Chicken Salad Chick Restaurant Expansion Driven by Data, Says New CFO

Chicken Salad Chick Restaurant Expansion is moving fast, and new CFO Drew Travis says the chain is at an inflection point. The fast casual brand was founded in 2008. It now has roughly 350 locations and has doubled in size over the past five to six years. Learn more on the official Chicken Salad Chick website.

Travis joined this summer. He told CFO Brew that growth depends on how fast a brand grows, who it partners with and how it grows. The chain serves Southern style chicken salad made from scratch. Its Chicken Salad Chick growth strategy now leans heavily on data.

Chicken Salad Chick Restaurant Expansion Targets 40 to 50 Stores a Year

Chicken Salad Chick is now in 27 states. It has always set targets of opening 40 to 50 stores a year. Travis said the wrong information can lead franchise brands into the wrong partnerships or the wrong markets.

The stakes are high. Real estate commitments can last up to 20 years. Relocating can be cost prohibitive. Travis works with marketing, real estate and supply chain teams to give them the right data.

Data Driven Restaurant Growth and Site Selection

The chain has invested heavily in data on both the marketing side and the real estate side. That data gives the company a clearer view of its customer. It also shows where locations perform best. Strong sites sit near schools and hospitals, or down the street from certain grocery and home goods stores.

These findings shape how many seats a dining room needs. They also decide whether a site is freestanding or an end cap in a larger retail building. Travis said the answer is always that it depends on the market and the customer data.

The data also guided the chain's entry into New York state. It is skipping Manhattan and starting in Upper New York, in places like Albany and Buffalo. Research showed customers there are similar to those in other successful markets.

Restaurant Operating Costs and Franchise Support

Restaurant operators have faced a surge in costs. The National Restaurant Association estimated that expenses rose an average of 36% between 2019 and 2026. The group said this keeps pressure on margins.

Travis said higher prices in areas like fast food mean less competition on price alone. Chicken Salad Chick will not cut food quality to save money. He called that a slippery slope because customers notice. The brand is focused on efficient processes and technology instead. This helps franchisees avoid wasting dollars that could go to their bottom line.

Travis described the market as highly saturated, with endless choices and a very low barrier to entry. Even so, he said customers expect a great experience every time the doors open.

For more food industry updates, read the latest restaurant news from HCP.