The Great Franchisees: Keylan and Erika Mitchell, MOOYAH Burgers, Fries & Shakes, Georgia

When Keylan and Erika Mitchell began looking for a franchise brand to invest in, they were looking for more than a business; they wanted the ability to enrich their community with employment and mentorship opportunities for young people just starting out in their careers. That’s exactly what they found with MOOYAH Burgers, Fries & Shakes*, the 84-unit better-burger franchise based out of Plano, Texas. 

The Mitchells, who are opening Georgia’s first MOOYAH location this year, intend to use their business to support local schools, youth development programs and charitable organizations across their community.

We spoke to Keylan and Erika to learn more about their experience with MOOYAH.

1851 Franchise: Tell us about your background. What did you do before franchising?

Keylan Mitchell: I grew up in Rockmart, Georgia, a small town. I graduated from high school there and went on to get a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a concentration in marketing and management from Piedmont College. I earned my Master’s in Public Administration from Central Michigan University. I spent my professional career as a public administrator working with local, state and federal government agencies to develop public-private partnerships that help low-income people become more economically mobile. I look forward to transferring my extensive experience in marketing, community relations, partnership development and strategic planning to our MOOYAH store. 

Erika Mitchell: I was born and raised in Tampa, Florida. I earned a BS in accounting from Syracuse University and an MBA (concentration in finance and strategy) from Emory University’s Goizueta Business School. My professional career includes experience in the audit and M&A practices at a large global professional services firm. Currently, I work in the nonprofit sector as a finance and operations executive. I also have experience consulting with start-up businesses on finance and operating-related matters.

Keylan: We will have been married for eleven years in October.

Erika: One of our favorite pastimes is fishing. We also enjoy volunteer work and civic engagement in our community. We lead a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance site at our church, mentor children and young adults and serve as board members for several non-profit organizations. 

1851: How did you hear about MOOYAH Burgers, Fries & Shakes? 

Keylan: We have been looking for entrepreneurial opportunities in the restaurant industry. We began doing research and looking at our community and there wasn't a fast casual “better burger” concept like MOOYAH anywhere. We thought it would be a good fit for the community.  

1851: What about franchising with MOOYAH Burgers, Fries & Shakes appealed to you? 

Erika: We visited the closest MOOYAH in Birmingham, Alabama and thought the food was delicious. We really liked what we saw in terms of the fun, family-friendly atmosphere and design of the store so we reached out to Corporate in Plano, Texas. We have been extremely impressed with the support we have received from MOOYAH’s corporate staff and how the brand has navigated the pandemic. The commitment to making sure stores did not close and the fact that new locations opened at the height of the pandemic shows the strength and innovation of the brand. The high-quality, non-GMO product including never frozen 100% certified angus beef, artisan buns baked in-house daily, hand-cut fries and real ice cream milkshakes is part of what really drew us to MOOYAH. The Lifestyle Menu is also amazing and we’re excited to be bringing more healthy options to Mableton. 

1851: What makes Mableton, GA a good market for MOOYAH Burgers, Fries & Shakes? 

Erika: We have lived in Mableton for over 10 years and we know the community very well. Often we find ourselves traveling outside of our community to find quality dining options. In addition, friends and neighbors often talk about a lack of quality food options in our area so we are opening a MOOYAH to be a part of the solution. 

Keylan: There are a lot of families with kids here. It is a well-resourced area and it doesn't have enough appropriate options to service the community. Mableton is full of diverse, friendly, hard-working people who care about their community. It is also close to the airport, downtown Atlanta, Atlanta Beltline Westside Trail and the Silver Comet Trail.  It is about 20 to 25 minutes outside of Atlanta and very accessible to Midtown, Buckhead and Cumberland. There are parks and other amenities such as the Barnes Mable House Amphitheater in the area and the area is really growing residentially. We believe the brand will excel here and in other parts of Cobb County. We thought it would be a great opportunity to make this investment and be a catalyst for other high-quality fast casual brands to invest in the area as well. 

1851: Do you have plans to open more locations?

Erika: We definitely have plans to open more. Keylan and I are “go-getters” and have always had an entrepreneurial spirit. We work well together and feed off of each other’s strengths. We are excited about opening our first location but are always thinking ahead about future locations and opportunities.

Keylan: We have plans to expand to at least three to five locations within the next five to seven years. We would like to expand to other parts of Metro Atlanta. 

1851: What do you hope to accomplish with your business?

Keylan: We want to partner with the community and get involved with local schools, youth athletics and nonprofits. We really want to invest in the area in that way and invest in our employees. Some of our employees are going to be young people who are just beginning their careers. We want to be a place that teaches great customer service, work ethic and employment skills that they can have for the rest of their lives. We want to be able to offer career guidance and mentorship to make sure young people get a great start in their careers.

We just feel that this investment can really help improve the quality of life in our community by being a community gathering spot. As we begin to be more social after the isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic we think it’s more important than ever for our community to have the best burger, fry and shake experience anywhere! 

ABOUT MOOYAH BURGERS, FRIES & SHAKES:

MOOYAH Burgers, Fries & Shakes is a fast-casual, “better burger” concept offering mouthwatering made-to-order burgers, french fries hand-cut from Idaho potatoes, and real ice cream shakes. Founded in 2007, the Plano, Texas-based company serves fresh, 100% Certified Angus Beef® brand burgers, all-natural Jennie-O® turkey burgers and Dr. Praeger’s black bean vegan burgers. MOOYAH's non-GMO potato and multigrain buns are baked in-house daily, and Guests can choose from five real cheeses, bacon, avocado and 20 free sauces and toppings made from garden-fresh veggies. MOOYAH Guests can choose from seven flavors of 100% real ice cream shakes, including vanilla, Hershey’s chocolate, Reese’s, Oreo and more. While many Guests dine in-restaurant, MOOYAH also offers online ordering, delivery and carry out for Guests on the go as well as a loyalty app. In 2020, MOOYAH ranked No. 38 on Fast Casual’s Top 100 Movers and Shakers. In 2018, MOOYAH was ranked among Entrepreneur Magazine's Top 200 Food and Restaurant Franchises of 2018 and landed at No. 7 in the Top 10 Fast Casual Restaurant Franchises by FranchiseRankings.com. In 2017, MOOYAH was named to Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500 list, Franchise Times' Fast & Serious list of the smartest growing franchise brands, and was ranked #11 on Fast Casual Magazine’s annual Top 100 Movers & Shakers, a list the brand has been included on every year in the last ten years of rankings. For more information on MOOYAH, its menu or franchising opportunities, please visit www.MOOYAH.com. Connect with MOOYAH on Facebook.com/MOOYAH, follow MOOYAH on LinkedIn, Twitter @MOOYAHburgers and Instagram @MOOYAHburgers.