Operations

Chicken Salad Chick awarded 100 franchise deals, opened 42 units in 2025

Photo: Chicken Salad Chick

January 29, 2026

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Chicken Salad Chick reported a record-breaking 2025, awarding nearly 100 franchise deals and opening 42 restaurants as it prepares to push further into the Northeast and western U.S. this year.

The Atlanta-based chain, which specializes in Southern-style chicken salad, expanded its footprint into 13 states over the last 12 months. The growth included the brand's first entries into Kansas and Maryland, as well as development deals signed for Arizona, Nevada, New Jersey, New York and Utah.

Florida and Texas saw the highest volume of new activity, with nine and seven new locations, respectively.

Company officials attributed the surge to a strategy of targeting experienced multi-unit operators, according to a press release. According to the company, 17 existing franchisees expanded their territories in 2025, while 12 new partners joined the system. The brand ranks in the top 94th percentile for franchise growth, averaging four units per deal.

"We don't spend time chasing what others are doing. We stay focused on who we are," Mark Verges, vice president of franchise development, said in the release. "That means serving the best chicken salad with genuine hospitality... and continuously refining what works."

Looking toward 2026, the company plans to focus on the Midwest, Mountain West and the Northeast. By partnering with multi-brand operators, the chain aims to establish "regional foundations" to support long-term growth outside of its traditional Southeastern roots.

Founded in 2008 in Auburn, Alabama, by Stacy and Kevin Brown, Chicken Salad Chick has grown to more than 325 restaurants across 22 states.