Zaxby’s opened its 500th location on Monday in Tifton, Georgia. The Tifton store is the 188th store in Georgia and is owned by longtime Zaxby’s licensee Bucky Goff.

Childhood friends and Zaxby’s founders Zach McLeroy and Tony Townley opened the first Zaxby’s restaurant in Statesboro, Georgia, near the Georgia Southern University campus in 1990. Since then, the Athens, Georgia-based chain has expanded in 12 states, including Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia.

“Through the years, Zaxby’s has experienced tremendous, yet calculated growth, and we wouldn’t be where we are today without the passion of a committed licensee community and loyal fan base,” says Zach McLeroy, Zaxby’s CEO and cofounder. “We’d like to thank our partners, vendors, and licensees who consistently deliver quality food and service to our guests.”