Bojangles' is opening its 500th restaurant today in Surf City, N.C. The chain, which first opened in 1977, now operates in 10 states and Washington, D.C.
Bojangles' expansion continues, as the chain is on track to open one new restaurant every nine days throughout 2011. The milestone opening comes as Bojangles' systemwide revenue is at an all-time high, approaching nearly $800 million this year.
Eric Newman, executive vice president for Bojangles' Restaurants Inc., attributes the success to sticking to the basics.
"It all starts with our freshly prepared chicken and made-from-scratch buttermilk biscuits. We're using the same recipes our founders, Jack Fulk and Richard Thomas, used when they opened our first restaurant; and to this day our loyal fans return for the food the brand was built on more than 30 years ago," said Newman.
Throughout the remainder of 2011, as Bojangles' continues to expand in its home market of the Carolinas and throughout the Southeast, the company will also increase its presence with planned openings in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee — with a heavy focus on Nashville — and Virginia.
Each of the new Bojangles' restaurants are built to the specs outlined in the chain's recently introduced prototype.
