How Biscuit Belly Built a Next-Gen Casual Breakfast Franchise

When Chad Coulter and his wife Lauren left their pharmacy careers behind, they had no idea they would one day be leading one of the fastest-growing breakfast brands in the country. In a recent episode of QSR Uncut, Coulter shared the journey that led to the creation of Biscuit Belly, a next-gen casual concept that is redefining the fast-casual breakfast experience.

The couple’s first venture into hospitality was Muvino, a small plate wine bar that expanded to five locations. Their experience in the food and beverage space sparked the idea for Biscuit Belly, a scratch-made, chef-driven breakfast brand that launched in Louisville, Kentucky, in 2019. Even as the pandemic presented challenges, the brand thrived, leading to the launch of its franchise program in 2020.

Today, Biscuit Belly has 14 locations, with more on the way. The brand differentiates itself from other fast-casual breakfast spots by offering an elevated guest experience, emphasizing hospitality, open kitchens and unique branding elements like custom murals and interactive guest experiences. Biscuit Belly’s franchise model focuses on operational excellence, strong unit economics and a single-shift work environment, which has proven to be a major selling point for franchisees.

With its expansion focused on the Southeast and beyond, Biscuit Belly is attracting franchisees who are looking for a scalable breakfast concept.

“We’re looking for strong, operations-driven, hospitality-driven franchisees that are looking to get into the smart space, maybe diversify their portfolio a little bit,” Coulter said.