---
title: "I Heart Mac & Cheese Expands Footprint Across Indiana With Four New Locations"
url: https://burnaze.com/article/86b16e29-0f11-4d8d-b291-8f7f8d8c3c6f
source: "Franchising.com"
original_url: https://www.franchising.com/news/20200803_i_heart_mac__cheese_expands_footprint_across_indiana_with_four_new_location.html
category: "Fast casual"
industry: "Restaurants"
segment: "Fast casual"
topics: ["Development & multi-unit"]
published: 2020-08-03T12:00:00.000Z
modified: 2026-11-01T02:32:40.091Z
image: https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1554469384-e58fac16e23a?w=1600&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop
---

# I Heart Mac & Cheese Expands Footprint Across Indiana With Four New Locations

**TL;DR:** I Heart Mac & Cheese has expanded its footprint across Indiana with four new locations operated by franchisees Shaleen and Seema Bhatnagar. The brand is growing nationwide with locations in several states, including Florida, Georgia, and Texas.

*originally published in Franchising.com on 2020-08-03. [Read the original](https://www.franchising.com/news/20200803_i_heart_mac__cheese_expands_footprint_across_indiana_with_four_new_location.html).*

## Story

The brand’s newest franchisees, husband and wife Shaleen and Seema Bhatnagar have recently joined the I Heart Mac & Cheese family and will operate 4 new locations. “I Heart Mac & Cheese is the perfect opportunity to help us diversify our businesses portfolio. We are excited to bring our years of retail experience into our restaurants,” shared Bhatnager. “The corporate backing, support and infrastructure of this growing brand made this an easy decision for us.”

The fast growing brand is slotted to open several locations across states including Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina and Texas.

A unique franchise concept in the restaurant industry with no fryers, grease trap systems or hood systems, I Heart Mac & Cheese requires a low investment and can be opened in a small space, such as a mall kiosk or food court. Shopping malls, sports venues, areas close to colleges and universities, and high-traffic pedestrian areas are also ideal locations. With a home office in South Florida, I Heart Mac & Cheese offers franchise owner training, marketing support and ongoing development opportunities to ensure each location’s success.

“I Heart Mac & Cheese is a fun, attractive concept and an affordable franchise model that is easy to operate, with support systems in place to help our partners be successful,” said Stephen Giordanella, I Heart Mac & Cheese CEO and Chairman. “We are thrilled to continue growing our brand with partners that share our same beliefs and value our innovative concept, food quality and diverse menu.”

I Heart Mac & Cheese is a fast-casual concept specializing in made-to-order, Build Your Own Macaroni & Cheese Bowls and Grilled Cheese sandwiches that guests can customize using a wide variety of chef-inspired proteins, ingredients and sauces. Thinking outside the bowl, the brand takes timeless comfort food in exciting culinary directions, resulting in diverse, crave-able menu options for everyone to enjoy. Led by CEO Steve Giordanella, the brand launched its first location in 2016 and currently operates corporate locations in Pembroke Pines, Jupiter and Boca Raton, Florida.

The company’s unique franchising program has fueled nationwide brand growth – with operating franchise locations in Florida, Georgia, New York and Texas – and additional locations are slated to open in Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina and Texas. I Heart Mac & Cheese was recently named #6 “Best Fast Casual Restaurant” in the USA TODAY 10 Best 2020 Reader’s Choice Awards. The innovative company was also recently featured on QSR Magazine’s “40/40 list for 2020: America’s Hottest Startup Fast Casuals”, and was ranked by Entrepreneur Magazine as one of the top new franchise opportunities.

## Entities

- Franchising.com (publication)
- Restaurants (sector)
- unit expansion (topic)
- franchise growth (topic)
- Entrepreneur (publication)
- QSR Magazine (publication)
- texas (location)
- restaurant industry (topic)
- Florida (location)
- fast casual (topic)
- new york (location)
- California (location)

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Originally reported by Franchising.com (https://www.franchising.com/news/20200803_i_heart_mac__cheese_expands_footprint_across_indiana_with_four_new_location.html). Summarized by Burnaze (https://burnaze.com/article/86b16e29-0f11-4d8d-b291-8f7f8d8c3c6f).