Franchising

Chick N Max eyeing Colorado

Provided

June 22, 2021

Chick N Max, which serves sandwiches, almond-wood smoked chicken and wings as well as chicken tenders, is eyeing Colorado as one of its top expansion states outside of the Midwest. The Wichita, Kansas-based chain plans to open as many as 20 restaurants across the state over the next five years, specifically looking at Denver, Colorado Springs and Grand Junction, according to a company press release. Each restaurant will include indoor and outdoor seating for nearly 100 customers and employ 25-30 people.

"We're constantly being asked, 'When are you coming to our state?'" Chick N Max founder Max Sheets said in the release. "The demand is obviously everywhere, but we're being very careful to grow strategically. Right now, we're looking for qualified candidates across Colorado and a few other states. There's no limit to how far we can take this."

A nearly 30-year veteran of the restaurant industry, Sheets said being at the floor of Ted's Montana Grill when Ted Turner and George McKerrow "pioneered the better-burger segment," ultimately inspired him to create Chick N Max, — what he calls the home of "The Better Chicken Sandwich."

"Our menu features the hottest food in America — chicken sandwiches — and takes them to the next level with unique flavors and toppings," he said.

With expansion on the horizon, Chick N Max is also working on prototypes, which Sheets describes as "Chick N Max 2.0." With each location, the brand is continuing to evolve the look, feel and size. The first store is 3,000 square feet, but the second and third are 2,800 and 2,400, respectively. The next prototype is roughly 2,100 square feet, and double drive-thrus could be next.

Including a franchise fee of $35,000, the total investment to open a Chick N Max restaurant ranges from $450,000 to $550,000.

"We don't want a lot of people," Sheets said. "Just a few. We're going to walk before we run. If we can open three to five stores, that's great, but it's a long-term commitment and partnership, and we want people that we want to work with, that want to work with us, so that we can all do this together."

Founded in 2017 and franchising since 2021, Chick N Max has three restaurants in Kansas and is looking to expand its national footprint via franchising.