Chicken Chains We're About To See Everywhere
Fried chicken has never been unpopular in the United States (at least not in the years we've been alive here), but there's no denying we're in a fast food chicken boom. The chicken sandwich wars have died down, but there's still plenty of demand for new chicken chains. You're apt to see a number of new chicken spots pop up in your area over the next year, and there are plenty of good reasons why.
We've picked the fastest-growing chicken chains to highlight here, regardless of how well-known they were in the first place. From businesses with fewer than a dozen locations to their name to dominant regional chains with hundreds, any size qualifies. As long as they're expanding at a rapid rate in comparison to their size, these chains deserve to be highlighted among the top chicken restaurant franchises in the country.
All of these franchises are up and coming in the market, and most are ready to start moving across the country — if they haven't already started that journey, that is. It's only a matter of time until you get to try these up and coming fast casual chicken chains in your nearest city.
Dave's Hot Chicken
One chicken chain that's experiencing astronomical growth as of late is this California favorite. In May 2023, Dave's Hot Chicken was named America's Fastest-Growing Restaurant Chain. While the brand used to be associated with the West Coast, it has started popping up in New York and other major metropolitan areas across the country.
Known for its simple menu and high-quality ingredients, Dave's sells chicken tenders at varying levels of spiciness, either served with bread or on a sandwich bun. It wouldn't be hot chicken without sauce and pickles, and fries, which are the only sides you'll find here. Good thing every bite is delicious.
Dave's Hot Chicken has been servicing the Los Angeles area since 2017. In a few short years, word of its greatness had spread, and by 2023 the chain had opened locations in over a dozen other states including Florida, New York, Michigan, and Massachusetts, with more to come in the future.
Raising Cane's
If you know a thing or two about fast food chicken, Raising Cane's is not news to you. In recent years, though, the chain has begun expanding out of its starting region of the South and into huge new markets like New York City, Miami, and Nashville. And that was all in 2023, with the next year and change looking to be even more monumental for the once-regional chicken chain. Raising Cane's is about to become a national competitor in the fast food game.
The chain started making delectable chicken fingers in Louisiana in 1996. The reputation isn't the only thing that has accrued over the years, as Cane's now has hundreds of restaurants in dozens of locations across the United States. The chain has plans to expand significantly in Wisconsin, as well as in newer markets like New York with several Long Island locations, and continue to hammer down its home turf with plans to add even more stores in Texas.
Bojangles
Bojangles is a chain in the South that's iconic for its Cajun chicken and its biscuits. For many years this chain has been a Southern fast food staple, but it's now one that appears to be moving westward. In July 2023, the chain announced it was opening 20 restaurants in the Las Vegas area.
In 2022, the brand opened dozens of locations and expanded to new markets all over the country. Frankly, it seems like just the begging of a sudden meteoric rise to nationwide stardom for a chain that has been in operation since 1977.
As of early 2023, 11 new Bojangles franchisees had signed on over the previous year to open up new restaurants across the United States, with plans to bring 32 new locations to key target markets across the U.S., including Texas, Mississippi, New York, Maryland, and Tennessee. It seems that soon enough, no matter where you live in the U.S., you will be able to see what the fuss has been about all these years.
Chicken Salad Chick
This may be the one chicken chain that is truly ahead of the curve. While many are still catching up on the chicken sandwich craze, a more health-conscious approach is waiting in the wings, and Chicken Salad Chick seems ready to have that market cornered. Founded in 2008 in Auburn, Alabama, by Stacy Brown and her future husband Kevin, the business' risky idea to sell over a dozen differing varieties of chicken salad soon found success. Chicken Salad Chick has since been named one of the Top 50 Fastest Growing Companies in the country. Move over chicken sandwiches; chicken salad is the trend of the future.
At least, Chicken Salad Chick hopes it is. The chain has gone through some rapid expansion over the past handful of years and doesn't show much sign of stopping. In 2023, the had plans to open 35 new restaurants in all regions of the country, expanding to new states including Texas and New Mexico.
Zaxby's
Zaxby's is another one that has had strong word of mouth over the years, so even if you don't live in the South, you may have heard of it. Although, that's not for lack of trying, either. Originally operating under the name Zax, the chain began in Georgia in 1990. The quality of its chicken and "secret" Zax Sauce soon spread by word of mouth. Fast-forward over three decades, and there are over 900 Zaxby's around the country. Based on our projections, that number is only going up over the next handful of years.
Zaxby's had sold over 50 new locations to franchisees for the year as of April 2023 and seems poised to continue opening restaurants in new regions. The company intends to expand into Arizona, where it plans to open six new stores in the next five years. This expansion will mark Arizona as the 21st state the chain has reached.
Wing It On!
With KFC and Popeyes' adding wings to their respective menus in 2023, there seems to be plenty of room for a high-quality, reliable chain to bring chicken wings to the people. Wing it On! could very well be that local chain for many already. After the year it's had, signs are pointing to it spreading to homes beyond the Eastern seaboard.
This Tri-State area wing chain started serving up its original sauces on "wings 'n wiches" in 2011. However, in the last couple years, Wing It On! has experienced serious growth. After being included in the 2022 Inc. 5000 list of America's fastest-growing private companies, Wing it On! began the search for new franchisees in 2023. If you're a wing fanatic on the East Coast, keep your eyes open for this brand, since it's likely to come to your city sometime in the next couple of years.
Bonchon
Bonchon is the fastest-growing fast-casual Korean fried chicken chain. The first U.S. location opened in Fort Lee, New Jersey, in 2006, four years after the chain debuted in South Korea. In the years since, Bonchon has expanded throughout Asia, some of Europe, and large swaths of the United States. Expect the franchise to grow stateside in the coming years, too. Bonchon is making moves to become one of the biggest chicken wing chains in the country, even though it currently sits at only 100-some locations.
In 2023, Bonchon representatives stated that the company wants to double its American presence over the next five years. As of June 2023, Bonchon had signed 19 new U.S. locations so far that year, focusing on expanding in regions including New York and the Dallas-Fort Worth area. For the first time in its history, the brand also brought its chicken to Arkansas, with plans to open five locations.
Layne's Chicken Fingers
Raising Cane's isn't the only chicken finger joint to be expanding quickly going into the next year of business. Layne's Chicken Fingers is a smaller operation that doesn't have hundreds of locations — or even dozens — but it's extending its boundaries nonetheless.
This Texas chicken finger chain began in 1994 at a location near Texas A&M college. Over nearly 30 years, the chain expanded slowly but surely to 10 locations throughout the state of Texas. But in 2023, Layne's Chicken Fingers finally decided to expand beyond its home state and show the world what it can do.
What Layne's does best is fried chicken tenders (with an option for spicy breading), french fries, and Texas toast. Unlike the folks at Cane's, Layne's (let's chalk that rhyme up to coincidence) shows no fear when it comes to serving up its sandwiches on a piece of that golden delicious toast. And naturally, it wouldn't be a local favorite chicken spot without its own special dipping sauce. You guessed it: Everything on the menu comes with Layne's sauce.
Chick N Max
If you want chicken taken to the max, well, you know by the name you've found the right place. Chick N Max has a menu that screams variety and flavor at equal volume. Offering both fried and smoked chicken, this Kansas chain shows off its midwestern roots by bringing barbecue influence and indulgent sandwiches to the forefront. Creations like the Jamaican Jerk (with apples and pickled onions) and Chicken & Waffles To The Max sandwiches speak to the ingenuity that is bound to launch this chicken chain to national recognition.
Chick N' Max was founded in Wichita, Kansas in 2018, but only in the past couple years has the midwestern chicken chain opened up to franchising. The result is a whopping promised 53 new Chick N' Max locations coming to the United States. The brand has already opened up a location in Sioux Falls, South Dakota and another in Willis, Texas, with more Texas spots to come.
Huey Magoo's
The self-proclaimed "Filet Mignon of chicken," Huey Magoo's is selling itself as a chicken chain focusing on one thing above all else — quality. Specializing in both grilled and fried chicken tenders, this Florida chain has actually been around since 2004. It stayed local at first, only opening up a handful of locations in Altamonte Springs, Oviedo, Winter Springs, and one at the University of Central Florida. In 2016, however, Huey Magoo's sold to former Wingstop executives, who planned to show the entire state of Florida how good the chain's chicken can be, starting with Tampa.
The chain has expanded across the country since then and currently boasts locations in 11 states, ranging from West Virginia to Nevada. Huey Magoo's performance in 2022 was enough to rank it #7 in the Restaurant Business Future 50. In other words, the entire rest of the country may be seeing a Huey Magoo's storefront sooner or later.
Slim Chickens
Slim Chickens might be the largest chicken chain you haven't heard of. Maybe that speaks to our ignorance, but in parts of the country where the chain is not yet located, it remains relatively unknown. The fast-casual chain has been around since 2003, with a menu that has been growing nearly as fast as the chain itself. Nowadays, you can find tender baskets and sandwiches on the Slim Chickens menu, but right alongside them you'll find items like the mac and cheese bowl or chicken and waffles.
In 2022, the fried chicken chain opened 50 new restaurants, which included its 200th store overall, and that's only the start of what this Arkansas-based fast food joint has in store. Slim Chickens is well on its way to becoming not just a nationwide name but a global one. After expanding to 15 new franchise territories last year, the chain signed agreements to franchise not just in other states but in other countries as well.
Golden Chick
Golden Chick originated as Golden Fried Chicken in San Marcos, Texas, way back in 1967, when it just offered fried chicken and biscuits. Throughout the 1970s and '80s, the chain grew and rapidly became a Texas favorite. In 1993, the brand changed its name to Golden Chick. Golden Chick's menu is mostly standard, but the chain stands out for offering regional specialties, such as fried okra and fried catfish, something you certainly don't see at a lot of chicken places.
The chain currently boasts dozens of locations in Texas as well as a small presence in Oklahoma and Mississippi. In June 2023, Golden Chick CEO Mark Parmerlee announced the decision to bring the chain eastward to other states. In addition to starting to look into markets on the Eastern seaboard, the Golden Chick has plans for expansion in Las Vegas, Puerto Rico, and Louisiana, as well as opening even more Texas locations.