CHICKEN SALAD CHICK CELEBRATES STRONG FRANCHISE GROWTH, MOMENTUM FOLLOWING ANNUAL CONFERENCE

Nation’s Premier Chicken Salad Brand accelerates 2025 growth with 35 new locations signed, 13 new openings including milestone 300^th location, and unveils new initiatives at Chicken Salad Chick’s Annual Franchisee Conference

ATLANTA (June 2, 2025) – Chicken Salad Chick, the nation’s only fast casual chicken salad restaurant concept, is fueling rapid growth in 2025 with a strong start that includes the opening of its 300^th location, continued franchise expansion and brand innovations. Since the start of 2025, the brand has opened 13 new restaurants and signed franchise agreements for 35 new restaurants.

The momentum follows Chicken Salad Chick’s Annual Franchisee Conference, held last month at The InterContinental Buckhead Hotel in Atlanta. Under this year’s theme, Accelerate To Great, the event brought together franchisees and team members from across the country to celebrate wins, align the brand’s strategic vision, and unveil what’s next in innovation and growth. In addition to keynotes from the brand’s executive leadership, Cherryh Cansler, VP of Networld Media Group and Publisher of FastCasual.com gave an insightful presentation on trends in the fast casual restaurant industry.

Chicken Salad Chick is also deepening its presence in the Midwest, having signed franchise agreements for new restaurants in Illinois, Missouri, Ohio, and its first Kansas location slated to open this summer. With 2024 ending at 288 open locations, Chicken Salad Chick’s steady climb continues in 2025, with new restaurants opening in key markets like Colorado, Florida, Louisiana, Maryland and Texas. The brand has also expanded its footprint in new markets like Melbourne, Florida, introducing Chicken Salad Chick to the Space Coast with the opening of its milestone 300^th location.

“Our 2025 momentum is fueled by passionate franchise partners and a brand culture rooted in Southern hospitality and community,” said Scott Deviney, CEO of Chicken Salad Chick. “The energy coming out of this year’s conference was truly inspiring, and it’s already translating into meaningful wins for our system. From new market expansion to innovations that enhance the guest experience, we’re excited to keep building on this success throughout the year.”

Aligning with Chicken Salad Chick’s central mission to Spread Joy, Enrich Lives, and Serve Others, the Chicken Salad Chick restaurant teams actively raise funds for local food banks and the national nonprofit CURE Childhood Cancer throughout the year with the support of the CSC Foundation. Since 2017, the Chicken Salad Chick Foundation has donated more than $2 million for groundbreaking pediatric cancer research and fighting food insecurity in local communities.

At this year’s conference, the CSC Foundation presented a check to CURE Childhood Cancer for $330,000 raised throughout the year by the Annual Giving Card Program and the Cookies for a CURE promotion in September honoring Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.

In addition to spotlighting the brand’s commitment to its community partnerships, the Annual Franchise Conference also emphasized the brand’s focus on innovation through forward-looking sessions and keynote presentations from industry thought leaders. The event not only celebrated the brand’s recent achievements, but also offered an inside look at what’s ahead, including the upcoming Maui Mama limited-time flavor and the rollout of Red Velvet Cake, available in-store and online beginning May 5.

Conference attendees also previewed exciting loyalty platform enhancements, including simplified sign-ins, group ordering features, and streamlined promotion redemption, all of which have helped boost average visit rates by threefold since the program’s 2024 relaunch. With more than 1.45 million users now enrolled in the rewards program, Chicken Salad Chick is continuing to elevate the digital guest experience alongside its culinary innovation.

The highlight of the Chicken Salad Chick Franchise Conference is the Awards Night Ceremony that recognized individuals for their achievements and contributions to the brand in 2024. This year’s award winners included:

Owners of the Year: Misty and Peter Whitehead, who own and operate 6 restaurants in the Mobile, Alabama market.
The Kevin Brown Award for Operational Excellence: Lirio Kirk, regional manager who oversees five restaurants for Ron and Kathleen Ram’s franchise locations in the Houston market.
Outstanding Chick Support: Julie Jarrell, franchise development manager and 10-year Chicken Salad Chick employee.

Looking ahead, Chicken Salad Chick is on track to reach 331 locations by year’s end. Continued expansion is underway across Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, North Carolina, Texas, Virginia, and more.

Chicken Salad Chick is actively seeking individuals with an entrepreneurial spirit who possess high energy and enthusiasm for the brand to join the growing franchise network. Restaurant experience is preferred. Interested candidates should have a minimum net worth of $750,000 and liquid assets of at least $250,000. Franchisees can expect the initial investment to be approximately $767,000 – $984,500 with a $50,000 initial franchise fee.

To learn more about ownership opportunities with Chicken Salad Chick, visit https://www.chickensaladchick.com/franchising/. For more information on the brand, visit www.chickensaladchick.com. Follow Chicken Salad Chick on Facebook, TikTok, Instagram and LinkedIn for the latest news and trends.

Press note: photos from the conference can be found HERE.

About Chicken Salad Chick
Chicken Salad Chick serves full-flavored, Southern-style chicken salad made from scratch and served from the heart. With more than a dozen original chicken salad flavors as well as fresh side salads, gourmet soups, signature sandwiches and delicious desserts, Chicken Salad Chick’s robust menu is a perfect fit for any guest. Founded in Auburn, Alabama, by Stacy and Kevin Brown, in 2008, Chicken Salad Chick has grown to 300 restaurants in 21 states. Today, under the leadership of Scott Deviney and the Chicken Salad Chick team, the brand is continuing its rapid expansion with both franchise and company locations. Chicken Salad Chick has received numerous accolades including rankings in the 2023 Entrepreneur Franchise 500, Franchise Times’ Fast & Serious for the third consecutive year, Fast Casual’s Top Movers and Shakers from 2018 to 2024, QSR’s Best Franchise Deals in 2019, 2020, 2022 and 2024, and Franchise Business Review’s Top Food Franchises list from 2019-2024. See www.chickensaladchick.com for additional information.

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