Bojangels' Famous Chicken 'N Biscuits

Bojangles Famous Chicken 'N Biscuits began in Charlotte, North Carolina, in 1977, founded by Jack Fulk and Richard Thomas. The founders saw an opening for Cajun seasoned fried chicken with made from scratch buttermilk biscuits in the Southern market. Its menu serves customers from breakfast through dinner. The brand now operates approximately 820 to 884 units across the United States, with a concentration in the Southeast and Mid Atlantic. Charlotte remains its headquarters. The Jordan Company and Durational Capital Management acquired the company in 2019. CEO Jose Armario leads a team that includes Chief Development Officer Jim Cannon, Chief Operating Officer David Whitaker, Chief Marketing Officer Tom Boland and Chief Financial Officer Reese Stewart. The United States quick service restaurant industry produced approximately $387 billion in revenue in 2023. Fried chicken has been one of its faster growing categories. For a prospective buyer, the brand's regional history and expansion plans are central areas for due diligence.

The United States fried chicken market is estimated to exceed $50 billion in annual consumer spending. Chicken surpassed beef as America's most consumed protein, supported by price, perceived health advantages compared with red meat and culinary flexibility. Breakfast represents an estimated $100 billion annual food service opportunity. Bojangles has served this daypart through its biscuit platform since 1977, while drive thru breakfast traffic has recovered after the pandemic as remote and hybrid work patterns continue to shape morning travel. Consumers have also shown stronger interest in regional and authentic food brands as national chains become more similar. Bojangles benefits from its 47 year connection to Cajun recipes and Southern biscuit culture. National fried chicken competition has consolidated, while regional brands can retain customer loyalty through familiarity, local reputation and menu differentiation. Since the 2019 acquisition by The Jordan Company and Durational Capital Management, private equity ownership has supported unit growth, technology investment, management resources and capital discipline. The investment case therefore depends on category growth, breakfast demand, regional recognition and corporate support for multi unit franchisees.

A Bojangles Famous Chicken 'N Biscuits franchise requires a substantial capital commitment. The franchise agreement lasts 10 years, consistent with QSR development and common construction amortization periods. Total development costs vary by format, real estate market, construction expense and equipment specifications. Bojangles offers free standing drive thru restaurants, end cap locations in retail centers and non traditional sites such as travel plazas, college campuses and airports. Across established QSR fried chicken brands, franchise fees generally range from $25,000 to $50,000 per unit. Royalties commonly range from 4% to 6% of gross sales, with advertising contributions generally ranging from 3% to 5%. Liquid capital requirements in the sector generally range from $150,000 to $500,000. Net worth requirements for enterprise scale operators often exceed $1 million per development agreement. QSR franchisees have used the Small Business Administration 7(a) and 504 programs for construction and equipment, and established brands with operating histories and FDD compliance generally qualify more readily than newer concepts. Prospective franchisees should obtain the current Franchise Disclosure Document, review all 23 items, including the franchise agreement in Item 22, and consult an independent franchise attorney before making a commitment.

Bojangles operates across breakfast, lunch and dinner, which creates a broader revenue model than a single daypart restaurant but also adds operating demands. Biscuits are made fresh throughout the day, requiring scratch preparation and quality control from kitchen staff. The format portfolio includes free standing restaurants with dual drive thru lanes, inline retail sites and non traditional venues. Training for new franchisees and designated managers includes classroom work at corporate facilities and hands on instruction in certified training restaurants. Field support is led at the senior level by Chief Restaurant Support Officer Ken Koziol. Chief Technology Officer Richard Del Valle oversees technology systems. Chief Legal Officer Kate Ward and Chief People Officer Cathy Chase support legal compliance, human resources and people programs, giving franchisees access to systems that independent operators may not be able to reproduce at similar cost.

Buyers must conduct additional research through franchisee validation calls, independent operator interviews and public market information. Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner gives Bojangles more daily sales windows than a single daypart chicken concept, although results still depend on site costs, labor conditions and execution. Occupancy costs differ widely by market. Prospective buyers should contact a minimum of 10 to 20 existing franchisees, review the Item 20 contact list and model conservative, base and optimistic revenue cases against actual construction and financing costs.

As of 2025 and early 2026, Bojangles had between 820 and 884 units. Chief Development Officer Jim Cannon is targeting additional growth in established Southeastern markets and new territories where Southern food has consumer acceptance. In 2020, the company removed the apostrophe from its name and updated its visual identity while retaining the 47 year equity associated with Bojangles. Under CEO Jose Armario, the brand has invested in digital systems, delivery integration and loyalty programs. Chief Marketing Officer Tom Boland is responsible for building awareness in expansion markets while preserving the regional identity that supports menu pricing. Bojangles differentiates itself through its Cajun seasoning profile, fresh biscuit preparation and Southeast franchisee base, where brand awareness is high and local site knowledge is well developed. Ownership by The Jordan Company and Durational Capital Management provides access to capital markets, strategic advisory resources and potential mergers and acquisitions activity.

The intended franchisee is an experienced multi unit restaurant developer who can manage teams of 25 or more employees and has food service or hospitality experience. The financial capacity to open multiple restaurants under a defined development schedule is also expected. A single unit operator without prior QSR experience may face greater execution risk because the model combines scratch biscuits, Cajun chicken and three dayparts. Expansion is focused on markets near the existing Southeastern base, including the Mid Atlantic, Midwest and Texas, where Southern cuisine has consumer acceptance and existing Bojangles locations do not restrict site selection. Renewal terms, transfer provisions and area development rights appear in the franchise agreement and FDD and should be reviewed with independent counsel. QSR development from agreement execution to opening commonly takes 12 to 24 months, depending on real estate, permits and construction, so buyers should plan capital deployment and personal reserves for the pre opening period.

The Bojangles franchise case combines a 47 year operating history, Cajun seasoning and fresh biscuits, private equity ownership, a multi daypart model and a system of 820 to 884 units. These factors support consideration of the brand in the American food service market, which generated approximately $387 billion in QSR revenue in 2023. Fried chicken spending exceeds $50 billion annually, while breakfast represents an estimated $100 billion opportunity. The franchise has a 10 year term and operates within categories shaped by chicken consumption, drive thru breakfast demand and interest in regional food brands. PeerSense provides independent due diligence information that includes SBA lending history, Loan Activity Score, location maps with Google ratings, FDD financial data and comparison tools for evaluating Bojangles against other QSR concepts. The platform supports analysis of a single unit or a multi unit development agreement covering five or more locations.