Daddy’s Chicken Shack, an emerging brand quickly making a name for itself in the competitive fast casual chicken category, recently executed its seventh regional development deal in 2022, and second in Texas.
Daddy’s Chicken Shack announced its latest regional development deal which covers the southwest section of the Houston market, and officially marks over 100 units in development for the brand from coast to coast. This deal comes on the heels of Daddy’s Chicken Shack’s recent opening in Houston—its flagship restaurant that opened in late October in the Houston Heights neighborhood.
Catching the attention of Texas businessman Craig Baudier, a longtime Houston resident and the brand’s latest regional developer, this deal includes 10 units with a development focus primarily in the medical center and west to the Cinco Ranch area, further igniting growth in Texas. As the newest franchisee to join Daddy’s Chicken Shack, Baudier brings with him extensive experience in the financial sphere as a former CPA, a general contractor and real estate developer. He currently owns and operates Baudier Construction, a premier residential home construction business based in Houston. For his first location with Daddy’s Chicken Shack, Baudier aims to open by spring of 2023.
“As someone who’s experienced the process of site selection, designing and building out a location, I possess the necessary knowledge and expertise to streamline an operation like Daddy’s. I’m always looking for the next opportunity that both excites me and speaks to my skill set, and Daddy’s Chicken Shack checks all of those boxes,” says Baudier. “I first became interested in the brand after hearing of Dave Liniger’s investment and involvement, and once I met Pace, Chris and the rest of the team, I was eager to get started. I’m thrilled to join such a fast-growing brand that truly sets itself apart with its innovative business model, and I look forward to being with them for many years to come.”
Baudier will oversee the development of his initial location as well as focus on securing independent franchisees for the remaining nine locations in his territory.
“Texas is an outstanding market for new restaurants with amazing potential for continued growth. I’m thrilled to see yet another regional developer join our brand, especially following the recent opening of our flagship location in Houston, which received such a great response from the community,” says Pace Webb, who serves as CEO and leads the brand with Chris Georgalas, her husband and president of the brand. “Our development team is honored to have someone like Craig join our team, and I can’t wait to see our growth continue into the new year.”
With an emphasis on its elevated, chef-driven menu and highly advanced, tech-enabled operations, Daddy’s Chicken Shack now has locations in development throughout Florida, Texas, Colorado, California, Georgia and Arizona. Under the direction of Dr. Ben Litalien, CFE who serves as Chief Development Officer for Daddy’s, these locations are a result of several regional developer teams within the Daddy’s system making up over 100 units. This chain of development deals was ignited by RE/MAX co-founder Dave Liniger, the majority investor in Daddy’s who is also a regional developer for markets in Phoenix and Denver. His first unit is currently under construction in Scottsdale and expected to open by the end of 2022.
Launching in 2018, Daddy’s business model is deeply entrenched in technology. A brand ahead of the curve with front-end technology, the restaurant was designed to facilitate online ordering, app engagement, in-store web-enabled tech, exclusive pick-up areas and third-party delivery partnerships. Plus, Georgalas’ vision included a dynamic backend technology suite that fosters real-time data to better serve customers, employees and vendors.
With a regional development deal in place for Baudier, his immediate focus lies solely on the first location in Houston. From there, he will begin actively marketing the franchise opportunity to qualified individuals who will carry on the Daddy’s Chicken Shack growth.
Ideal franchise candidates have a desire to provide quality, fresh ingredients to customers along with the idea of leveraging an unforgettable experience in bringing people together. The brand aims to attract individuals and groups with previous restaurant experience and who resonate with the brand’s values of bringing sunshine to communities by honoring inclusivity, good food and a memorable guest experience.
