The new store features Popeyes’ new prototype buildings and a double drive-thru, according to Julea Schuh, a spokeswoman for Popeyes’ franchisee Gilligan Company.
The new location, which is part of the restaurant chain’s Montgomery County expansion effort
will be Popeyes’ sixth in Dayton with more to come, Schuh said. That includes a new location 6793 Miller Lane in the Vandalia/Butler Twp. area, plus as many as five new stores per year for the next five years in the Dayton, Cincinnati and Columbus markets, he said.
Gilligan Company continues to hire for the new location via www.teamGILLIGAN.com or by texting “PLK” to 85000.
A grand opening ceremony for the newly constructed restaurant is set for 11 a.m. Tuesday, including a check presentation to Dayton Humane Society and photo opportunities with the Popeyes Chicken Mascot.
Krispy Krunchy Chicken
National chain Krispy Krunchy Chicken is expanding its reach in the Dayton area with its new location at 1000 Miamisburg Centervile Road in Washington Twp..
Hours are 11 a.m. to 2:30 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 5:30 a.m. Friday and Saturday.
A limited menu is available at the Caesar’s Drive Thru, while carry-out and sit-down options are available in the Krispy Krunchy Chicken space toward the front of the business, manager Arturo Garcia told this news outlet.
Founded in Louisiana, Krispy Krunchy Chicken is a quick-serve restaurant concept featuring Cajun-style chicken fried in zero trans fat oil, plus a bevy of sides and other items.
“We’ve been in the drive-thru (business) for about 20 years and right now, good chicken places are the rage,” said owner Caesar’s Drive Thru owner Stephen Levitt.
According to its website, Krispy Krunchy Chicken can also be found at six other locations in the area, including two in Dayton and one each in Kettering, Germantown, Troy and Bellbrook.
The Krispy Krunchy Chicken brand has built a cult following around the U.S. and appears poised for more locations. According to Nation’s Restaurant News, private equity firm Main Post Partners announced Dec. 7 it invested in the chicken company and the plan is to grow the brand and build awareness.
Big Chicken
Miami Twp.’s Austin Landing is set to welcome, by the end of June, Big Chicken, a restaurant founded and co-owned by NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal.
The new location at 10655 Innovation Drive will be the first Big Chicken location in Ohio.
Big Chicken offers crispy chicken sandwiches, sliders, popcorn chicken, chicken tenders, salads and “sidekick” side dishes, including signature dish Lucille’s Mac ‘n’ Cheese. Also on the menu are ice cream shakes, soft serve cones, ice cream sandwiches, plus boozy and non-alcoholic beverages.
Founded in 2018, Big Chicken is backed by JRS Hospitality, a Las Vegas-based ownership group; Authentic Brands Group, a multi-billion-dollar brand development, marketing and entertainment company. It offers locations in Glendale, California, and Las Vegas, Nevada, plus locations inside Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Washington, and UBS Arena is Elmont, New York.
The growth in chicken restaurants locally is catching up with a national trend. Franchise Times last year said that chicken chains on its Top 200+ grew by 10.6% in 2019, reaching $50.2 billion in sales, and “grew further overall in 2020, even with a few COVID-19 sales hits.”
Foodservice now accounts for 46% of overall chicken consumption nationwide with the remainder purchased via retail grocery, accounting to the National Chicken Council. That’s a stark contrast to the 25% of overall chicken consumption in foodservice in 1970.
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