This CEO Ate 10 Chicken Sandwiches In a Day and Got ‘So Sick.’ But It Led to 30% Sales Growth.
After 18 months of culinary invention, their sales jumped, landing them at #9 on the Franchise 500.
This story appears in the January 2026 issue of Entrepreneur. Subscribe »
To view our entire 2026 Franchise 500 list, including category rankings, click HERE.
A few years ago, Julie Fussner boarded a bus with colleagues to embark on a tasting tour. The goal was simple: to understand where Culver’s ranked among the market’s most loved chicken sandwiches. Ten stops later, her stomach was not happy.
“It was a horrible day; I was so sick by the end,” says Fussner, who was promoted to CEO of Culver’s in early 2025. “Our first stop was Popeyes, and theirs is so good, and I was hungry. And then, even if you only take a small bite [at each stop]…”
The 10-sandwich bellyache proved worth the pain. Valuable lessons came from that day of marathon eating — primarily, the realization that among all the sandwiches in America’s chicken wars, Culver’s offering was just OK.
“We were middle of the pack,” Fussner says. “And that’s not going to work for us.”
A year and a half of culinary work followed, and in 2025, the changes hit the market. They sound simple — new buns, better chicken, crunchier pickles, more mayo — but the results were significant. From July through October, chicken sales increased 30% year over year.
It’s indicative of how Culver’s likes to evolve — slowly and intentionally. The Wisconsin-based brand prioritizes sustainable growth for the business and its franchisees, who, on average, own just one to two Culver’s restaurants. In 35-plus years of franchising, Culver’s total closures are in the single digits — a signal of happy operators who see a return on investment.
That growth helps dictate what’s next for the brand, which has spent eight consecutive years in the Franchise 500 Top 10. The current restaurant design was created when average unit volume (AUV) was about $1.65 million; today, the AUV is $4 million and increasing, leaving kitchens cramped as they hustle to meet demand. An in-the-works design update, which will roll out in 2028, will expand kitchens to improve flow and output — continuing to celebrate dining in, while expediting digital and drive-thru orders. In the meantime, Fussner is focused on rolling out digital updates like new menu boards, AI cameras to capture drive-thru insights, and an online rewards program. It’s all helping Culver’s join the tech-forward era of fast-casual food, though Fussner thinks Culver’s is arriving at just the right time.
“I kind of love that we were outdated [in some areas] and had to fix the [digital] foundation,” she says, “because frankly, now we get the benefit of launching these things years after all of the other brands have launched them.”
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To view our entire 2026 Franchise 500 list, including category rankings, click HERE.
A few years ago, Julie Fussner boarded a bus with colleagues to embark on a tasting tour. The goal was simple: to understand where Culver’s ranked among the market’s most loved chicken sandwiches. Ten stops later, her stomach was not happy.
“It was a horrible day; I was so sick by the end,” says Fussner, who was promoted to CEO of Culver’s in early 2025. “Our first stop was Popeyes, and theirs is so good, and I was hungry. And then, even if you only take a small bite [at each stop]…”
