Cowboy Chicken, the fast casual brand known for its wood-fired rotisserie chicken and handmade side dishes, announces a new franchise partner for the brand’s McDonough, Georgia, location: restaurant industry veterans Jenny and Paul Bellanca of Florida Fine Foods. The Bellancas, along with operational partner Chip Harwick. have taken ownership of Cowboy Chicken’s first Georgia restaurant, which opened in 2018.
“We are thrilled to be part of the McDonough community,” says Harwick, who lives in McDonough and previously worked with the Bellancas as Krispy Kreme franchise partners. “Jenny, Paul and I have a proven track record of working together to exceed the expectations of our guests, and we look forward to continuing Cowboy Chicken’s honest family values and commitment to authentic, wholesome food with metro Atlanta.”
The Bellancas also have a development agreement with Cowboy Chicken that will expand the concept into the greater Orlando area. Previously, the husband-and-wife duo, together with Harwick, owned and operated six Krispy Kreme Doughnuts retail locations in Orlando, Kissimmee and Winter Park, Florida, where they increased same-store retail sales by 70%, increased wholesale sales by 75% and were honored as Krispy Kreme’s top franchise at the 2017 Global Partner Summit and as the “most innovative local relationship marketing program” in 2014. The Bellancas formed Florida Fine Foods after selling their successful Krispy Kreme franchise business in mid-2020 and now have four Cowboy Chicken stores scheduled to open in central Florida in 2022 and 2023.
“We were first introduced to Cowboy Chicken while dining at the McDonough restaurant and immediately knew that we wanted to bring this flavorful rotisserie chicken experience to more markets,” says Paul Bellanca. “Having the opportunity to get to know the Cowboy Chicken brand at this very special location before establishing a presence in Kissimmee feels like a dream.”
Cowboy Chicken’s menu features bold, simple and natural food including all-natural chicken cooked over an open flame and a variety of homestyle sides. Since 1981, Cowboy Chicken has excelled in serving fresh ingredients while treating guests like family and employees like partners. The welcoming, authentic experience, with food as honest as a handshake, has kept guests coming back for more.
