Franchising

Ex-Smoothie King, Broken Egg execs lead Southern Classic Chicken's franchising effort

With a simple, value-based menu of much-loved homestyle fried chicken, Southern Classic Chicken is starting to franchise with two longtime restaurant leaders at the helm.

Photo: Southern Classic Chicken

October 21, 2020

Shreveport, Louisiana-based QSR, Southern Classic Chicken, is franchising after 30 years in business, with the hopes of moving into new communities across the Southern U.S. The brand currently has 17 corporately owned locations, but hopes especially to move its products into the states of Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas and Texas for its first wave of expansion, a news release said.

The brand said it has fared well in this extraordinary year of restaurant business. The company attributes this in large part to its walk-up and drive-thru restaurant model as well as its value price point that puts the average meal in the $5 to $7 price range.

Two longtime restaurant executives are leading the franchising effort at Southern Classic Chicken, including Director of Brand Development Nick Binnings and Managing Director Tom O'Keefe. Binnings was most recently the vice president of brand development for Another Broken Egg Café, where he helped grow the concept from 15 to 62 units before an exit to private equity.

O'Keefe has more than 30 years of franchise experience as a franchise attorney, and has held executive roles with Popeye's/Church's Chicken, Ruth Chris Steak House, and Anytime Fitness. He was most recently president of smoothie king before going on his own to help growing companies like Southern Classic Chicken.

"We are no strangers to the franchising space and have worked with many national and international brands," O'Keefe said in the release. "What we saw in Southern Classic Chicken was unlike anything else out there. We joined forces to help the brand grow because of its culture, quality and incredible value. Adding super compelling unit-level economics to those other components leaves us very confident that this franchise opportunity will be well received and pursued."

Southern Classic Chicken is focused on a simplified menu of home-style fried chicken made with a proprietary marinade and batter, complemented by southern-inspired sides.

"Fried chicken is a comfort food that many enjoy, especially here in the South," said Binnings. "With such an incredible value, we have seen sales continue to prosper despite the pandemic because it's an affordable option that can feed the whole family. In fact, in 2020, Southern Classic Chicken's system-wide sales have increased more than 20% on drive-thru sales alone."

Southern Classic Chicken is looking for franchisees with restaurant management experience that align with its family-focused culture. Including a $40,000 franchise fee, initial investment to open a Southern Classic Chicken franchise is $441,500 to $1,057,000.