Zaxby's

Zaxbys
Zaxbys
FormerlyZax Zaxby’s
Company typePrivate
IndustryRestaurants
GenreFast casual
FoundedMarch 1990 (1990-03)
FoundersZach McLeroy
Tony Townley
HeadquartersAthens, Georgia, U.S.
Number of locations
941 (2022)
Area served
United States
Key people
Bernard Acoca (CEO)
Zach McLeroy (Chairman, Former CEO, Co-Founder)
Tony Townley (Former Chief Strategy Officer, Co-Founder)
ProductsChicken Fingers, french fries, Texas toast, 12 Signature Sauces
Websitewww.zaxbys.com

Zaxbys is an American chain of fast casual restaurants offering signature Chicken Fingerz, sandwiches, bone-in and boneless wings and salads - known as Zalads. The chain operates primarily in the Southern United States and has more than 900 locations. Most Zaxbys restaurants are owned and operating through franchising.[1]

History and locations

Zaxby's in Adel, Georgia

The first Zaxbys was established in Statesboro, Georgia, in March 1990, near the Georgia Southern University campus, by childhood friends Zach McLeroy and Tony Townley.[2] The company's first restaurant outside of Georgia was opened in September 1994 in Bowling Green, Kentucky. In 2013, they opened locations in Utah, the first expansion outside of the southeastern United States.[3] In 2024, Zaxbys announced further expansion plans for 2025, including a store in Cambridge, Maryland, the first location in the state. More locations are slated to open along the Eastern Shore of Maryland in the coming years.[4] As of 2025, Zaxbys had more than 970 locations throughout the U.S.[5]

In 2022, Zaxbys introduced a new CEO, Bernard Acoca; he was the first CEO that was not one of the co-founders.[6] Outgoing CEO Zach McLeroy stayed on as chairman.[7]

Zaxbys is a fast casual restaurant offering Chicken Fingerz, chicken wings, fried shrimp, sandwiches, and salads.[8] Dipping sauces are offered with chicken finger orders, and range from mild, to the moderate "Zax Sauce", to the intensely hot "Nuclear". Dining rooms at Zaxbys restaurants are decorated with assorted whimsical objects and signs, which often vary in theme by location and region. Some locations in college towns feature objects and decorations related to the local university. Similarly, citrus-industry themed decorations line the walls at a location in Orlando, Florida.

Zax sauce

Since the December 2013 announcement that Zaxbys would begin to offer the Coca-Cola Freestyle machine at their locations, the decor in the fountain drink dispensing area has been dominated by that distinctive dispenser and other Coca-Cola branding.[9][10]

The company reintroduced milkshakes to its menu in 2025.[11]

Products

Zaxbys sells three sauces at Walmart, Winn-Dixie and Amazon as of July 2024.[12]

The company offers an app-based points-for-dollars loyalty program called Zax Rewardz.[13]

Advertising

In October 2008, the video game Midnight Club: Los Angeles featured Zaxbys as a restaurant on the streets of Los Angeles. California, notably, is not home to any Zaxbys locations.[14]

In 2025, Zaxbys featured actor Omar Epps as The Sauce Boss[15] to promote the chain's signature sauces.[16]

Sponsorships

John Wes Townley's Zaxby's NASCAR Camping World Truck Series truck in 2013

Zaxbys is "The Official Chicken of Sports Fanz" and has collective intellectual property rights at nearly 30 Division I colleges through 2015 through a deal with their football and basketball teams. The sponsorship, which was made through IMG College, includes 25 states, seven conferences, and the entire area of Zaxby's locations. Included are ten colleges from the Southeastern Conference, six colleges from the Atlantic Coast Conference, three colleges from Conference USA, two each from the Big Ten Conference and Sun Belt Conference, and one college from the Big 12 Conference.[17] Additionally, Zaxbys has a separate agreement with Clemson University to provide brand presence at all football and men's and women's basketball games.[18]

Zaxbys was also the sponsor of the Heart of Dallas Bowl, played at the Cotton Bowl Stadium.[19]

Zaxbys was a sponsor for Joey Clanton in the No. 09 JTG Daugherty Racing truck in the NASCAR Truck Series. Zaxbys also sponsored the late John Wes Townley (son of co-founder Tony) in NASCAR's Truck Series and Xfinity Series, and Townley's Athenian Motorsports.[20] John Wes retired from competition after 2016, thus ending the sponsorship.

Zaxbys is a supporter of Make-A-Wish.[21]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Spotlight on Zaxby's" (PDF). greysteel.com. Greysteel. October 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 4, 2021. Retrieved May 28, 2018. Zaxby's primarily operates a franchise model with 145 corporate-operated locations.
  2. ^ Healy, Jim (November 30, 2020). "Business Focus - Zaxby's expansion plans". Statesboro Herald. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
  3. ^ Fitzpatrick, Hayley (August 5, 2015). "A billion-dollar fast-food chain no one ever talks about is taking over America". Business Insider. Axel Springer SE. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
  4. ^ Canham-Clyne, Aneurin (October 11, 2024). "Zaxbys is coming to Maryland". Restaurant Dive. Retrieved 18 October 2024.
  5. ^ Boteler, Cody (22 May 2025). "Zaxbys chicken chain is coming to the Baltimore region". The Baltimore Banner. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
  6. ^ Lalley, Heather (2021-10-26). "Zaxby's hires Bernard Acoca as CEO". Restaurant Business. Retrieved 2022-02-25.
  7. ^ Ewen, Beth (November 2021). "Out as CEO, Zaxby's Founder Reflects on 30 Years of Growth". franchisetimes.com. Retrieved 2022-02-25.
  8. ^ Karel, Janna (15 April 2025). "Georgia's Favorite Fast-Food Chicken Chain Zaxbys Expands to Las Vegas". Eater Las Vegas. Retrieved 4 May 2025.
  9. ^ "The Extra Mile for Freestyle". Here Comes the Shrink. September 11, 2014. Retrieved September 18, 2016.
  10. ^ "Zaxby's Saturday & Today | My Clinton News". www.clintonchronicle.com. Archived from the original on 2017-03-24. Retrieved 2017-03-23.
  11. ^ Hauari, Gabe (19 May 2025). "Zaxbys milkshakes are back! How to score a half-off deal on the sweet treat". USA Today. Retrieved 4 June 2025.
  12. ^ Atlanta Digital Team (17 July 2024). "Zaxbys now selling signature sauces in stores". Fox 5 Atlanta. Retrieved 22 April 2025.
  13. ^ Canham-Clyne, Aneurin (11 October 2022). "Zaxby's revamps loyalty program and mobile app". Restaurant Dive. Retrieved 22 April 2025.
  14. ^ "Zaxby's Ads Featured In Video Game". The Franchise Mall. October 15, 2008. Archived from the original on May 3, 2010. Retrieved September 18, 2016.
  15. ^ Wheless, Erika (23 April 2025). "Zaxbys' CMO on the chain's new 'Sauce Boss' campaign with Omar Epps". Ad Age. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
  16. ^ Kelly, Chris (23 April 2025). "Q&A Zaxbys' CMO on breaking through the chicken category with 'sauce'". Marketing Dive. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
  17. ^ "IMG College - Zaxby's Scores Big With Major College Sports Sponsorship". www.imgcollege.com. Archived from the original on 2017-03-24. Retrieved 2017-03-23.
  18. ^ "Army defeats North Texas in overtime at Zaxby's Heart of Dallas Bowl: Score, stats, recap". OregonLive.com. Retrieved 2017-03-23.
  19. ^ "Playing Chicken: Georgia-Based Zaxby's Signs Sponsorship Deal With 25 Colleges". www.sportsbusinessdaily.com. 8 May 2013. Retrieved 2017-03-23.
  20. ^ "John Wes Townley Joins Red Horse Racing". Speedway Media. December 18, 2012. Retrieved October 11, 2013.
  21. ^ tamara (2013-12-02). "Zaxby's Teams Up with Make-A-Wish for Third Year". QSR magazine. Retrieved 2017-03-23.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Zaxby's.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.