Top Chicken Franchises Over 50 Units

Quick-service restaurants have long been conceptualized around the burger, but we are in the midst of a shift. Versatile and affordable, chicken appeals to a large audience that has seen its tastes shift toward the healthier option. Established brands that focus on a chicken offering are thriving. These are the segment’s biggest players.

Chick-fil-A
Unit count: Over 2,200 units in 47 states and Washington, DC

Investment range: $10,000-$50,000

Chick-fil-A has experienced steady growth to establish dominance in the quick-service chicken segment. Making customer service integral to its business model has paid off for the brand; it topped the American Customer Satisfaction Index Restaurant Report for the third straight year in 2018. While maintaining its traditions such as staying closed on Sundays as a nod to its founder, Chick-fil-A continues to find ways to innovate. Beyond announcing plans to begin international expansion into Toronto in 2019, the Atlanta-based brand has begun testing a meal kit offering to compete with the emergence of popular meal delivery services like Blue Apron and HomeChef, becoming the first QSR to take on that market. The brand remains one of the most particular franchises out there, accepting only 0.4 percent of applicants each year.

KFC

Unit count: Over 21,000 units worldwide

Investment range: $1,440,000-$2,772,000

Staying true to its secret original recipe of 11 herbs and spices since its founding more than 70 years ago, KFC has become synonymous with fried chicken and in turn, the chicken QSR segment. The Louisville, Kentucky-based brand’s global presence is indicative of its consistency of offering and continued popularity. In recent years, the number of international KFC franchises has grown while U.S. franchise locations declined slightly. KFC’s customer retention efforts include new takes on its classic product made with a special pressure fryer, like its Nashville Hot, Georgia Gold and Smoky Mountain BBQ marinated offerings and its affordable meal deals. The chain has also increased focus on its marketing efforts by utilizing clever celebrity ad campaigns and curating a savvy social media presence.

Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen

Unit count: Over 2,800 units globally

Investment range: $380,000-$2,630,000

Since its inception in 1972, Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen has carved out a unique space for itself in the chicken segment. The brand’s Louisiana roots inspire its Cajun menu offerings that bring a regional taste worldwide. Customers have the option to choose between mild or spicy chicken, fried shrimp, red beans and rice, Cajun fries, mashed potatoes with Cajun-style gravy, chicken and sausage jambalaya, and po’ boy sandwiches. The franchise was purchased by Restaurant Brands International in 2017, and this year, partnered with Uber Eats to launch a delivery initiative in select cities to increase sales.

Church’s Chicken

Unit count: Over 1,500 units globally

Investment range: $348,000-$1,830,000

Church’s Chicken was founded in 1952 and has taken on several different looks in the years since, but its hand-battered original and spicy chicken and honey butter biscuits made from scratch are as classic as they’ve ever been. The brand’s focus on Southern fare (its menu features chicken fried steak and a variety of seafood dishes) is its largest market differentiator, and under new leadership, the franchise hosted leadership summits for franchisees in its major markets earlier this year and is embarking on a rebranding effort in Q4 that is set to hone in on Church’s rich history.

Wingstop

Unit count: 1,100 units

Investment range: $340,000-$733,000

Wingstop sits in a corner all its own within the chicken segment thanks to its ability to offer customers variety within a simple menu framework. The Dallas, Texas-based franchise that was established in 1994 defines itself by flavor, exemplified by its straightforward offering of bone-in or boneless chicken wings and chicken tenders, bolstered by its robust sauce options and a short list of sides. For a brand that didn’t launch a national advertising campaign until 2017, its growth has been astounding and is set to increase further thanks to new strategies highlighted in its Q2 earnings report. Wingstop plans to continue this momentum by digitizing phone orders to streamline service and beginning national delivery by 2019.

Slim Chickens*

Unit count: Over 70 units in 14 states with international locations in Kuwait and London

Investment range: $915,000-$1,460,000

Slim Chickens opened in 2003 in Fayetteville, Arkansas, serving cooked-to-order tenders and wings with handmade dipping sauces made from scratch. The young brand is quickly expanding to bring its offering of Southern hospitality in both food and environment to cities and towns across the nation by hiring a new franchise development lead to usher in the 250 restaurants currently in the development pipeline.

Zaxby’s

Unit count: Over 850 units nationwide

Investment range: $280,000-$665,000

Zaxby’s is a chain of fast-casual restaurants offering chicken wings, chicken fingers, sandwiches and salads prepared at the time of order, with a heavy concentration of locations in the Southeast region of the U.S. Founded in 1990 in a college town in Georgia, the brand pays homage to its roots by outfitting individual units with items and art specific to the restaurant’s location, creating a localized, communal feel that enhances the customer experience. Zaxby’s appointed a new marketing chief in 2018 who looks to continue the brand’s sponsorship efforts and aid in its expansion plans.

Bojangles’ Famous Chicken n’ Biscuits

Unit count: Over 750 locations in the U.S. and internationally

Investment range: $1,490,000-$2,410,000

Bojangles’ Famous Chicken n’ Biscuits, founded in Charlotte, North Carolina in 1977, maintains a strong foothold in the Southeastern U.S. The chicken chain was founded on the promise of high-quality, flavorful food made from Southern recipes, and includes staples like all-day breakfast every day of the week and hand-breaded bone-in chicken and signature iced tea. Though the brand experienced rapid growth over the past decade and is still seeing increases in revenue, Bojangles’ will begin shuttering some units in an optimization strategy to stabilize comps as part of a previously announced four-year improvement plan.

Chester’s

Unit count: Over 1,000 locations worldwide

Investment range: $12,300-$287,000

Chester’s uses a secret family recipe and process developed back in the 1950s to create signature fried chicken dishes that use only fresh, high-quality products. What makes Chester’s unique isn’t just the brand’s recognizable mascot, but its franchise offering. Franchisees are presented with the option of flexible locations like restaurant-in-store options in supermarkets or on college campuses, leading to its more than 1,000 locations in the U.S. and beyond. The Birmingham, Alabama-based brand prides itself on the comprehensiveness of its training and support for franchisees.

El Pollo Loco

Unit count: Over 450 units in Nevada, Arizona, California, Texas and Utah

Investment range: $505,000-$1,100,000

El Pollo Loco is a chain best known for its Mexican-style grilled chicken served in bowls, burritos, tacos, quesadillas and more. Backing up its chicken with fresh, handmade guacamole, salsa and dressings, the franchise has been shaking up the chicken segment since its founding in Los Angeles in 1980. The company’s aggressive 2016 expansion effort saw the brand introduced to Phoenix, Houston and Dallas, and was followed up by bringing on a new CEO and establishing a delivery partnership with DoorDash in half of its units. The franchise has seen continued growth despite a decrease in Q2 comps, and is in the midst of implementing its people-first franchisee leadership plan.

*Brands marked with an asterisk are clients of 1851 Franchise or No Limit Agency*.