1851

While pursuing a degree in business at the University of Mississippi, Merrick McKinnie supported himself by bussing tables at a local restaurant. As he fell in love with the foodservice industry, McKinnie worked his way up from cook to general manager.

Today, he is the President of<a href="http://www.sdholdingsllc.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=why-this-mcalisters-deli-sonic-drive-in-and-mod-pizza-franchisee-decided-to-sign-on-to-open-18-fuzzys-taco-shop-restaurants-2710972" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" style="text-decoration-line:none" target="_blank"> SD Holdings</a>, a multi-brand franchise portfolio company with more than 150 restaurants across seven states. SD Holdings functions as the franchisee for those units it has purchased, with a portfolio that includes McAlister&rsquo;s Deli, MOD Pizza, Sonic Drive-In and<a href="https://www.fuzzystacoshop.com/franchising/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=why-this-mcalisters-deli-sonic-drive-in-and-mod-pizza-franchisee-decided-to-sign-on-to-open-18-fuzzys-taco-shop-restaurants-2710972" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" style="text-decoration-line:none" target="_blank"> Fuzzy&rsquo;s Taco Shop</a>&mdash;the latter of which the group is currently developing across the state of North Carolina.

McKinnie was introduced to<a href="https://1851franchise.com/fuzzystacoshop" style="text-decoration-line:none" target="_blank"> Fuzzy&rsquo;s Taco Shop</a> by his business partner and SD Holdings CEO, Yaron Goldman. Goldman was a regular of Fuzzy&rsquo;s in Fort Collins, Colorado&mdash;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/fuzzystacoshop/fuzzy-s-taco-shop-isn-t-a-cult-but-its-food-is-so-good-it-honestly-could-be-2710554" style="text-decoration-line:none" target="_blank">most Fuzzy&rsquo;s guests are regulars</a>, after all.

&ldquo;Yaron was going there two or three times a week,&rdquo; said McKinnie. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re always looking for new concepts to get into to diversify our portfolio, so I thought it would be worth checking out.&rdquo;

McKinnie met up with Goldman in Fort Worth, Texas to see what his partner&rsquo;s raving was all about. Although he was truly curious, McKinnie also knew what he was looking for in a franchisor. &ldquo;The number one thing for us is people,&rdquo; said McKinnie. &ldquo;When it comes down to it, restaurants are a people business.&rdquo;

McKinnie practices what he preaches, noting in particular the long tenure of his managers. &ldquo;Many of them have been with us for 18 or 19 years,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I think it just goes back to developing and working with a team like they&rsquo;re family and treating people how they want to be treated.&rdquo;

Upon meeting the team at Fuzzy&rsquo;s Taco Shop, McKinnie was struck by how the members&rsquo; core values aligned with his. &ldquo;What we love about Fuzzy&rsquo;s is that it&rsquo;s very laid back, focused and driven. We want partners who think the way we do about moving the business forward,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;The leadership team at Fuzzy&rsquo;s is easy to sit down and have a meal with. If anything comes up, you can talk about it. That&rsquo;s what we want: a partner with whom we can speak anytime we pick up the phone to call.&rdquo;&nbsp;

SD Holdings initially signed a six-unit deal to bring Fuzzy&rsquo;s Taco Shop to North Carolina. The first location opened in May 2018; the second that December; and the third most recently in February 2019&mdash;all in the commercial hub of Charlotte.

&ldquo;Fuzzy&rsquo;s is one of the first taco places in the area that fits that unique, fresh flavor profile,&rdquo; said McKinnie. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s really something else. Fuzzy&rsquo;s is loud, in-your-face and all about having fun and socializing. North Carolina really loves those kinds of concepts.&rdquo;

&nbsp;It wasn&rsquo;t long before McKinnie and his team caught Fuzzy&rsquo;s Fever.

&nbsp;&ldquo;Our goal was always to develop the North Carolina market, but we didn&rsquo;t want to bite off more than we could chew by opening too many without knowing how they&rsquo;d perform,&rdquo; said McKinnie. &ldquo;Once we got the first unit open, we saw the huge loyalty that follows Fuzzy&rsquo;s. That was really exciting for us. We loved the concept, so we thought it was a good time to lock up North Carolina.&rdquo;

&nbsp;Thus, the group signed on for an 18-unit deal. SD Holdings plans to continue building the brand in Charlotte, branching out further across the state from there.

&nbsp;&ldquo;Fuzzy&rsquo;s has brought in a lot of new leadership that I think is going to push us even further forward,&rdquo; said McKinnie. &ldquo;That&#39;s really what it&rsquo;s all about. How can we continue to enhance what&rsquo;s already a fun experience for our guests? What can we do behind the scenes to make it even better? That&rsquo;s what I&rsquo;m excited about.&rdquo;

&nbsp;McKinnie&rsquo;s dedication to improving the experience translates to his fellow Fuzzy&rsquo;s franchise owners, too.

&nbsp;&ldquo;As a rookie franchisee, Merrick was voted onto our Franchise Advisory Council and brings great value in supporting his fellow franchisees,&rdquo; said Andie Smirl, Franchise Sales Manager at Fuzzy&rsquo;s. &ldquo;He and his team bring another level of sophistication to our brand. Given their experience and knowledge, we feel very fortunate they are part of the Fuzzy&rsquo;s family.&rdquo;

Indeed, McKinnie&rsquo;s people-centric approach gives him back much satisfaction in return. &ldquo;Many people measure their success by financials, but I measure my success by how people are developing and growing with us,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Having the opportunity to grow people&rsquo;s careers with us is definitely the most rewarding aspect of the job.&rdquo;

&nbsp;Of course, the scrumptious food at Fuzzy&rsquo;s doesn&rsquo;t hurt either. &ldquo;I love the tempura shrimp,&rdquo; laughed McKinnie. &ldquo;Also, just adding Mahi to a salad makes it so great.&rdquo;

For more information about joining the Fuzzy&rsquo;s Taco Shop family as a franchisee, visit<a href="https://www.fuzzystacoshop.com/franchising/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=why-this-mcalisters-deli-sonic-drive-in-and-mod-pizza-franchisee-decided-to-sign-on-to-open-18-fuzzys-taco-shop-restaurants-2710972" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" style="text-decoration-line:none" target="_blank"> </a><a href="http://www.myfuzzys.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=why-this-mcalisters-deli-sonic-drive-in-and-mod-pizza-franchisee-decided-to-sign-on-to-open-18-fuzzys-taco-shop-restaurants-2710972" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" style="text-decoration-line:none" target="_blank">www.myfuzzys.com</a>.

Why This McAlister’s Deli, Sonic Drive-In and MOD Pizza Franchisee Decided to Sign On to Open 18 Fuzzy’s Taco Shop Restaurants

1851 Franchise

With three locations now open in Charlotte, the franchise group SD Holdings is expanding the brand across the entire state of North Carolina.

This brand page has been paid for by 1851. Content within this page that is paid will showcase a Sponsored icon. This means the brand has engaged 1851 FRANCHISE to write the content. Content without the Sponsored Icon is aggregated media placements the brand earned. Questions can be sent to editorial@1851franchise.com

why-this-mcalisters-deli-sonic-drive-in-and-mod-pizza-franchisee-decided-to-sign-on-to-open-18-fuzzys-taco-shop-restaurants

Senior Care Authority

Senior Care Authority Midyear Momentum 2025 - 1851 Franchise

Senior Care Authority Accelerates Franchise Support and National Growth in First Half of 2025

senior-care-authority-franchise-midyear-2025

Children's Lighthouse

How This IT Architect Became a Successful Children’s Lighthouse Franchisee

childrens-lighthouse-franchise-san-antonio-justin-leggett

Busy Bee Jumpers

Busy Bee Jumpers Buzzes into Franchising: Three New Franchisees Signed in First 30 Days

busy-bee-jumpers-buzzes-into-franchising-three-new-franchisees-signed-in-first-30-days

Fitness Premier

Fitness Premier 24/7 Clubs Reports Strong Midyear Momentum 

Fitness Premier 24/7 Clubs Reports Strong Midyear Momentum with Revenue Gains, Record Membership, and Strategic Expansion

fitness-premier-mid-year-growth-2025

Woodhouse Spas

image of a woodhouse spa franchise buildings exterior 

Woodhouse Spas Continues Strong Momentum With Double-Digit Growth in Q2

woodhouse-spas-q2-2025-growth-expansion

Buying a Franchise Masterclass

 Franchise Opportunities

Get Support Buying a Franchise

How to Buy a Franchise White Paper

How to Buy a Franchise

How to Sell Franchises

How to Grow a Franchise

Find a Franchise Supplier

1851 Franchise Opportunities

Franchisor News

Franchisor Power Rankings

FranCamp Mastermind Summit

Franchise Development Website Builder

Franchise Resources

What ALEC-Laffer's Report Means for Franchising

Website Awards

Power Rankings

About 1851

Advertise on 1851

Contact 1851 Editorial

Terms of Use

1851 Login

GROWTH CLUB LOGIN

facebook

instagram

twitter

linkedin

youtube

Mega Franchisee Sizzling Platter Acquired by Bain Capital

mega-franchisee-sizzling-platter-acquired-by-bain-capital

Wendy's CEO Kirk Tanner Steps Down - Breaking News - 1851 Franchise

Wendy’s CEO Kirk Tanner Steps Down Amid Challenges, Leaving Franchisees Facing Uncertainty

wendys-ceo-transition-kirk-tanner-franchisee-uncertainty

"Come in, We're OPEN" sign against abstract background

Small Business Optimism Dips, Raising Concerns for Franchise Owners

small-business-optimism-dips-raising-concerns-for-franchise-owners

Photo of Roof Scientist truck and trailer

Roof Scientist Expands Into Northern Indianapolis as Entrepreneur Dale Speckman Launches New Business in Fishers

roof-scientist-expands-into-northern-indianapolis

Image of Donald Trump pointing with red stripes in the background

August 1 Tariff Deadline Is Said to Have ‘No Extensions’: What This Could Mean for Franchises

august-1-tariff-deadline-franchise-impact

Blending Tech, Hospitality and Health Care: How Three Women From Different Worlds Came Together to Build a Paris Baguette Franchise

paris-baguette-franchise-flower-mound-texas

Hely and Hiral Patel Bring Their Longtime Dream to Life With The Brass Tap

brass-tap-franchise-pasadena-maryland-hely-hiral-patel

From the Heart: How Wendy and TJ Henley Found Their Purpose With a Right at Home Franchise

right-at-home-franchise-tj-wendy-henley-colorado-springs

Arby’s Franchisee Signs 22-Unit Deal To Grow With Layne’s Chicken Fingers in Ohio

arbys-franchisee-laynes-chicken-fingers-ohio-expansion

The Ultimate Guide to Selling Franchises: How To Create a Strong Incentive

how-to-build-strong-incentives-to-attract-prospective-franchisees

Hooters Leans Into Franchising With Closure of 30 Company-Owned Stores - Agg - 1851 Franchise

Why This McAlister’s Deli, Sonic Drive-In and MOD Pizza Franchisee Decided to Sign On to Open 18 Fuzzy’s Taco Shop Restaurants

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS