Zaxby's

Last updated
Zaxbys
Zaxbys
FormerlyZax Zaxby’s
Company typePrivate
Industry Restaurants
Genre Fast casual
FoundedAugust 1990;34 years ago (1990-08)
FoundersZach McLeroy
Tony Townley
Headquarters Brookhaven, Georgia, U.S.
Number of locations
941 (2022)
Area served
United States
Key people
Bernard Acoca (CEO)
Zach McLeroy (Chairman, Former CEO, Co-Founder)
Tony Townley (Former Chief Strategy Officer, Co-Founder)
Products Chicken Fingers, french fries, Texas toast, 12 Signature Sauces
Website www.zaxbys.com

Zaxbys is an American chain of fast casual restaurants offering signature Chicken Fingerz, sandwiches, bone-in and boneless wings and salads - known as Zalads. The chain operates primarily in the Southern United States and has more than 900 locations. Most Zaxbys restaurants are owned and operating through franchising. [1]

Contents

History and locations

Zaxby's in Adel, Georgia Zaxby's, Adel.jpg
Zaxby's in Adel, Georgia

The first Zaxbys was established in Statesboro, Georgia, in March 1990, near the Georgia Southern University campus, by childhood friends Zach McLeroy and Tony Townley. [2] The company's first restaurant outside of Georgia was opened in September 1994 in Bowling Green, Kentucky. In 2013, they opened locations in Utah, the first expansion outside of the southeastern United States. [3] In 2024, Zaxbys announced further expansion plans for 2025, including a store in Cambridge, Maryland, the first location in the state. More locations are slated to open along the Eastern Shore of Maryland in the coming years. [4]

In 2022, Zaxbys introduced a new CEO, Bernard Acoca; he was the first CEO that was not one of the co-founders. [5] Outgoing CEO Zach McLeroy stayed on as Chairman. [6]

Zaxby's chicken fingers, drink cup, crinkle fries, and Texas toast Zaxbyfood.jpg
Zaxby's chicken fingers, drink cup, crinkle fries, and Texas toast

The company operates as a fast casual dining restaurant, offering prepared-at-order chicken fingers, chicken wings, sandwiches, salads, and appetizers. [7] Dipping sauces are offered with chicken finger orders, and range from mild, to the moderate "Zax Sauce", to the intensely hot "Nuclear". Dining rooms at Zaxbys restaurants are decorated with assorted whimsical objects and signs, which often vary in theme by location and region. Some locations in college towns feature objects and decorations related to the local university. Similarly, citrus-industry themed decorations line the walls at a location in Orlando, Florida.

Zax sauce Zaxbysauce.jpg
Zax sauce

Since the December 2013 announcement that Zaxbys would begin to offer the Coca-Cola Freestyle machine at their locations, the decor in the fountain drink dispensing area has been dominated by that distinctive dispenser and other Coca-Cola branding. [8] [9]

Advertising

In late 2007, the chain began running a series of commercials featuring celebrities eating Zaxbys menu items. The celebrities of 2007–2008 included Laverne and Shirley stars Penny Marshall and Cindy Williams, Bobby Allison, Diana DeGarmo, Herschel Walker, Evander Holyfield, Elijah Kelley, Lorenzo Lamas, Cody Linley, Jerry Rice, John Schneider, Alyson Stoner, Kerri Strug, Richard Thomas, Richard Karn, Reginald VelJohnson, David Garrard, and Spud Webb. In 2009, celebrities included Orange County Choppers Paul Teutul Sr. and Michael Teutul, Béla Károlyi, Fred Willard, Paul Sorvino, and Mike Ditka. 2010 and 2011 celebrities included Doris Roberts, E! News host Giuliana Rancic, Jaime Pressly, Ryan Stiles, and musician Little Richard. In 2012, the chain featured celebrities Rachel Dratch, Chris Kattan, Jill Hennessy, Lee Ann Womack, and National Football League linebacker Clay Matthews in its commercials. Zaxby's 2013 commercials featured David Alan Grier and Waylon Payne, with comedian Wayne Brady and actress Leigh-Allyn Baker. [10]

In October 2008, the video game Midnight Club: Los Angeles featured Zaxbys as a restaurant on the streets of Los Angeles. California, however, has none in reality. [11]

Sponsorships

John Wes Townley's Zaxby's NASCAR Camping World Truck Series truck in 2013 John Wes Townley Red Horse Racing Toyota Rockingham 2013.jpg
John Wes Townley's Zaxby's NASCAR Camping World Truck Series truck in 2013

Zaxbys is "The Official Chicken of Sports Fanz" and has collective intellectual property rights at nearly 30 Division I colleges through 2015 through a deal with their football and basketball teams. The sponsorship, which was made through IMG College, includes 25 states, seven conferences, and the entire area of Zaxby's locations. Included are ten colleges from the Southeastern Conference, six colleges from the Atlantic Coast Conference, three colleges from Conference USA, two each from the Big Ten Conference and Sun Belt Conference, and one college from the Big 12 Conference. [12] Additionally, Zaxbys has a separate agreement with Clemson University to provide brand presence at all football and men's and women's basketball games. [13]

Zaxbys was also the sponsor of the Heart of Dallas Bowl, played at the Cotton Bowl Stadium. [14]

Zaxbys was a sponsor for Joey Clanton in the No. 09 JTG Daugherty Racing truck in the NCWTS. Zaxby's also sponsored the late John Wes Townley (son of co-founder Tony) in NASCAR's Camping World Truck Series and Xfinity Series, and Townley's Athenian Motorsports. [15] John Wes retired from competition after 2016, thus ending the sponsorship.

In honor of the children the restaurant chain serves every year, Zaxbys is a supporter of Make-A-Wish. [16]

Political donation trackers report that 100% of Zaxby’s US political donations (made by its senior employees) support GOP candidates, including Donald Trump, John McCallum, Joe Hunt, Kurt Wilson, and Paul Broun.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Applebee's</span> North American casual dining chain

Applebee's Restaurants LLC. is an American company that develops, franchises, and operates the Applebee's Neighborhood Grill + Bar restaurant chain. The Applebee's concept focuses on casual dining, with mainstream American dishes such as salads, chicken, burgers, and "riblets".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chick-fil-A</span> American fast food restaurant chain

Chick-fil-A, Inc. is an American fast food restaurant chain and the largest chain specializing in chicken sandwiches. Headquartered in College Park, Georgia, Chick-fil-A operates 3,059 restaurants across 48 states, as well as in the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. The company also has operations in Canada, and previously had restaurants in the United Kingdom and South Africa. The restaurant has a breakfast menu, as well as a lunch and dinner menu. The chain also provides catering services. Chick-fil-A calls its specialty the "original chicken sandwich". It is a piece of deep-fried breaded boneless chicken breast served on a toasted bun with two slices of dill pickle, or with lettuce, tomato, and cheese.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fazoli's</span> American-Italian fast food company

Fazoli's System Management, LLC., doing business as Fazoli's, is an American fast casual restaurant chain headquartered in Lexington, Kentucky. It was founded in 1988 and is now owned by FAT Brands. As of September 2023, there are 211 Fazoli's located nationwide. The restaurant chain specializes in Italian-American cuisine and dishes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Atlanta Bread Company</span> Fast-food chain of the United States

Atlanta Bread Company is a privately owned American chain of bakery-café fast casual restaurants with 10 locations in three states. Its headquarters are in Smyrna, Georgia, a suburb northwest of Atlanta. Offerings include bakery items, pasta, salads, sandwiches, soups, and specialty drinks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Culver's</span> Restaurant chain in the United States

Culver Franchising System, LLC, doing business as Culver's, is an American fast-casual restaurant chain. The company was founded in 1984 by George, Ruth, Craig, and Lea Culver. The first location opened in Sauk City, Wisconsin, on July 18, 1984, under the name "Culver's Frozen Custard and ButterBurgers." The privately held company is headquartered in Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin. The chain operates primarily in the Midwestern United States, and had a total of 930 restaurants in 26 states as of October 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bojangles (restaurant)</span> American regional fast food chain

Bojangles OpCo, LLC., doing business as Bojangles, is an American regional chain of fast food restaurants that specializes in Cajun-seasoned fried chicken and buttermilk biscuits and primarily serves the Southeastern United States. The company was founded in Charlotte, North Carolina in 1977 by Jack Fulk and Richard Thomas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cluck-U Chicken</span> American fast food chain

Cluck-U Chicken, also known as Cluck University, is an American quick-serve restaurant chain, with most locations in the U.S. states of Maryland and New Jersey, but there are locations in Pennsylvania as well as one location in Ohio and one international location in Lebanon, Kuwait, and the UAE. There were previously several other locations, including Delaware, Florida, Chapel Hill NC, and Washington, D.C. as well as a location in Fort Collins, CO.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steak and Ale</span> American chain of casual dining restaurants

Steak and Ale is an American chain of restaurants that was influential in the growth of casual dining. Founded in 1966, it achieved major success in the 1970s and 1980s before declaring Chapter 7 bankruptcy proceeding and closing its remaining 58 locations on July 29, 2008. The first new Steak and Ale restaurant since then opened on July 8, 2024, in Burnsville, Minnesota, with more planned for the Midwest and Texas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LongHorn Steakhouse</span> American restaurant chain

LongHorn Steakhouse is an American casual dining restaurant chain owned and operated by Darden Restaurants, headquartered in Orlando, Florida. As of 2023, LongHorn Steakhouse generated more than $2.5 billion in sales in its 563 locations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">California Tortilla</span> Fast casual Mexican-style restaurant chain

California Tortilla, also known as Cal Tort, is an American chain of franchised fast casual Mexican-style restaurants, the first of which was opened in August 1995 in Bethesda, Maryland by business partners Pam Felix and Alan Cohen. The chain's menu is comparable to that of its competitors, such as Baja Fresh and Chipotle Mexican Grill. A typical restaurant has 2,500 square feet (230 m2) with seating for 75 people. California Tortilla was voted by readers of Washingtonian magazine as having the best burritos in both 2009 and 2010, and "best Mexican" in 2014 and 2015. In 2019, it was awarded Best Fast Casual by Washington City Paper readers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tijuana Flats</span> American restaurant chain

Tijuana Flats Tex-Mex is a privately-held American restaurant chain serving Tex-Mex cuisine. It has over 91 locations throughout Florida, Alabama, Tennessee and North Carolina. Tijuana Flats restaurants are fast-casual hybrids with fresh food, hot sauce bars, art murals and off-beat culture. Customers order at the front counter and are served after taking a seat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Golden Chick</span> American restaurant chain

Golden Chick, formerly known as Golden Fried Chicken, is a quick-service restaurant franchise headquartered in Richardson, Texas. Mark Parmerlee, head of Golden Tree Restaurants serves as the President and Chairman.

Saladworks, LLC is a restaurant franchise that serves made-to-order entrée salads, wraps, soups, and sandwiches. Saladworks restaurants are categorized as fast casual, and the company markets its menu as a healthy alternative to other fast food fare. The franchise currently operates 150 restaurant locations in 22 states and is developing locations internationally. It continues to develop exclusively through its Multiple Unit Development approach, focusing on development in metropolitan areas throughout the United States. The restaurant chain also has stores in Canada.

Chicken George was a fast food restaurant chain based in Baltimore, Maryland. The first restaurant was established by Theodore Holmes in November 1979 in the Mondawmin Mall in Baltimore. The company later expanded to a total of six restaurants in Baltimore, and also branched out to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Washington D.C. Franchise restaurants were also existent in Atlanta, Los Angeles and in other cities. In September 1991, the company filed for bankruptcy to be dissolved.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Athenian Motorsports</span> Former NASCAR team

Athenian Motorsports was an American professional stock car racing team that last competed in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, the Camping World Truck Series, and the ARCA Racing Series. In the Xfinity Series, the team last fielded the No. 05 Zaxby's Chevrolet Camaro part-time for John Wes Townley. In the Camping World Truck Series, the team last fielded the No. 05 Zaxby's Chevrolet Silverado full-time for part-time drivers: John Wes Townley, Parker Kligerman, Brady Boswell, Cody Coughlin, and Matt DiBenedetto. In the ARCA Racing Series, the team last fielded the No. 05 Zaxby's Chevrolet Impala part-time for Townley. The team was sponsored by Zaxby's Chicken Restaurants, co-founded by John Wes' father and team owner Tony Townley, and the team name is likely a reference to the company's home in Athens, Georgia. The team closed down in 2017, and sold its owner points to MDM Motorsports' No. 99 team.

Slim Chickens is an American fast-casual restaurant chain which specializes in chicken tenders, wings, sandwiches, salads, wraps, chicken and waffles, and other items. It was founded in 2003 by Greg Smart and Tom Gordon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">El Pollo Loco (United States)</span> Restaurant chain

El Pollo Loco, Inc., is a restaurant chain based in the United States, specializing in Mexican-style grilled chicken. Restaurant service consists of: dine-in and take-out, with some locations offering drive-through options. The company is headquartered in Costa Mesa, California, and operates about 500 company-owned and franchised restaurants in the Southwestern United States.

The 2017 Heart of Dallas Bowl was an American college football bowl game played on December 26, 2017, at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Texas. It was one of the 2017–18 bowl games concluding the 2017 FBS football season. The 8th edition of the Heart of Dallas Bowl, it was sponsored by fast food chicken restaurant Zaxby's, and was officially known as the Zaxby's Heart of Dallas Bowl.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dave's Hot Chicken</span> Nashville-style fried chicken restaurant chain

Dave's Hot Chicken is an American fast casual restaurant chain specializing in Nashville-style hot chicken.

Maryland Fried Chicken is a group of independently owned restaurants and former corporate chain of franchised fried chicken take-out restaurants that originated in Orlando, Florida. It was founded by Al Constantine in 1961 and grew to cover some 20 U.S. states and the Bahamas at its peak before ultimately going bankrupt in the late 1970s and dissolving as a chain.

References

  1. ↑ "Spotlight on Zaxby's" (PDF). greysteel.com. Greysteel. October 2016. Retrieved May 28, 2018. Zaxby's primarily operates a franchise model with 145 corporate-operated locations.
  2. ↑ Healy, Jim (November 30, 2020). "Business Focus - Zaxby's expansion plans". Statesboro Herald. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
  3. ↑ Fitzpatrick, Hayley (August 5, 2015). "A billion-dollar fast-food chain no one ever talks about is taking over America". Business Insider. Axel Springer SE. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
  4. ↑ Canham-Clyne, Aneurin (October 11, 2024). "Zaxbys is coming to Maryland". Restaurant Dive. Retrieved 18 October 2024.
  5. ↑ Lalley, Heather (2021-10-26). "Zaxby's hires Bernard Acoca as CEO". Restaurant Business. Retrieved 2022-02-25.
  6. ↑ Ewen, Beth (November 2021). "Out as CEO, Zaxby's Founder Reflects on 30 Years of Growth". franchisetimes.com. Retrieved 2022-02-25.
  7. ↑ "Zappetizers". Zaxby's Franchising LLC. 2016. Retrieved September 18, 2016.
  8. ↑ "The Extra Mile for Freestyle". Here Comes the Shrink. September 11, 2014. Retrieved September 18, 2016.
  9. ↑ "Zaxby's Saturday & Today | My Clinton News". www.clintonchronicle.com. Retrieved 2017-03-23.
  10. ↑ "Watch "Escape - Zaxby's" Video at Nation's Restaurant News". Nation's Restaurant News. Retrieved 2017-03-23.
  11. ↑ "Zaxby's Ads Featured In Video Game". The Franchise Mall. October 15, 2008. Archived from the original on May 3, 2010. Retrieved September 18, 2016.
  12. ↑ "IMG College - Zaxby's Scores Big With Major College Sports Sponsorship". www.imgcollege.com. Retrieved 2017-03-23.
  13. ↑ "Army defeats North Texas in overtime at Zaxby's Heart of Dallas Bowl: Score, stats, recap". OregonLive.com. Retrieved 2017-03-23.
  14. ↑ "Playing Chicken: Georgia-Based Zaxby's Signs Sponsorship Deal With 25 Colleges". www.sportsbusinessdaily.com. 8 May 2013. Retrieved 2017-03-23.
  15. ↑ "John Wes Townley Joins Red Horse Racing". Speedway Media. December 18, 2012. Retrieved October 11, 2013.
  16. ↑ tamara (2013-12-02). "Zaxby's Teams Up with Make-A-Wish for Third Year". QSR magazine. Retrieved 2017-03-23.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.