Franchising

CityBird hatches franchising expansion plans

Photo: CityBird

May 6, 2025

After reporting a 4.3% increase in visits year-over-year in Q3, CityBird is seeking franchise partners to support its national growth, focusing on the Midwest and Southern regions. Specific cities include Cincinnati, Dayton, Columbus, Indianapolis, Louisville, Lexington and Chicago

"We look forward to continuing to build on CityBird's momentum and find passionate entrepreneurs to join us," Alex Blust, co-founder of CityBird, said in a company press release.

Founded in 2018, by Blust and brothers Joe and John Lanni of Thunderdome Restaurant Group, CityBird began as a carryout extension of their restaurant, The Eagle, to meet demand for its fried chicken. It now has nine locations in Ohio, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana and North Carolina.

"We opened as a tiny little chicken shack next door to The Eagle, envisioning it as a carryout extension, and had no idea the huge popularity that would follow," Joe Lanni said in the release.

CityBird's menu features cage-free, all-natural brined chicken, hand-dredged and fried to order. The company offers flexible restaurant formats, including walk-up, drive-thru and dine-in options suitable for urban and suburban markets. CityBird also utilizes a full technology system to support customer engagement and operational efficiency, according to the release.