Brand Shoutouts
How a 49-year Southern chicken brand built its identity on a 49-step biscuit process — and why its Western expansion puts virgin territory within reach for development-ready operators.
By Justin K. Sellers · 9 min read · March 15, 2026
Jack Fulk opened the first Bojangles on West Boulevard in Charlotte on July 6, 1977 with a simple test.
He wasn't proving a business model. He was proving food quality. The location was walk-in only, no seating, in what locals called "a less desirable part of Charlotte."
It worked. Within months, he added his 49-step buttermilk biscuits to the menu. Sales jumped approximately 60%. Within a year, he had his first franchise in Greenville, South Carolina.
Forty-nine years later, Bojangles runs 864 locations across 22+ states. It's the 7th largest chicken chain in America by system sales — $1.881 billion in 2024.
In 2025, the brand sold 154 units and opened 43 net new restaurants — its strongest development year on record.
Jack Fulk was a Hardee's franchisee in Wilkesboro, North Carolina when he started experimenting with biscuit recipes in the mid-1970s. The Davidson County native identified a gap: no major fast-food chain had claimed Southern-style fried chicken paired with scratch-made buttermilk biscuits.
His business partner, Richard Thomas, came from the other side of the industry — the first president of operations at Kentucky Fried Chicken.
Fulk's founding strategy was unconventional: prove food quality first, real estate second. The approach worked. When he added hand-mixed, scratch-made biscuits to the menu, sales jumped approximately 60%.
The 49-Step Standard:The biscuit-making process became the brand's operational signature. Each batch requires exactly 49 steps — from sifting the flour to brushing the tops with butter. Hand-mixed. Baked fresh throughout the day. No shortcuts.
Both founders sold their interests by the mid-1980s. What they left behind: a process-obsessed food culture and an operational identity that still defines the brand four decades later.
Every biscuit takes 49 steps to make. Hand-mixed from scratch. Baked fresh throughout the day.
No microwaves. In any location. Ever.
That's not marketing copy — it's an operational commitment that sits at the center of every franchise agreement. When Bojangles sells Southern chicken and biscuits, they mean it at a process level that competitors don't replicate.
864 locations across Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia, with Arizona confirmed for mid-2026.
Recent Market Wins: - Las Vegas: First location opened January 20, 2025. Four more planned by year-end. - Houston: Multiple locations opened Q1 2025. Seven more by September 2025. - Colorado: First-ever Bojangles opened in Pueblo in 2025. - Ohio: Eyas Capital acquired 120+ restaurants and secured rights to 40 new Ohio locations. - Southern California: Development agreements signed for LA, Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties. - San Antonio: 21-unit development agreement signed. - Michigan: First-ever Bojangles opened Grand Rapids February 3, 2026 in a former Taco John's location on 28th Street. Boneless-only menu format for new expansion markets. - Phoenix, AZ: Two locations confirmed for late summer 2026. Developer Kingsbarn Realty Capital broke ground on Gilbert site September 2025. Second site near 99th Avenue and Indian School Road on track for Q1 2026 groundbreaking. Part of a 20-unit development agreement signed March 2024. - New York Metro: Brooklyn East Flatbush location opened late 2025 — went viral on NBC TODAY show. 50+ locations planned across NYC and New Jersey; 35-unit New Jersey development agreement signed.The western push isn't opportunistic territory sales. Bojangles is targeting markets with zero existing brand awareness and building infrastructure before opening stores. That sequencing matters for development agreement holders evaluating exposure.
Interested in bringing Bojangles to your market?
Visit their franchise page for territory availability and current FDD. Request Item 19 (Financial Performance Representations) to verify AUV expectations for your specific target market.
Visit Franchise PageFour decades of franchise operations means Bojangles has a well-documented customer voice. The pattern in reviews from well-executed locations is consistent: the 49-step biscuit process delivers something customers notice.
"The Cajun filet biscuit was exactly what you want from Bojangles, hot, crispy, and satisfying, and the Bo-Rounds were fresh. What truly stood out, though, was the ranch. I found out that some smaller-town Bojangles make their ranch in-house, and wow, the difference is noticeable. It's creamier, more flavorful, and miles better than the typical pre-packaged version." — Yelp reviewer, I-40 location
"Bojangles has the best breakfast biscuits, hands down. I could eat their food every day, and be just fine... and have." — Trustpilot review
"The absolute best Chicken BLT Combo I've ever tasted in my entire life, I believe. The Bo Fries are out of the league of a fast food restaurant. Seasoned and salted divinely." — Murfreesboro, TN
"The biscuit was nice and fluffy, definitely not dried out. It really hit the spot!" — Carolina Forest location, 2025
Pattern: When execution is right, customers rave about biscuit quality, Cajun seasoning, fresh-made food, and service. The 49-step biscuit process delivers a product experience that stands out in the chicken QSR category."Something has changed at this restaurant and its for the better, by a mile. Prior to a couple of months ago, I routinely had poor experiences here with the food quality or not getting what I ordered. My last several visits since Nov or Dec, however, have been outstanding." — Yelp review
1. Brand Heritage That Operators Can Actually Use
49 years of operation. Wall Street Journal "25 Franchise High Performers" recognition. The Hurricane Hugo legend — Bojangles stayed open during the 1989 storm when McDonald's and Hardee's closed. That kind of cultural credibility doesn't come from a marketing budget. It comes from four decades of showing up.
2. The Product Is Genuinely Differentiated
A 49-step biscuit process, hand-breaded chicken, and a no-microwave policy aren't operational talking points — they're verifiable commitments that a franchisee can walk any customer through. Operators in new Western markets have a food story to tell that competitors can't match.
3. Multiple Format Options for Different Budgets
Traditional ($2.65M–$3.83M), In-Line ($478K–$834K), and Express ($779K–$1.89M). That range gives operators real flexibility depending on real estate situation, available capital, and market density strategy.
4. Higher AUV Than Popeyes
$2.27M average unit volume (FY2024) vs. $1.93M for Popeyes. The revenue ceiling exists and is well-documented in the FDD. Top performers exceed that number.
5. First-Mover Advantage in Virgin Markets
Southern California, Las Vegas, Phoenix, and Houston are entering without an established Bojangles footprint. For development agreement holders, that means real territory opportunity without competing against an existing franchisee base.
Those factors combine to create a profile that's unusual at this scale: a proven regional brand with national-quality unit economics still operating in mostly-undiscovered Western markets.
[DEEP_DIVE_CTA url="/article/bojangles-deep-dive/" btnLabel="Read the Full Bojangles Deep Dive"] Want the full story? - Unit economics: $2.27M AUV (FY2024), ~11–12-year payback (central estimate, range 7.8–16.9 years) — QSR Research Hub analysis from 2025 FDD Item 7 and Item 19 with full methodology disclosed - Customer reality: 2.3 Yelp stars across 15,433 reviews — what the data actually reveals by location type - Labor crisis: 3.1/5 Glassdoor, employee quotes, why understaffing drives execution failures in the field - PE ownership structure (Durational Capital Management + The Jordan Company) — what dual ownership means for long-horizon franchisees - Who this concept is built for — and who should pass [/DEEP_DIVE_CTA]
Every Brand Shoutout is built on independently sourced information:
- Financial Data: Franchise Disclosure Documents (FDDs) accessed via FDD Exchange (fddexchange.com); system sales independently confirmed by QSR Magazine and public earnings releases - Customer Reviews: Verified reviews from 2024–2025 across Yelp, Trustpilot, Wanderlog, and Worth the Penny - Leadership Information: NC DNCR, NCpedia, QSR Magazine, Nation's Restaurant News, Fortune, and company press releases - Growth Metrics: Bojangles press releases, QSR Magazine, and Restaurant Business Online system data - Operator Perspectives: Published franchisee interviews and Franchise Business Review reporting - Payback Calculations: All payback figures are QSR Research Hub analysis — not a disclosed FDD figure — with every input and assumption disclosed in the Deep Dive so readers can verify or run their own numbers.
We never ask brands for permission before publishing. Our job is independent analysis, not marketing.
Sponsors get placement, not editorial control. We write what the research shows.
This companion article draws on the same source base as our Bojangles Deep Dive.
Key limitations remain:
- Current leadership team composition: Bojangles has operated under private equity ownership since 2019, and full executive roster details are not fully disclosed in public sources - Performance data for new Western market locations: Las Vegas opened January 2025. Houston opened Q1 2025. Real AUV and margin data for these markets will take 12–24 months of operation to surface - Franchisee satisfaction survey data: We found no current Franchise Business Review survey data specifically for Bojangles - Item 19 performance breakdown by format: The reported ~$2.27M AUV (FY2024) reflects the full system; In-Line and Express format performance data is not separately disclosed in publicly available sources
This research was produced independently. QSR Research Hub operates with full editorial independence from all brands and advertisers.
We receive no compensation from Bojangles or any related party for this coverage. No affiliate relationships, referral fees, or placement deals exist with this brand.
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Subscribe to QSR Research Hub1. NC DNCR. "Bo Time Began in 1977." North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. https://www.ncdcr.gov 2. NCpedia. "Bojangles' Famous Chicken 'n Biscuits." Kelly Agan, State Library of North Carolina. Covers: Fulk's Hardee's background in Wilkesboro; biscuit addition driving the restaurant's trajectory; first franchise launched 1978; both founders sold interests mid-1980s; Fulk death March 30, 2011 age 78; Thomas death early 2017 age 82. https://www.ncpedia.org/bojangles-famous-chicken-n-biscuits 3. Inc. Magazine. "Obituary: Jack Fulk, 1932–2011." May 31, 2011. Confirms: death March 30, age 78; Hardee's franchisee in Wilkesboro 1971; biscuit addition drove ~60% sales jump; first Bojangles' opened 1977; quotes from Fulk's son-in-law Tommy Haddock. https://www.inc.com/magazine/201106/obituary-jack-fulk-1932-2011.html 4. BusinessWire. "Bojangles' Opens 600th Location." July 9, 2014. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20140709005829/en/Bojangles%E2%80%99-Opens-600th-Location 5. Bojangles Franchising. "Bojangles in 2025: Building Momentum with Strong Restaurant Growth." Press release. https://bojanglesfranchising.com 6. History Oasis. "Frying High: The Unknown History of Bojangles." 49-step biscuit process; hand-breaded chicken; no microwaves policy; Hurricane Hugo. https://www.historyoasis.com 7. Bojangles. "Bojangles Sets the Stage for 2025 with New Growth Momentum and Innovation." Las Vegas, Houston, SoCal expansion details. https://bojangles.com 8. FDD Exchange. "Bojangles 2025 FDD." Bojangles franchise overview; investment ranges by format; executive team disclosure in Item 2. https://fddexchange.com/view-fdd-docs/bojangles-2025-fdd 9. FDD Exchange. "Bojangles 2025 FDD — Item 19 Financial Performance Representations." Item 7 investment ranges: Traditional $2,650,870–$3,829,400; Express $778,670–$1,886,900; Items 5 & 6 royalty 4% + local marketing 3% + co-op ~2%; Item 19 system-wide gross sales FY2024 $1,881,267,863 across 827 units (derived AUV ~$2.27M is QSR Research Hub analysis). https://fddexchange.com/view-fdd-docs/bojangles-2025-fdd 10. FDD Exchange. "Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen 2024 FDD." Item 19 AUV $1.93M (FY2023, franchised free-standing restaurants operated full year); Item 7 investment $1,222,045–$3,923,245. https://fddexchange.com/view-fdd-docs/popeyes-2024-fdd 11. QSR Magazine. "Bojangles Proves Portability as New Markets Fuel Record Growth." 7th largest chicken chain; $1.881 billion system sales (2024). https://www.qsrmagazine.com 12. Yelp. "Bojangles Reviews." Multiple locations, 2024–2025. https://www.yelp.com 13. Worth the Penny. "Check Bojangles' Ratings & Customer Reviews." Carolina Forest location, 2025. https://worthapenny.com 14. Trustpilot. "Bojangle's Reviews." Customer sentiment 2024–2025. https://www.trustpilot.com/review/bojangles.com 15. Wanderlog. "Bojangles, Murfreesboro, TN — Reviews." Customer quote, BLT combo. https://wanderlog.com 16. NC DNCR. "Bo Time Began in 1977." Wall Street Journal "25 Franchise High Performers" (2008) referenced within NC DNCR historical archive. https://www.ncdcr.gov
17. Brooks Speirs, VP of Franchise Sales, Bojangles. LinkedIn post, January 2026. "154 units sold and 43 new store openings... We end the year with 864 locations — 588 franchise and 276 corporate locations." linkedin.com/in/brooks-speirs
18. ABC15 Arizona. "Two Bojangles restaurants slated to open in the Valley this year." March 2026. Confirms Gilbert and 99th/Indian School locations, late summer 2026 opening window, Kingsbarn Realty Capital as developer. abc15.com
19. Hoodline. "Bojangles Bets Big on the Valley." March 2026. Gilbert groundbreaking September 2025, 20-unit Phoenix development agreement. hoodline.com
20. WGRD Grand Rapids. "Bojangles Coming to Grand Rapids, Michigan in 2026." February 3, 2026. First Michigan location confirmed, boneless-only format for new markets. wgrd.com