MOOYAH Burgers, Fries & Shakes, an 86-unit, fast-casual, “better burger” franchise, is ready to satisfy the taste buds of burger enthusiasts in Arizona. The brand is planning to add between 15 and 20 locations across Phoenix over the next decade.
The Plano, Texas-based franchise concept offers mouthwatering made-to-order burgers, french fries hand-cut from Idaho potatoes, and real ice cream shakes. It is currently working with a franchise development group to scout real estate in the area to find the best locations. It plans to open its first Phoenix-area store in 2021.
“We are laser-focused on expanding our presence across the country,” says MOOYAH Burgers, Fries & Shakes President Tony Darden. “When looking to expand, at a macro level we look at population growth, the health of the economy, supply chain availability and the state of both the residential and commercial real estate markets. Once through that, we then take a more granular approach in terms of understanding the workforce, density of the population and the number of competitors. Now, we are looking forward to bringing new Franchise Owners into the MOOYAH family and bringing our one of a kind ‘better burger’ experience to Phoenix.”
MOOYAH currently has 86 locations in markets across the country, including Orlando, Florida; Joliet, Illinois, Madison, Wisconsin; Knoxville, Tennessee and throughout the states of Alabama, California, Louisiana and Massachusetts. MOOYAH recently opened a location in Midtown Manhattan, setting the brand up for further national expansion.
The new locations in Phoenix are set to bring 300 to 400 jobs to the city.
In 2019, the MOOYAH leadership team worked with Livit, a Madrid-based company that has made a name for itself as a global expert in guest-experience design, to launch a rebranded restaurant model that better serves Guests. In February 2020, MOOYAH opened its first restaurant featuring the new prototype, which showcases updated dining zones and seating arrangements, purposeful third-party and to-go shelving, a closed kitchen, digital menu boards and a new logo.
“This new design and layout has set MOOYAH up for our next phase of growth,” says Darden. “This approach allows us to be more accessible to our Guests in the manner in which they want to enjoy their dining experience, whether that be through dine-in, pick-up or delivery. We are confident this elevated design positions us extremely well to achieve our short- and long-term franchise development strategies as we partner with existing and new Franchise Owners. We truly believe the alignment of design and experience with our top-notch food quality gives us a competitive advantage across the industry.”
With the newly remodeled concept that both existing and new Franchise Owners are buying into, MOOYAH is herding in Guests at locations in markets where the brand never previously had a presence. Looking ahead to 2021 and beyond, in addition to Phoenix, MOOYAH is eying expansion across other major markets as well, including Houston; Las Vegas; Orlando and Tampa, Florida; Nashville, Tennessee; Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina; Atlanta; and Richmond, Virginia.
