Founded in 2016 in Chicago, Illinois, The Budlong Hot Chicken brings the bold, spicy flavors of Nashville-style hot chicken to the Midwest. Known for its authentic Southern roots, the brand serves up fried chicken sandwiches, tenders, and comforting sides like mac and cheese and banana pudding.
The company is headquartered in Chicago and began franchising in 2023 under the leadership of Craveworthy Brands, led by former Jimmy John’s CEO Gregg Majewski.
The Budlong stands out with its chef-curated, scratch-made menu that focuses on flavor and quality. Each meal is prepared to order, allowing guests to choose their preferred spice level. This attention to detail, paired with Southern hospitality and fresh ingredients, distinguishes The Budlong in the competitive fast-casual chicken space.
Here's what you would need to invest if you were to start this franchise. These costs are provided by the franchisor in the Franchise Disclosure Document.
The Budlong Hot Chicken provides a structured training program to ensure franchisees operate effectively within brand standards:
The Budlong Hot Chicken grants its franchisees a "Protected Territory" defined at the time of signing the Franchise Agreement and identified in Exhibit A. This territory is typically delineated by a radius or other geographic boundary around the restaurant location, and its size depends on factors like population density and area demographics.
As long as the franchisee complies with the terms of the agreement, the franchisor will not open or franchise another Budlong location within the Protected Territory during the term of the agreement.
However, The Budlong Hot Chicken explicitly states that franchisees do not receive an exclusive territory. The franchisor reserves the right to operate or license others to operate restaurants outside the Protected Territory and at non-traditional venues such as airports, malls, and universities—even within the Protected Territory.
KEY FRANCHISE STATS
All you need to know about this franchise
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