As Keke’s Breakfast Cafe moves full steam ahead toward national scale, the brand is doing more than simply opening new locations — it’s reimagining the way it grows. Under the leadership of franchise development veterans and with the backing of Denny’s Corporation, Keke’s is evolving its growth model to be nimble and designed to thrive in a wide range of markets across the United States.

“We have tremendous tools to ensure we make the right decisions," said Jon Ahrendt, senior director of franchise relations at Keke’s. “We are flexible in our footprint and can work on the square footage, anywhere from 3,200 to 5,300 square feet. Since the Denny’s acquisition, we have continued to make bold decisions and learn from those to make better decisions. We just keep stacking great information and results to refine our ability to define sites and markets that work great for our brand.”

That spirit of innovation is behind one of Keke’s most strategic growth levers: a flexible approach to site selection. Whether it’s a freestanding building, endcap, or inline location, the Keke’s team brings a deep bench of real estate expertise and data analysis to help franchisees identify optimal trade areas.

“We are with franchisees every step of the way,” said Ahrendt. “If you have a broker network or developer background, we can lean into that and make sure they understand how Keke’s does things. We also have plenty of support to help you identify your market and your trade areas and build out an entire strategic plan to ensure that we are all successful in landing the best business opportunity.”

And for those without a background in development or construction, Keke’s has it covered. From site identification to lease negotiation, build-out and design, the brand’s infrastructure is designed to empower both seasoned operators and first-time restaurateurs.

“If you need references or a team from scratch, we can provide that as well,” Ahrendt said. “From real estate to design to construction, we are there to support the existing team or help you build one.”

A core element of that support includes Keke’s evolving cafe design, which reflects a brighter, more modern look to align with the brand’s identity and elevate the guest experience.

“The newer look is extremely competitive from what the guests expect today out of an elevated breakfast experience,” said Ardag Tachian, senior director, franchise development. “The building has to match the experience and the food. We had a very specific look for the first 18 years, but this version is much brighter and purposeful. We want the ‘fresh starts, served daily’ to be felt in each location. It comes with an updated look that is bright and cheery, and our interiors now match the product, service, and food.”

That new design is already making its way into cafes across the country. “All of the new cafes are getting the new design look, and we are in the process of refreshing many more cafes,” Tachian said. 

This commitment to smart, supported growth has already yielded strong results. In 2024, Keke’s reported an impressive average unit volume of  $2,089,007 in 2024 for all franchised restaurants that reported through the iLumen Reporting Software, with the top half of franchise restaurants seeing net sales of $2,589,666, according to the brand’s most recent Franchise Disclosure Document. Add to that a simple daytime operating model, a fresh-from-scratch menu, and robust support from Denny’s, and it’s no wonder entrepreneurs are taking notice.

“We’re constantly refining the model to make it better, smarter, and more successful — not just for us, but for every franchisee in the system,” said Ahrendt. “If our franchisees are successful and profitable, the brand succeeds as well.”

With momentum building, new markets opening and systems evolving, Keke’s is positioning itself as a breakfast powerhouse — one flexible footprint at a time.

Learn more about franchising with Keke’s at: kekes.com/franchise.