Zaxby’s

Zaxby’s is a fast-casual chicken chain known for chicken fingers, wings, sandwiches, salads, crinkle-cut fries and its signature sauces, including the flagship Zax Sauce. Guests order at the counter and most locations offer drive-thru service, online ordering and delivery through third-party partners. The concept sits in the space between traditional quick-service and fast-casual, appealing to busy customers looking for a familiar chicken menu and quick throughput in auto-oriented locations.

The brand began in 1990, when childhood friends Zach McLeroy and Tony Townley opened the first Zaxby’s in Statesboro, Georgia. Their original idea was straightforward: a casual chicken restaurant built around tenders, wings and sauces, delivered with a relaxed, friendly feel. Franchising started in 1994, which allowed the company to move beyond its early Georgia base and build out across the Southeast. Over time, Zaxby’s evolved from a single drive-in style unit into a multi-state chain with standardized buildings, drive-thru focused layouts and growing digital ordering, while keeping the menu centered on chicken to keep operations efficient.

As of November 2025, Zaxby’s operates about 950 restaurants across 17 states. The system includes both franchised and company-operated locations, with a heavy concentration in Southeastern markets where the brand has strong name recognition and repeat business. In the last five years, Zaxby’s has moved from being almost exclusively a Southeast regional player to a chain with a broader national footprint and a more modern operating model that leans into app-based ordering, loyalty engagement and higher-capacity drive-thru designs.

Recent growth has been particularly active. Zaxby’s has been filling in existing markets across the Southeast while also stepping into new states such as Nevada and Arizona. In 2025, the company made a notable push into the Mid-Atlantic, opening its first Maryland restaurant in Waldorf in November, followed quickly by a second location in Cambridge. Additional Maryland stores are planned for Easton, West Ocean City/Berlin and District Heights, signaling a multi-unit commitment to the state rather than a one-off entry. The Waldorf opening was described as the chain’s third new state entry that year, aligning with a corporate goal of reaching roughly 1,000 units nationwide and underscoring that new development is a core strategic priority.

For landlords, brokers and developers, Zaxby’s represents a mature, franchise-driven quick-service user that is still in active expansion mode. Most new units are developed by multi-unit franchisees under area development agreements, which tends to create follow-on deal flow within a given trade area once a group is committed. The brand typically favors freestanding buildings and outparcels in suburban corridors and small cities, especially sites with strong car traffic and easy access. Its recognizable signage, consistent building presence and strong drive-thru orientation make it a reliable pad occupant near power centers, grocery-anchored centers and along high-traffic highways. With nearly 1,000 locations as of November 2025 and continuing market entries in regions like the Mid-Atlantic and Southwest, Zaxby’s remains an active, credible candidate for new ground leases, build-to-suit projects and select second-generation QSR conversions.