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Franchise 500 2023
2024 Franchise 500 Rank
#133 Ranked #298 last year
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Initial investment
$1.4M - $3.3M
Units as of 2023
922 Increase 1.8% over 3 years

Zaxby's is a casual restaurant that offers buffalo wings, sandwiches, chicken fingers, and salads. The chain is predominantly active in the Southern United States and has more than 900 outlets. Franchisees own the majority of Zaxby's restaurants, but the company maintains over 140 locations. 

A great candidate for a Zaxby's franchisee is someone who may provide opportunities for others and be an outstanding member of their community. Someone who maintains high standards and never compromises on quality, service, and effort may be valued as a franchisee. Zaxby's values loyalty, teamwork, and honesty from their franchisees.

Why You May Want to Start a Zaxby's Franchise

Consumers are looking for fresher, healthier fast-service restaurants, and, with their tenders, wings, and three-piece meals, a rising number of chicken franchises are ready and waiting. The segment is booming, and operators have many concepts to choose from. With its potential for a high return on investment, Zaxby's may stand out among the competition.

From 2014 to 2016, the Athens, Georgia-based Zaxby's, opened more than 180 restaurants.To be part of the Zaxby's team, you should make sure you're financially ready for an initial investment made up of a franchise fee and other startup costs. In addition, you should prepare yourself for ongoing fees, including royalty fees, advertising fees, and potential renewal fees. It may be a good idea to speak with an attorney or financial advisor to ensure that you have the necessary finances to continue a Zaxby’s business. Franchisees will also need to meet the company's set net worth and liquid capital requirements. 

What Might Make Zaxby's a Good Choice?

As a Zaxby's franchisee, you can act as an individual business, but you may benefit from being part of a brand that has achieved success in a wide variety of markets. You may receive a detailed collection of operating manuals as well as comprehensive marketing materials. The franchisor usually holds an annual conference and assigns an operations consultant to each franchisee. Zaxby's franchise may include assistance that provides advice on real estate and architectural design and engineering.

As you decide if opening a Zaxby's franchise is the right decision for you, make sure you take time to explore the opportunity. Research the brand and your local area to see if a franchise location would do well in your community. While competition is healthy, too much of it may not allow for the most possible growth.

How to Start a Zaxby's Franchise

To get started with your journey to becoming a Zaxby's franchisee, you may submit an inquiry about the franchise opportunity. If you are seen as a good fit, a Zaxby's franchise representative may contact you for further information and to begin the franchising process.

The Zaxby's franchise might have you travel to Athens, Georgia, to work in their store and determine if you are a good fit. Working for a few days while being supervised by a Zaxby's operations specialist may allow you to understand what is expected when partnering with the company. You may also have the chance to speak with current franchisees to get a feel for what it is like to be a franchisee with the brand. 

If all goes well during the franchising process, you may soon start construction on your own Zaxby's franchise location. 

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Company Overview

About Zaxby's

Industry Food
Related Categories Chicken
Founded 1990
Parent Company Zaxby's Franchising LLC
Leadership Bernard Acoca, CEO
Corporate Address 1040 Founders Blvd., #100
Athens, GA 30606
Social Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram

Business Overview

Franchising Since 1994 (30 years)
# of employees at HQ 325
Where seeking

This company is offering new franchises in the following US states: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia

# of Units 922 (as of 2023)

Information for Franchisees

Here's what you need to know if you're interested in opening a Zaxby's franchise.

Financial Requirements & Ongoing Fees

Here's what you can expect to spend to start the business and what ongoing fees the franchisor charges throughout the life of the business.

Initial Franchise Fee Information Circle
$35,000
Initial Investment Information Circle
$1,391,700 - $3,266,200
Net Worth Requirement Information Circle
$1,000,000
Cash Requirement Information Circle
$500,000
Veteran Incentives Information Circle
20% off franchise fee
Royalty Fee Information Circle
6%
Ad Royalty Fee Information Circle
3%-4.5%
Term of Agreement Information Circle
10 years
Is franchise term renewable? Yes
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Financing Options

Some franchisors offer in-house financing, while others have relationships with third-party financing sources to which they refer qualified franchisees.

Third Party Financing Zaxby's has relationships with third-party sources which offer financing to cover the following: payroll

Training & Support Offered

Franchisors offer initial training programs and a variety of ongoing support options to help franchisees run their businesses.

On-The-Job Training 288-432 hours
Classroom Training 137 hours
Ongoing Support
Purchasing Co-ops
Newsletter
Meetings & Conventions
Toll-Free Line
Grand Opening
Online Support
Security & Safety Procedures
Field Operations
Site Selection
Proprietary Software
Franchisee Intranet Platform
Marketing Support
Co-op Advertising
Ad Templates
National Media
Social Media
SEO
Website Development
Email Marketing
Loyalty Program/App

Operations

Additional details about running this franchise.

Is absentee ownership allowed? No
Can this franchise be run from home/mobile unit? Information Circle
No
Can this franchise be run part time? Information Circle
No
Are exclusive territories available? Information Circle
Yes
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Franchise 500 Ranking History

Compare where Zaxby's landed on this year's Franchise 500 Ranking versus previous years.

Additional Rankings

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Disclaimer
The information on this page is not intended as an endorsement or recommendation of any particular franchise or business opportunity by Entrepreneur Media. Our listings and rankings are solely research tools you can use to compare opportunities. Entrepreneur stresses that you should always conduct your own independent investigation before investing in a franchise or business opportunity. That should include reviewing the company's legal documents, consulting with an attorney and an accountant, and talking to former and current franchisees/licensees/dealers.
Updated: December 12th, 2022