grabbing the attention of highly qualified restaurant operators who want to be a part of our story in communities around the world.”
In addition to the brand’s immense success in 2022, Slim Chickens has been recognized by several restaurant and franchise trade publications for its robust reputation in the industry. To start, Slim Chickens was named the Breakout Brand of the Year by QSR Magazine and was recognized as a Top Recession-Proof Business by Franchise Business Review. In addition, the brand was also named in the top percentile as one of the Fastest-Growing Franchises by Entrepreneur and a Mover & Shaker by Fast Casual. Most recently, Franchise Times Magazine ranked the better-chicken brand in its ‘Fast & Serious List at #5 smartest-growing brands and was also acknowledged as a 2023 Top Franchise by Franchise Business Review.
“We have spent a lot of time and investment in the people that enable us to do this.” Says COO Sam Rothschild. “We understand what it takes to support our franchisees and we have the systems and processes in place to do so. We are honored to have the quality of franchisees that we have today but are eager to continue the momentum. There is still a lot of opportunity in the U.S. to grow Slim Chickens and we have started to open in Michigan, Wisconsin, the Carolinas, Virginia, and Pennsylvania. Not only are we rapidly expanding domestically but we are thrilled to continue to enter new markets abroad as well.”
Heading into 2023, Slim Chickens is slated to sign 200 development deals with more than 50 openings domestically and 15-plus new locations abroad. As the leading better-chicken brand continues its burgeoning momentum and upward trajectory, it’s looking to extend its southern hospitality and fuel the demand for its hand-breaded cooked-to-order tenders across the United States as well as both sides of the Atlantic in countries such as France, Spain, Germany, Poland, Turkey, and the GCC.
With hundreds of thousands of happy customers, the brand has developed a strong devoted fanbase, also known as “Slimthusiasts,” helping to fuel demand for the hand-breaded, cooked-to-order tenders. Slim Chickens has distinguished itself in the “better chicken” segment by offering high-quality food and 17 house-made dipping sauces, allowing customers to enjoy a different flavor profile with each visit. Its menu is broader than many in the category, offering chicken tenders, fresh salads, sandwiches, chicken and waffles, chicken wings and unique side items. Fans also resonate with the southern contemporary look and feel and the open and inviting layout of Slim Chickens restaurants, which speak to the hospitality mindset that anchors the brand.
Slim Chickens’ franchise opportunity differentiates itself with prime markets available for multi-unit development, a passionate leadership team and a world-class franchisee support system. As Slim Chickens expands, it is awarding franchise opportunities to qualified, experienced and passionate multi-unit groups looking to add a dynamic segment to their portfolio.
Source: Franchising
