How Slim Chickens Is Growing with Elite Franchisees

To close out 2015, they will have 29 restaurants open, with 23 more territories spoken for and more than 150 restaurants in development , which includes development agreements and commitments for company owned restaurants.

That significant growth is thanks to a two-prong approach. One is to maintain 10 to 15 percent of restaurants as corporately owned. And the second is to attract multi-unit operators that have a track record of success in the restaurant or hospitality space, and who have the ability to take a large territory and develop around 20 restaurants.

“We believe that as a franchisor we should have a significant amount of restaurants open which demonstrates not only to ourselves, but more importantly to other investors, that we have skin in the game,” said Sam Rothschild, COO of Slim Chickens. “Our model franchisee is a current multi-unit restaurant operator who wants to exit their current system, or add Slim Chickens to their personal portfolio.”

Slim Chickens has been able to attract investors already in the QSR, fast and casual dining space, because these investors see the value in a brand that has fewer franchisees, that can accomplish a larger development strategy.

So, why has this brand been able to add 15 franchisees with more than 100 restaurants signed for in the last 24 months?

“It’s our concept and cohesive ownership and executive team,” said Rothschild. “Slims has excellent food, our kitchens and processes are easy to execute, and the buildout is turn-key. We spent 13 years perfecting the model before franchising which shows just how committed we are to this growth.”

But more importantly, Slim Chickens’ restaurant economics work, and allow investors to not only grow a business they’re proud of, but ones that have solid financial returns as well.