Mrs. Winner’s Chicken & Biscuits, the beloved Southeastern quick-service restaurant brand, will soon be serving its legions of loyal guests once again as the company returns to cities and towns across the Southeast. The first wave of growth will be in Atlanta, where Mrs. Winner’s has signed two franchise deals set to bring six new restaurants to the market, one of which debuts this month.
Founded in 1979, Mrs. Winner’s was once a staple in the quick-service fried chicken and biscuits market and a tradition in the homes of many Southern families. During the brand’s early years, Mrs. Winner’s surged to 184 restaurants throughout the Southeast and became known for its authentic Southern fried chicken, made-from-scratch biscuits, and hot frosted cinnamon swirls.
After struggling through multiple ownership transactions and financial missteps, Mrs. Winner’s closed all of its company-owned stores and filed for bankruptcy in 2010, leaving only a handful of restaurants open. In 2012, current President John Buttolph acquired the rights to the company and is spearheading the revitalization after recognizing that Mrs. Winner’s is a brand worth saving.
“Practically every day, I hear from people who want Mrs. Winner’s back in their communities. The demand for this iconic brand is real and the love customers have for Mrs. Winners is nothing short of astonishing,” Buttolph says. “Our new executive team has made the necessary changes in the Mrs. Winner’s business model to reestablish the franchising platform and secure a solid infrastructure to support and grow the brand to its full potential.”
Atlanta is the first of many cities welcoming home the Mrs. Winner’s fried chicken tradition. Within the next five years, the company expects to add 100 new restaurants throughout Mrs. Winner’s southeastern core markets and is actively seeking qualified franchise partners in metropolitan Atlanta, Nashville, Memphis, Birmingham, Chattanooga, and other territories throughout Northern Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, North and South Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi, Kentucky, and Virginia.
“Mrs. Winner’s is a unique franchise opportunity because there is built-in demand and incredible customer loyalty in our core markets. People are genuinely excited for us to come back,” Buttolph says.
There are currently 12 Mrs. Winner’s locations throughout Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee.
Franchised Mrs. Winner’s locations are available through property conversions or new construction. The total investment to become a Mrs. Winner’s franchisee ranges from $200,000 to $500,000.
