Operations

Buffalo’s Express opens 1st standalone restaurant, expands beyond Fatburger co-brand model

FAT Brands' Jake Berchtold explains how the former co-located Buffalo's Express opened its first stand-alone restaurant in Washington State.

July 27, 2026 by Amy Sorter — Writer and Editor, Connect Media

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Jake Berchtold, FAT Brands

Buffalo's Express is moving from its role as a Fatburger co-brand with the opening of its first standalone restaurant at Northern Quest Resort & Casino in Airway Heights, Washington.

The chicken-focused fast-casual concept was launched in September 2013 following FAT Brands' acquisition of Buffalo's Cafe in December 2011. For more than a decade, Buffalo's Express operated alongside Fatburger locations, sharing space to provide a different food offering.

The restaurant, which opened in early July at 100 N. Hayford Road, is owned and operated by Northern Quest Resort & Casino owner Kalispel Tribal Economic Authority in collaboration with FAT Brands. The opening was announced July 13.

"Fatburger first opened in the casino in 2009," Jake Berchtold, COO of the Fast Casual Division at FAT Brands, told FastCasual. "When the opportunity arose to expand, we saw Buffalo's Express as the ideal complement to the Fatburger products."

The opening comes amid significant changes at FAT Brands. The company filed for voluntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection earlier this year and sold most of its brands to FBG Bid Co. in June. Since then, Hot Dog on a Stick, Elevation Burger and Twin Peaks have been acquired by new owners, while Smokey Joe's has closed all of its locations.

Located in the casino's same dining area as Fatburger, Buffalo's Express operates as a separate brand with its own menu and equipment. Berchtold said the side-by-side model provides operational advantages, including the ability to cross-utilize staff.

"Team members can easily shift between locations to provide service where it's needed most," he said.

The shared staffing model also allows employees to gain experience with both concepts, creating a more flexible and efficient team, according to Berchtold.

Looking ahead, FAT Brands sees additional opportunities to expand Buffalo's Express through franchising. The Beverly Hills, California-based company is also pursuing growth opportunities across its portfolio, including Fazoli's, Fatburger, Round Table Pizza and Johnny Rockets.

"We're always looking for strong franchisees who want to grow with us, not only with Buffalo's Express, but across our other restaurant brands," Berchtold said.

About Amy Sorter

Amy W. Sorter is an award-winning journalist, copywriter and content producer. Sorter has generated quality articles, blogs and thought leadership pieces for multiple industries during her many decades as a writer. Her byline has appeared in local and national publications including the American Business Journal, Connect CRE, Bankrate, CURE Magazine and the Dallas Morning News.

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