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A Modern Hot Chicken Brand Built For Global Expansion

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Franchise Request Form

* Not An Offer To Sell a Franchise This website and the information contained on this website is for information purposes only, is not intended as an offer to sell a franchise or a solicitation of an offer to buy a franchise. The offering of a franchise can be made by prospectus only in the form of a Franchise Disclosure Document. In the states of California, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin we will not offer you a franchise unless and until we have complied with applicable pre-sale registration and/or disclosure requirements. In the State of New York, the offering of a franchise can be made only by a prospectus that has been previously filed and registered with the Department of Law of the State of New York. The application for registration of an offering prospectus or the acceptance and filing thereof by the Department of Law does not constitute approval of the offering or the sale of such franchise by the Department of Law or the attorney general of the State of New York.

ABOUT URBAN BIRD HOT CHICKEN

Urban Bird Hot Chicken, the fast-casual franchise founded in Houston by seasoned multi-unit restaurant operators Brandon Gawthorp and Chantel Fiaschetti, was created to do one thing exceptionally well: serve made-to-order hot chicken without shortcuts. Urban Bird came together in 2020 through a mix of necessity, trial and a lot of hands-on learning. It didn’t begin as a franchising play. Brandon and Chantel spent the next several years running the business themselves, opening and refining company-owned locations before bringing in outside operators. Today, Urban Bird has grown to more than 20 corporate restaurants, many in second-generation spaces, giving the brand practical, hard-earned perspective on everything from real estate and staffing to food costs, delivery flow and how to scale without breaking the model. Inside the kitchen, the approach is the same across every location. Chicken is brined for 24 to 48 hours. The breading stays light and lower in sodium. Eggs are real, sauces are made in-house, waffles are cooked fresh and sides like the maple-based kale slaw are treated as more than an afterthought. Even the fries are engineered to travel well, protecting quality in a delivery-first world. It all adds up to an experience that keeps people coming back.

  • How much it costs
  • Why Urban Bird Hot Chicken? Why Now?
  • What Sets Urban Bird Hot Chicken Apart?
  • Why the Hot Chicken Category?
  • Why You?

What Is the Investment and How Much Can I Make?

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. 

For more information, visit: https://www.urbanbirdhotchicken.com/franchise/.

$236,000 to $837,000
Start-Up Cost
$35,000
Franchise Fee
6%
Royalty

* Not An Offer To Sell a Franchise. This website and the information contained on this website is for information purposes only, is not intended as an offer to sell a franchise or a solicitation of an offer to buy a franchise. The offering of a franchise can be made by prospectus only in the form of a Franchise Disclosure Document. In the states of California, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin we will not offer you a franchise unless and until we have complied with applicable pre-sale registration and/or disclosure requirements. In the State of New York, the offering of a franchise can be made only by a prospectus that has been previously filed and registered with the Department of Law of the State of New York. The application for registration of an offering prospectus or the acceptance and filing thereof by the Department of Law does not constitute approval of the offering or the sale of such franchise by the Department of Law or the attorney general of the State of New York.

Urban Bird is entering franchising at a moment when most brands are still trying to figure out who they are. This system has already done the hard part.

Before offering franchises, Brandon and Chantel chose to grow Urban Bird the disciplined way: opening corporate units, learning through real mistakes and stress-testing the model across different footprints and demographics. That corporate-first mindset gives Urban Bird a rare advantage in franchising. Franchisees are joining a concept that has already been built, refined and optimized by operators who know exactly what it feels like to sit in the franchisee seat.

Add to that a strong consumer appetite for premium chicken concepts, a delivery-friendly menu engineered for off-premise demand and significant white space beyond Texas, and the timing becomes clear.

Urban Bird differentiates itself through product integrity, operational discipline and thoughtful growth. On the food side, the brand refuses to cut corners. The business model is no different. Urban Bird stands out because it was built by franchisees-turned-franchisors. The founders spent decades operating restaurants at scale, including growing a Wingstop portfolio to more than 30 locations before exiting. That experience shows up everywhere — from conservative build-out assumptions to labor models that actually work in today’s market.

Hot chicken has moved well beyond trend status. It has become a permanent, high-demand category with broad demographic appeal. Consumers love the $63.7 billion chicken industry for its versatility, accessibility and value. Hot chicken adds excitement, customization and repeatability to that base. The category also performs exceptionally well in fast-casual and off-premise formats. Urban Bird’s menu was designed during COVID with delivery in mind, and today roughly 70% of sales are off-premise. 

Urban Bird is not looking for passive investors or absentee owners.

The ideal Urban Bird franchisee is hands-on, operationally minded and proud to lead from the front. Restaurant experience is a plus, but what matters most is work ethic, leadership and alignment with the brand’s standards.

This opportunity is best suited for operators who want their business to be their primary focus — people who care deeply about food quality, team culture and guest experience. In return, franchisees gain a brand that respects their investment, values transparency and is committed to long-term partnership.

Executive Q&A
executivePlay

Executive Q&A with Co Founders Brandon Gawthorp & Chantel Fiaschetti

Today, as Urban Bird approaches nearly 30 locations in just five years, Brandon and Chantel are stepping into the franchisor role with a rare foundation: deep operational experience, data across multiple markets and a clear point of view shaped by both success and failure.

Brandon and Chantel Gawthorp joined 1851 Franchise Publisher Nick Powills on the “Meet the Franchise” podcast to discuss applying their franchising background to a franchisor pivot as they continue to grow the Urban Bird Hot Chicken brand. A transcript of the interview, edited for length and clarity, has been provided below.

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Franchise Request Form

* Not An Offer To Sell a Franchise This website and the information contained on this website is for information purposes only, is not intended as an offer to sell a franchise or a solicitation of an offer to buy a franchise. The offering of a franchise can be made by prospectus only in the form of a Franchise Disclosure Document. In the states of California, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin we will not offer you a franchise unless and until we have complied with applicable pre-sale registration and/or disclosure requirements. In the State of New York, the offering of a franchise can be made only by a prospectus that has been previously filed and registered with the Department of Law of the State of New York. The application for registration of an offering prospectus or the acceptance and filing thereof by the Department of Law does not constitute approval of the offering or the sale of such franchise by the Department of Law or the attorney general of the State of New York.