Five New(Ish) Quick-Service Restaurant Brands Looking To Take Over in 2021

Out of the ashes of 2020, rise five new stars. 

By stars, we mean quick-service restaurants, and don’t underestimate these brands. While they may seem small and localized now, they’re expected to make a major debut across the country in 2021 and beyond. 

Why quick-service? Well, the past year taught many restaurant brands that trading in the dining rooms for a fast-casual approach resulted in more sales. People were already associating to-go dining options with drive-thrus, take out and fast-casual dining locations. Now, quick-service restaurants are looking to capitalize on the growing trend and ramp up expansion efforts. 

Take a look at the five picks for quick-service restaurant brands below. 

Fajita Pete’s

• Startup costs: $202,500-$460,200
• Units: 16

This Tex-Mex quick-service dining experience started in 2002, when founder Pete Mora achieved his dream of opening his own restaurant. After a few years of operating, Mora noticed a majority of his sales were coming from to-go orders. So, Mora closed the dine-in restaurant in 2008, and Fajita Pete’s was born. The brand started franchising in 2015 after being purchased by Four Guys Franchising LLC. in Colorado. With a total of 20 locations as of January, 2021, the brand’s dream is to grow to 100 locations in the next few years. 

Golden Chick

• Startup costs: $440,950-$1,348,500
• Units: 200

Golden Chick, a fried chicken franchise, has been making moves in 2021. Throughout the last year, the franchise upped its expansion efforts, which have resulted in a total of 41 new locations in development for 2021. Part of what made this possible was the brand's 20-unit signing in Las Vegas, along with a 35-unit deal signed in west Texas. As the world begins to open up again, the brand is expecting even more increased growth nationwide. 

CAO Bakery & Cafe

• Startup costs: $350,000
• Units: 12

Based in Miami, this bakery and cafe brand was founded by Tony Cao, whose grandfather famously founded the Vicky Bakery franchise. After a few years of owning and operating his own locations of Vicky’s, Cao set off on his own to begin his own franchise business, CAO Bakery & Cafe. As of now, the brand has a total of 12 locations across the Miami-Fort Lauderdale area, but that’s about to change. In 2021, Cao plans on opening an additional 10 locations in cities like Tampa, Gainesville and West Palm Beach, Florida. 

Qdoba

• Startup costs: $454,000-$738,000
• Units: 700

I know, this brand isn't necessarily “emerging”, but with a plan to expand the brand to up to 1,000 units over the next five years, we felt like we needed to include it. As one of the largest players in Mexican fast-casual, Qdoba has around 730 existing locations and half of them are franchise owned. As for their growth plans in 2021, they already have about 40 new locations in the pipeline. 

The Crack Shack

• Startup costs: TBD
• Units: 8

Looking for a unique fast-casual dining experience? Well, Crack Shack is the place for you. Currently, this southern California-style fried chicken franchise only has eight locations, but with a recent takeover from the Mercato Partners Fund, the chicken franchise is expected to expand to between 35 and 50 units over the next few years, some of which will be coming in 2021. The Crack Shack’s atmosphere is extremely inviting, and most of the seating in their design set-up is outside, making it perfect for those looking to continue social distancing. The Crack Shack is also a newcomer to the franchising world, so their investment ranges have yet to be made public.