Chicken Salad Chick accelerating growth in Northeast

Chicken Salad Chick, the nation’s only Southern-style chicken salad QSR franchise, today announced it has secured development agreements in New York, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia that will significantly expand the brand’s presence across the Northeastern United States.

“The Northeast represents one of our most exciting growth regions, and we’re just getting started,” said Mark Verges, Vice President of Franchise Development at Chicken Salad Chick. “From hospitality leaders to military veterans, we’re expanding with operators who are passionate about serving their communities. We’re focused on partnering with experienced entrepreneurs who will help us grow the brand in a way that stays true to the culture and hospitality that have defined the brand since day one.”

The biggest deal featured in the announcement is a 25-unit agreement that will scale Chicken Salad Chicken throughout Upstate New York, with emphasis on the Albany, Buffalo, Rochester, and Syracuse markets, along with the Upper Hudson Valley. That signing also represents the biggest franchisee commitment in the history of the brand’s franchise system, which launched in 2012.

Additionally, two husband-and-wife teams will help Chicken Salad Chick expand its presence in West Virginia: Tammy and Dr. Rancie Hannah in Barboursville and Emily and Michael Strickland in the capital of Charleston. In Pennsylvania, U.S. Airforce veteran Amanda Furiato is bringing Chicken Salad Chick to Collegeville, while Sabrina and Jacob Longley, a Marine Corps veteran, will operate in South Pittsburgh, and Amanda and Ernest Greenford will open a new restaurant in Allentown.

These openings show Chicken Salad Chicken continuing to capitalize on the development momentum it generated during its record-setting 2025. That year, the brand opened 42 restaurants across 14 different states while signing close to 100 franchise agreements. Chicken Salad Chick indicates it currently has over 300 locations in its development pipeline.

Even with these significant agreements in place, Chicken Salad Chicken is still targeting further growth across strategic markets in the Northeast. As the brand’s national expansion continues, the region is emerging as a key region with both strong consumer demand and a strong population of experience franchise owners. Chicken Salad Chick is actively seeking to connect with qualified franchisees across the region, with particular focus on Long Island, New Jersey, and central Pennsylvania.