TL;DR
Urban Bird Hot Chicken is targeting Athens, Georgia, a college town with a large student population, for expansion. The brand, co‑founded by Brandon Gawthorp and Chantel Fiaschetti, sees the competitive chicken market in Athens as a positive sign of consumer demand.
As Urban Bird Hot Chicken, the fast-growing Texas-based hot chicken franchise, looks beyond its home state for growth, the college town of Athens, Georgia, is a key expansion market, The Island Packet reported.
Athens’ student population and thriving dining scene make it a prime market for Urban Bird’s menu, which includes everything from hot chicken tenders and sandwiches to loaded fries, smashburgers and milkshakes.
While the market is already home to several chicken concepts, including national brands like Zaxby’s and Chick-fil-A and local operations like Willie B’s, Urban Bird co-founders Brandon Gawthorp and Chantel Fiaschetti say a competitive market is actually a good thing.
"Competition doesn't discourage us," they told The Island Packet. “We actually view a strong chicken restaurant market as a positive. It demonstrates that there is already significant consumer demand for the category.”
While Athens is a key growth market, Urban Bird sees potential throughout the state and is currently seeking qualified franchise operators to support its expansion.
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In this story
This story was originally published by Morgan Wood in 1851 Franchise on November 10, 2026. Burnaze summarizes and links to the original reporting.
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