Stacked Pickle to Kick Off Florida Expansion With Brand’s First Franchise Opening in Orlando

Stacked Pickle franchisee and Indian immigrant Ravi Donapati knew he’d embrace challenges and hard work when he left his village and moved to America in 1999. He is now beginning a new chapter in his life after nearly 20 years of working two jobs and managing numerous restaurant chains, this time as a business owner.

“I came to America when I was 29 years-old and thought ‘Wow, America is the best country in the world,’” said Donapati. “In India, I helped run a grocery store in my village, which is where I learned customer service, order management and took training courses. Since living in America, I’ve managed businesses like Wendy’s, Dunkin Donuts and Dominoes, but always knew that I wanted to open a business of my own someday.”

That day finally came when Donapati signed on as a franchisee with Stacked Pickle in 2018, not only bringing the family-friendly neighborhood restaurant and sports bar’s first location to Orlando, Florida, but also the first to open outside of Indiana.

“Ravi called us up earlier this year to learn more about Stacked Pickle and what we’re about,” said Stacked Pickle CEO and owner Gary Brackett. “It wasn’t long until he flew out to meet us here in Indianapolis and on both ends, we knew it was a fit.”

Donapati is thrilled to bring the Indianapolis-based restaurant to Florida residents and visitors, sharing it’s fresh, never frozen menu, including a variety of wings, tenders, pickles, and other fried items, all breaded by hand, and focus on legendary service.

“Orlando is such a vibrant and diverse community,” said Donapati. “The customers in Indiana love the Stacked Pickle menu and I’m excited to introduce a brand new restaurant to Orlando.”

Donapati always knew he would someday be a business owner. He has a master’s degree in engineering, and has saved money over his restaurant career to make his dream a reality. He researched several franchise opportunities, but found a perfect fit when he fell in love with Stacked Pickle’s menu.

“The restaurant is perfect for Orlando since it’s such a large vacation destination,” said Donapati. “We can’t wait to share the food and experience with all of the international visitors and travelers coming through the area.”

Donapati plans on managing Stacked Pickle with his wife and is slated to open its doors as early as January 2019. Once established, they hope to continue opening locations across the Orlando area, where Brackett says the market could hold 10 Stacked Pickle locations that could potentially create more than 400 jobs in the area.

In addition to Donapati’s looming opening, franchisee Christopher Hollins will be opening the brand’s second franchised location in Houston next year, as well. By the third quarter of 2019, Stacked Pickle plans to have 14 franchised locations open across the U.S. by partnering with qualified franchisees to help fuel its national growth.

"The Stacked Pickle menu and quality has really gained a following over the last eight years across Indiana," said Brackett. "But with Ravi and Christopher’s openings in Orlando and Houston, we’re in a great position to expand our customer base in two of the most diverse and fastest growing cities in the U.S., and it’s only the beginning.”

Investment ranges from $425,550 to $939,850, with a franchise fee of $40,000, but is discounted for a three-pack ($90,000 total franchise fee), and a five-pack ($150,000 total franchise fee). The brand also offers a 10 percent discount on the franchise fee for veterans. To learn more about Stacked Pickle franchise opportunities, visit www. StackedPickleFranchise.com.