Urban Bird Hot Chicken has expanded quickly across Texas, but the brand’s growth did not come from chasing the latest restaurant trend or rushing to sell franchise agreements. The hot chicken concept was developed by operators who spent years building restaurants inside an existing franchise system before launching their own brand.
Co-founders Brandon Gawthorp and Chantel Fiaschetti scaled Wingstop to 32 locations before turning their attention to Urban Bird. That experience, along with the lessons that came from both success and setbacks along the way, shaped a concept designed with franchise operators in mind. After opening nearly 30 company-owned locations across the Lone Star State and refining the model through real-world operations, Urban Bird has begun franchising selectively, offering operators the opportunity to join a system that has already been tested at scale.
For entrepreneurs evaluating restaurant investments, here are 10 reasons Urban Bird Hot Chicken stands out as a franchise opportunity.
Urban Bird’s founders spent decades operating in the franchisee seat before launching their own brand. That background gives them a clear understanding of the challenges franchise owners face — from managing labor and food costs to navigating real estate and maintaining profitability.
“We spent years growing restaurants inside another franchise system, and that experience shapes everything we do today,” Gawthorp said. “When you’re responsible for the rent, payroll and performance of every store, you develop a very practical perspective about what a franchisor should be doing for its operators. Urban Bird was built with that mindset from the beginning. We want franchisees to walk into a model that has already been refined and strengthened through real-world operations.”
Rather than franchising early, Urban Bird’s leadership team focused first on building a significant corporate footprint. That approach allowed them to test different restaurant sizes, real estate formats and operational systems while gathering meaningful data across multiple locations.
By the time franchising began, the model had already been refined through years of hands-on experience. Franchisees benefit from a system that has been developed through actual restaurant operations rather than theoretical projections.
Urban Bird’s corporate restaurants demonstrate the strength of the concept’s financial performance. In 2025, the brand reported average gross sales of approximately $1.7 million across company-owned locations (that were open for at least 12 months), with the highest-performing restaurant exceeding $3.7 million in annual sales.
These numbers provide prospective franchisees with a clear picture of how the model performs in the real world and offer confidence that the concept has already proven its ability to generate strong revenue.
As Urban Bird expanded its corporate footprint, the founders continually refined the operating model to improve efficiency. Through supply chain negotiations, operational improvements and careful cost management, the company reduced average store-level expenses by nearly 7 percent in 2025.
For franchise operators, those improvements translate directly into stronger margins and a more efficient restaurant model. According to Fiaschetti, the focus on economics was intentional from the start.
“When you’ve operated restaurants for as long as we have, you know the numbers matter just as much as the food,” she said. “We’ve spent years studying the business from every angle — food costs, labor, vendors, real estate strategy — and making changes that make the model stronger. When someone joins the Urban Bird system, they’re benefiting from everything we’ve learned along the way.”
Urban Bird distinguishes itself in the crowded chicken category through a strong commitment to product quality. The brand’s chicken is brined, breaded to order and cooked fresh, creating a distinctive flavor and texture that keeps guests coming back.
That quality focus reflects the founders’ belief that a strong product is the foundation of a successful restaurant.
“We’ve always believed the food has to be exceptional if you want to build a lasting brand,” Fiaschetti said. “Our team takes pride in doing things the right way, from the way the chicken is prepared to the way each restaurant operates. When guests experience that consistency, it builds trust and loyalty over time.”
Urban Bird’s menu and operational systems were built with off-premises dining in mind. Delivery and takeout have become essential revenue streams for modern restaurants, and the brand engineered its menu to maintain quality even after travel.
Details such as fry preparation and packaging were developed specifically to ensure food holds up well during delivery, helping franchisees maximize digital sales opportunities.
Urban Bird also explores innovation through additional revenue streams designed to complement its core operations. Virtual concepts such as Bun Slut (in testing) and Big Back Fries allow restaurants to generate incremental sales while utilizing existing kitchen capacity.
Because these concepts operate within the same infrastructure, they can increase revenue potential without significantly increasing operational complexity.
Although Urban Bird has established a strong presence in Texas, the concept remains early in its broader expansion. The founders see strong potential in suburban and secondary markets where population growth and favorable demographics support fast-casual dining.
“The exciting part of where we are right now is that the brand has already been proven in our own system, but there is still a lot of runway ahead,” Gawthorp said. “We have the ability to be intentional about who we bring in and where we grow, and that matters because the right early partners can help define the future of the brand.”
Urban Bird plans to expand its franchise network carefully, awarding a limited number of franchise agreements each year. This deliberate strategy allows the company to maintain strong training programs, operational support and brand culture as the system grows.
“Our goal is to build something sustainable,” Gawthorp said. “We’re focused on working with operators who share our values and want to build great restaurants. Growing the right way takes time, but it’s the best way to protect the brand and support the people investing in it.”
Urban Bird’s culture reflects the founders’ own journey through the restaurant industry. After years of growth, challenges and learning experiences, Gawthorp and Fiaschetti built the brand around discipline, teamwork and a commitment to doing things the right way.
Those values continue to guide the company as it expands into new markets and welcomes new franchise partners.
“We’ve experienced both the successes and the setbacks that come with building restaurants,” Fiaschetti said. “That journey shaped the way we approach this brand. Our focus is on strong systems, strong partnerships and creating opportunities for operators who want to build something meaningful.”
As Urban Bird Hot Chicken begins expanding beyond Texas, the brand offers a franchise opportunity supported by years of operational experience, proven unit economics and a leadership team that understands the franchisee journey firsthand.
To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://1851franchise.com/urban-bird-hot-chicken.
Urban Bird Hot Chicken
SPONSORED
After building nearly 30 corporate restaurants, founders Brandon Gawthorp and Chantel Fiaschetti are expanding Urban Bird with a model shaped by real-world franchise experience.
Urban Bird Hot Chicken has expanded quickly across Texas, but the brand’s growth did not come from chasing the latest restaurant trend or rushing to sell franchise agreements. The hot chicken concept was developed by operators who spent years building restaurants inside an existing franchise system before launching their own brand.
Co-founders Brandon Gawthorp and Chantel Fiaschetti scaled Wingstop to 32 locations before turning their attention to Urban Bird. That experience, along with the lessons that came from both success and setbacks along the way, shaped a concept designed with franchise operators in mind. After opening nearly 30 company-owned locations across the Lone Star State and refining the model through real-world operations, Urban Bird has begun franchising selectively, offering operators the opportunity to join a system that has already been tested at scale.
For entrepreneurs evaluating restaurant investments, here are 10 reasons Urban Bird Hot Chicken stands out as a franchise opportunity.
Urban Bird’s founders spent decades operating in the franchisee seat before launching their own brand. That background gives them a clear understanding of the challenges franchise owners face — from managing labor and food costs to navigating real estate and maintaining profitability.
“We spent years growing restaurants inside another franchise system, and that experience shapes everything we do today,” Gawthorp said. “When you’re responsible for the rent, payroll and performance of every store, you develop a very practical perspective about what a franchisor should be doing for its operators. Urban Bird was built with that mindset from the beginning. We want franchisees to walk into a model that has already been refined and strengthened through real-world operations.”
Rather than franchising early, Urban Bird’s leadership team focused first on building a significant corporate footprint. That approach allowed them to test different restaurant sizes, real estate formats and operational systems while gathering meaningful data across multiple locations.
By the time franchising began, the model had already been refined through years of hands-on experience. Franchisees benefit from a system that has been developed through actual restaurant operations rather than theoretical projections.
Urban Bird’s corporate restaurants demonstrate the strength of the concept’s financial performance. In 2025, the brand reported average gross sales of approximately $1.7 million across company-owned locations (that were open for at least 12 months), with the highest-performing restaurant exceeding $3.7 million in annual sales.
These numbers provide prospective franchisees with a clear picture of how the model performs in the real world and offer confidence that the concept has already proven its ability to generate strong revenue.
As Urban Bird expanded its corporate footprint, the founders continually refined the operating model to improve efficiency. Through supply chain negotiations, operational improvements and careful cost management, the company reduced average store-level expenses by nearly 7 percent in 2025.
For franchise operators, those improvements translate directly into stronger margins and a more efficient restaurant model. According to Fiaschetti, the focus on economics was intentional from the start.
“When you’ve operated restaurants for as long as we have, you know the numbers matter just as much as the food,” she said. “We’ve spent years studying the business from every angle — food costs, labor, vendors, real estate strategy — and making changes that make the model stronger. When someone joins the Urban Bird system, they’re benefiting from everything we’ve learned along the way.”
Urban Bird distinguishes itself in the crowded chicken category through a strong commitment to product quality. The brand’s chicken is brined, breaded to order and cooked fresh, creating a distinctive flavor and texture that keeps guests coming back.
That quality focus reflects the founders’ belief that a strong product is the foundation of a successful restaurant.
“We’ve always believed the food has to be exceptional if you want to build a lasting brand,” Fiaschetti said. “Our team takes pride in doing things the right way, from the way the chicken is prepared to the way each restaurant operates. When guests experience that consistency, it builds trust and loyalty over time.”
Urban Bird’s menu and operational systems were built with off-premises dining in mind. Delivery and takeout have become essential revenue streams for modern restaurants, and the brand engineered its menu to maintain quality even after travel.
Details such as fry preparation and packaging were developed specifically to ensure food holds up well during delivery, helping franchisees maximize digital sales opportunities.
Urban Bird also explores innovation through additional revenue streams designed to complement its core operations. Virtual concepts such as Bun Slut (in testing) and Big Back Fries allow restaurants to generate incremental sales while utilizing existing kitchen capacity.
Because these concepts operate within the same infrastructure, they can increase revenue potential without significantly increasing operational complexity.
Although Urban Bird has established a strong presence in Texas, the concept remains early in its broader expansion. The founders see strong potential in suburban and secondary markets where population growth and favorable demographics support fast-casual dining.
“The exciting part of where we are right now is that the brand has already been proven in our own system, but there is still a lot of runway ahead,” Gawthorp said. “We have the ability to be intentional about who we bring in and where we grow, and that matters because the right early partners can help define the future of the brand.”
Urban Bird plans to expand its franchise network carefully, awarding a limited number of franchise agreements each year. This deliberate strategy allows the company to maintain strong training programs, operational support and brand culture as the system grows.
“Our goal is to build something sustainable,” Gawthorp said. “We’re focused on working with operators who share our values and want to build great restaurants. Growing the right way takes time, but it’s the best way to protect the brand and support the people investing in it.”
Urban Bird’s culture reflects the founders’ own journey through the restaurant industry. After years of growth, challenges and learning experiences, Gawthorp and Fiaschetti built the brand around discipline, teamwork and a commitment to doing things the right way.
Those values continue to guide the company as it expands into new markets and welcomes new franchise partners.
“We’ve experienced both the successes and the setbacks that come with building restaurants,” Fiaschetti said. “That journey shaped the way we approach this brand. Our focus is on strong systems, strong partnerships and creating opportunities for operators who want to build something meaningful.”
As Urban Bird Hot Chicken begins expanding beyond Texas, the brand offers a franchise opportunity supported by years of operational experience, proven unit economics and a leadership team that understands the franchisee journey firsthand.
To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://1851franchise.com/urban-bird-hot-chicken.
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