Georgia chicken chain Zaxby's to open 18 Utah locations

The Salt Lake Tribune

Published: June 28, 2013 9:28 pm
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Zaxby's, a Georgia-based restaurant chain that features a fare of fried chicken foods, plans to open 18 Utah locations in the next five years under the management of a Nevada-based group.

Zaxby's, which has more than 575 restaurants in 13 mostly southern states, is expanding its brand westward.

It will do so in Utah in partnership with MJM 5G, which says it has operated 30 Five Guys Burgers and Fries franchises in California and Nevada under co-founders Mike Cummings and brothers Jeff and Ryan Howes.

The majority of Zaxby's restaurants will be in the Salt Lake Valley.

"It's a good fit for us," Zach McLeroy, CEO and co-founder of Zaxby's, said in a statement. "MJM 5G has great franchise experience and people, and Utah is a wide-open market for fast-casual dining concepts.

"The regional economy is good. We're expanding westward, and solidifying our brand foundation market by market as we go."

Zaxby's offers prepared-at-order chicken fingers, traditional or boneless wings, sandwiches and salads, along with sauces ranging from Wimpy and Tongue Torch to Nuclear and Insane.

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