Why Urban Bird's Commitment to Quality is Fueling its Rise in the Craveworthy World of Hot Chicken

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Urban Bird Hot Chicken Is What Happens When Real Franchise Operators Build the Brand They Always Wanted to Buy

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Urban Bird Hot Chicken Franchise Costs, Fees, Profit and Data for 2026

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How Setbacks, Scale and Experience Shaped the Urban Bird Hot Chicken Franchise

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Most emerging restaurant concepts franchise because they have to. They need franchise fees to fund the next phase, and they need someone else’s capital to figure out what should have been tested in company-owned stores.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.urbanbirdhotchicken.com/franchise/">Urban Bird Hot Chicken</a>, the hot chicken franchise based in Texas, is taking the opposite route.The brand is franchising after building a real corporate footprint, learning the economics the hard way, tightening costs, stress-testing delivery and dialing in what works across different sites and footprints. Today, Urban Bird has opened more than 20 corporate locations in the Lone Star State and is on pace to reach 28 by the spring of 2026.&nbsp;So, how did they do it? The founders,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wihzivOcnVc">Brandon Gawthorp and Chantel Fiaschetti</a>, don’t pretend that they just got lucky and stumbled into success. They’ve lived in the franchisee seat for a long time.<h2>How Urban Bird Was Built to Solve a Real Problem</h2>Urban Bird didn’t start as a “we should franchise this” idea. It started as a survival move that turned into a concept with real pull. By 2017, Brandon and Chantel were already seasoned operators. They had built a growing&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/franchise-deep-dive-wingstop-franchise-costs-fees-profit-and-data-2720864">Wingstop</a> portfolio, but they also made a bet on an early pizza concept that went sideways fast.&nbsp;“We opened this pizza concept and ended up having to close the doors in 2018,” Brandon said. “It was a larger space and the rent was about $15,000 a month. So when we closed, we weren’t going to just walk away from a lease. We were going to do it right.”They kept paying that rent for more than a year while trying to find a tenant. At the same time, Brandon had started noticing a food trend that felt like more than a fad, but he didn’t have a plan to build a brand around it yet.That trend came into focus during a Vegas trip. “I’ve always had a thing for chicken and waffles,” he said. “And one of the items was a limited-time hot chicken sandwich. When I bit into that thing, I was like, ‘Wow, this is amazing.’ It felt like the first time I ever tasted hot chicken.”Back in Houston, he tried to scratch the itch like a normal person. He went looking for hot chicken. The problem was that most of what was available didn’t hit the same. That’s when the founder brain kicked in, as well as when a practical opportunity appeared: a vacancy in the same shopping center where they were trapped in that expensive pizza lease.&nbsp;“I texted the landlord,” Brandon said. “I was like, ‘Hey, you should let me open up a hot chicken restaurant. Let me switch spaces.’ I thought he would just kind of laugh at me, but he sent me a text back. He’s like, ‘Let’s talk.’”So now the big problem wasn’t real estate. It was the product. This wasn’t a copy-and-paste menu. They built the core product from scratch, under pressure, during a chaotic time in the industry.“Developing the recipe was the hardest thing,” Brandon said. “It took 60 experiments to get the chicken to where we felt it was perfect. What I wanted was very specific. Something very light, with crispy breading and not too much sodium.”Urban Bird opened its first location in September 2020, in the thick of COVID. While many restaurants were still takeout-only, Brandon and Chantel believed guests would still show up for a safe dine-in experience. At the same time, they designed the model for off-premises demand, knowing delivery was here to stay.“There was a lot of grit, a lot of pain and a lot of tears during that time,” Chantel said. “We just kept pushing and pushing, taking one step in front of the other, and here we are. That is why our culture is very important. The people are the heart of what we do. That is what I’m most proud of.”This is a brand built by operators who have both won big and been humbled. “Any time you could start a franchise with a franchisee background, you’re able to see it out of two different lenses,” Brandon said. “You take what’s good, you take what’s bad and you know how you can make it better.” Urban Bird Hot Chicken’s momentum as a multi-brand operator took another step forward in March 2025,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.restaurantnews.com/urban-bird-hot-chicken-owners-acquires-bun-slut-expanding-culinary-empire-031025/">when Brandon and Chantel acquired Bun Slut</a>, the cult-favorite smash burger concept.<h2>How Urban Bird Did the Franchisor’s Homework in Corporate Stores</h2>The chicken segment, valued at a whopping&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ibisworld.com/united-states/industry/fast-food-chicken-restaurants/4027/">$63.7 billion</a>, is notoriously crowded. It is also easy to do badly. That is why the founders of Urban Bird still obsess over the details, specifically lighter breading, lower sodium, a crispier delivery fry and a quality-first process from brine to breading.&nbsp;“We lead with our heart and we care about the people,” Chantel said. “The quality of the food is top-notch because we make everything fresh and not frozen. We bread it to order. Every single little detail is very important to us.”Here is the truth most franchise candidates already know: a brand with two stores is still guessing. A brand with 20-plus stores has data. Brandon made it clear why Urban Bird waited to franchise until the corporate footprint was built.“Before we started selling franchises, I wanted to open up a lot of these locations because I needed to see what worked,” he said. “Now with over 20 open, we’re really able to dig in, see the data, see the demographics and not leave it up to the franchisee to figure that out.”Urban Bird has also tested footprint flexibility. Most locations have been second-generation builds, with sizes ranging roughly from 1,500 to 3,200 square feet.&nbsp;“We’re able to test different models and different sizes,” Brandon said. “Almost all real estate has been second generation, for example, which cuts a lot of the cost.” In 2025 alone, those efforts cut nearly 7% from average store-level expenses, a reduction that directly impacts unit-level profitability.&nbsp;And the results speak for themselves. The total investment necessary to begin operation of an Urban Bird Hot Chicken Restaurant under a franchise agreement is $236,300 to $837,800. In 2024, Urban Bird Hot Chicken reported gross sales across 11 operational company-owned locations. The highest-performing location was Round Rock, Texas, which generated $2,806,024 in gross sales for the year. Average gross sales in 2024, across all 11 company-owned locations, were approximately $1,673,505.&nbsp;“We’ve opened enough stores now to know where this works and why it works,” Chantel said. “We don’t want franchisees figuring that out on their own. We want to hand them a model that’s been tested in the real world.”<h2>Why Now: The Story Is Built, but the White Space Is Still Real</h2>Urban Bird is hitting a moment that is rare in franchising. The foundation is already there, but the franchise network is still in its earliest phase. That creates an unusual window for the right buyer.“I never really feel like I made it,” Brandon said. “When I finally hit a goal, I’m already on the next goal. I need purpose and I need drive. There’s really nothing that I love more doing than building something.”That mindset is important because it shapes the franchising posture. The founders are not selling franchises because they need a lifeline. They are opening franchising because they are ready to find true operating partners.“We’re looking for solid operating partners,” Brandon said. “We’re not desperately trying to sell franchises.”Looking ahead, the focus is on expanding from Texas into nearby, high-growth Sun Belt markets. If you are a restaurant operator who wants your next growth vehicle to be built by people who have actually done it at scale, this is the kind of window you watch for. The system is early enough to have real territory opportunity, but built enough to have real operating proof.“We went through a lot of pain to get here,” Brandon said. “A lot of hard lessons. But we kept going, kept fixing what didn’t work and kept putting one foot in front of the other. We’ve been on both sides of this. We’ve been franchisees who struggled, franchisees who scaled and operators who had to figure things out the hard way. That experience shapes every decision we make at Urban Bird. I don’t know another hot chicken concept that’s been built this carefully. The opportunity is big, but the foundation matters more — and that’s what we’re most proud of.”For more information, visit:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.urbanbirdhotchicken.com/franchise/">https://www.urbanbirdhotchicken.com/franchise/</a>.

After scaling Wingstop to 32 locations, Brandon Gawthorp and Chantel Fiaschetti launched Urban Bird Hot Chicken, now franchising selectively with significant white space ahead.

When&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandon-gawthorp-00170523a/">Brandon Gawthorp</a> and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/chantel-fiaschetti-gawthorp-a15620a9/">Chantel Fiaschetti</a> decided to enter the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ibisworld.com/united-states/industry/fast-food-chicken-restaurants/4027/">$63.7 billion</a> hot chicken arena, they weren't looking to just join a trend. They were looking for a specific bite that didn't yet exist.&nbsp;&nbsp;The journey began in 2018 during a trip to Las Vegas. Brandon, a military veteran and longtime restaurant operator, tried hot chicken for the first time and became instantly hooked. But when he returned home to Houston, he found the local landscape lacking. Most versions were either too salty or lacked the texture he craved.&nbsp;"It took 60 experiments to get the chicken to where we felt it was perfect and exactly what we wanted," Brandon said. "I wanted something very light. Crispy breading with not too much sodium. Everywhere I go has too much sodium. I wanted something that didn't taste like that."That obsession with the details became the foundation for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.urbanbirdhotchicken.com/franchise/">Urban Bird Hot Chicken</a>, the emerging Nashville-style hot chicken concept. The brand, which launched its first location in September 2020, has quickly expanded across Texas by focusing on a "food first" philosophy that prioritizes fresh ingredients and specialized preparation over shortcuts.<h2>A Menu Defined by Detail</h2>At Urban Bird, the process starts long before the chicken even hits the fryer. Every piece of chicken is brined for 24 to 48 hours, a step the founders refuse to skip. This ensures the meat remains juicy while the breading stays light and crisp. Many hot chicken concepts rely on heavy sauces to provide flavor. But Brandon and Chantel focused on a dry rub and a brine that let the bird's quality stand out. From there,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.urbanbirdhotchicken.com/menu/">Urban Bird’s menu</a> stands out because it takes a familiar hot chicken foundation and pushes it into crave-worthy, buildable territory without overcomplicating the experience. At the core are jumbo tenders (noticeably larger than average) that guests can customize across a wide heat spectrum, from Country (no heat) to Fire in the Hole for true heat seekers.&nbsp;Signature builds like the Tenders Sando on a toasted brioche bun with kale slaw and Bird Sauce, or the Chicken &amp; Waffle pairing sweet cream waffles with crispy heat, hit the sweet spot between indulgent comfort food and Instagram-ready appeal.The menu is built around these high-quality staples. While many competitors use a standard pre-mixed cabbage for their slaw, for example, the Urban Bird recipe features freshly cut greens and real maple syrup."Our kale slaw is done right," Brandon said. "Most places use a traditional mix and they’re not focused on the slaw. It’s an expensive recipe. It has real maple in it. These are very high quality ingredients."Side options like Urban Fries, Buffalo Mac Fries, BBQ Mac Fries, and Tijuana Street Fries layer seasoned chicken, white cheddar mac and cheese, house-made sauces, street corn, cotija, and chili-lime flavors into full-on meals of their own. Add-ons like hot honey, jalapeños, or Flamin’ Hot Cheeto powder let guests personalize even further, reinforcing the brand’s bold, playful identity. The menu rounds out with milkshakes, frozen custard, kid-friendly combos, and sharable packs, making Urban Bird equally compelling for late-night crowds, families, and group occasions.Even the bread is a point of pride. The sandwiches are served on buns sourced from a local bakery to ensure freshness. The goal was to create a flavor profile that felt homemade rather than mass-produced."Everything’s made fresh," Chantel said. "From what we brine it in to all of the details. We provide quality food. We don’t take any shortcuts."<h2>Built for the Modern Diner</h2>While the flavor profile is rooted in traditional techniques, the operations are designed for the modern era. Having opened their first location during the height of the pandemic, Brandon and Chantel designed the Urban Bird experience to be "future-proof."What this meant was investing in specific packaging and products. A specialized delivery fry, for instance, ensures food remains hot and crispy even if it's traveling 20 minutes to a customer's home.&nbsp;Roughly 70% of the brand's business is conducted off-premises today, a testament to its focus on the delivery experience. Brandon and Chantel spent years in the Wingstop system and learned how a focused menu and efficient prep can drive massive volume without sacrificing the greater guest experience. They brought that same discipline to Urban Bird.However, for those who choose to dine in, the environment is just as curated. The restaurants feature wide-open layouts and a distinct aesthetic that balances industrial grit with neighborhood warmth."Every restaurant we go to is designed a little differently," Brandon said. "But they all feel like an Urban Bird when you walk in. We know how to do that with the colors, with the decor, the environment, the smell and the sounds."<h2>A Culture of Passion</h2>Beyond the heat levels and the sides, Brandon and Chantel believe the brand's success stems from a culture that values people over sheer volume. After spending years as franchisees for other major brands, they wanted to build a concept where the staff felt a genuine connection to the product. They saw first-hand how a cook could start with no experience and, through the right culture, work their way up to a district manager role."Our culture is very important," Chantel said. "The people who work for us are passionate about what they do. I truly believe they love it. We lead with our heart and we care about the people."This people-first mentality translates directly to the guest experience. By focusing on training and staff retention, Urban Bird aims to provide a level of service and consistency that is often lost in the rapid-fire pace of fast-casual dining.As the brand looks toward further expansion, the founders remain focused on the quality that got them here. They aren't interested in growth for its own sake. What they’re looking for are franchisee partners who share their obsession with the perfect sandwich."I don't want to sell anything to anybody," Chantel said. "I want people to buy because they're just as passionate about the restaurant business as I am. If you’re passionate about the restaurant business and care about people, this is something you can truly be proud to own."The total investment necessary to begin operation of an Urban Bird Hot Chicken restaurant ranges from $236,300 to $837,800, depending upon the type of buildout and the specific location desired. If a multi-unit development agreement is signed, you must pay a fixed non-refundable development area fee of $15,000 for each additional restaurant authorized for development beyond your first restaurant. Additionally, the initial franchise fee for each additional restaurant established under a multi-unit development agreement is reduced to $15,000.For more information on franchising with Urban Bird visit:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.urbanbirdhotchicken.com/franchise/">https://www.urbanbirdhotchicken.com/franchise/</a>

With jumbo tenders brined for multiple days, a breading painstakingly perfected to be light and crisp, Urban Bird is offering a fresh experience that stands out in the fast-casual landscape.