Bojangles’ famous fried chicken, scratch-made biscuits, and Southern-style sides are heading to even more communities in the future as the regional chain plans for explosive expansion.
Bojangles opened 40 new restaurants throughout 2023, including 10 in new markets, according to a press release shared with Eat This, Not That! It also set itself up for plenty of additional expansion by adding another 270 locations to its growth plans during the year.
Since Bojangles currently runs more than 800 locations throughout the United States, these new restaurants should put it on track to surpass the 1,000-unit milestone. The chain is mostly concentrated in the South, with North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia boasting the most locations, respectively, according to data company ScrapeHero.
In a statement, Bojangles CEO Jose Armario thanked franchisees who are helping the company reach more and more customers.
“At Bojangles, we recognize the integral role that our franchisees play, and we are privileged to have both a strong group of existing operators who continue to reinvest in the brand and new franchisees that bring a great deal of experience to the table,” Armario said. “We truly have something special, and I couldn’t be more excited about the direction our brand is heading. The demand for chicken continues to rise, and by executing our expansion strategy, we are bringing Bojangles chicken, biscuits, and tea to more loyal fans and expanding our customer base, all while increasing our national presence in a relevant and contemporary way.”
Bojangles did not share a timeframe for all of the planned restaurant openings.
The latest Bojangles expansion news comes just a few months after it unveiled major plans to grow in the West. In late July 2023, the company announced agreements to open 20 new restaurants in Las Vegas and 10 locations inside TravelCenters of America franchise locations in Western markets.
Bojangles fans can also look forward to seeing more locations open in the Midwest. Jeff Rigsby, founder and CEO of Bojangles’ largest franchisee BOJ of WNC, has opened two of 15 planned restaurants in Columbus, Ohio, according to the release.
Bojangles kicked off its current expansion strategy in 2021 and has been working to enhance its menu and the customer experience while it grows. It introduced a new restaurant design with digital menu boards and dual drive-thru lanes, as well as rolled out a new boneless chicken menu that has already received positive feedback from customers.
It also introduced a new staffing model that includes more training and helps workers “better handle high-traffic volumes and streamline the guest experience,” the release said.
Zoe Strozewski
Zoe Strozewski is a News Writer for Eat This, Not That! A Chicago native who now lives in New Jersey, she graduated from Kean University in 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. Read more about Zoe
