By Luca Piacentini
1851 Franchise Managing Editor
In the heart of the American South, where fried chicken is basically a religion, Southern Classic Chicken has been tantalizing taste buds with its mouth-watering comfort food since 1989. But there is no shortage of chicken QSR franchises, which is why the Southern Classic Chicken franchise aims to be more than just another chicken franchise — it’s a tradition steeped in family values and a steadfast commitment to quality.
“My father Leon started this concept in the backyard, frying chicken and letting neighbors taste it,” said Alex Fanning, one of the second-generation members of the founding family who still leads the Southern Classic Chicken brand today. “That is how it all started. That recipe — marinated for no less than 24 hours — is still the same one we use today, and that is why we have so many fans of the brand.”
Now, after expanding to include 17 units, this iconic brand is ready to grow that family through franchising and bring its winning formula to communities across the U.S. With a recent focus on innovating the branding, launching a new prototype restaurant, impressively high AUVs and the backing of franchising experts on the team, Southern Classic Chicken is looking for entrepreneurs and restaurant professionals to join the family-driven company and is targeting areas across Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas and Texas for its next generation of expansion.
“We’ve learned a lot over the years and, as part of this family and business, we’ve been around chicken all our life,” said Alan Fanning, another of the second-generation leaders. “We are very hands-on with the business, but that means there is a limit to how much we can grow by ourselves. We get calls from people all over begging us to bring this concept to their city. We know this business can be successful outside of our reach, which is why we’ve decided to franchise.”
The History of Southern Classic Chicken
The origins of Southern Classic Chicken started with Leon Fanning, who entered the industry with his first fried chicken restaurant in 1976. Leon then connected with his brother Howard Fanning, as well as his son Brandon Fanning, to continue that family legacy, and transitioned their business to what became Southern Classic Chicken.
When starting Southern Classic Chicken, the Fannings wanted the foundation to be based on four things: quality, the absolute best fried chicken, classic southern sides and cajun seasoned french fries. And they wanted to do it through a simple drive-thru and walk-up model. Quickly, the concept proved to be a hit. Over the years, the company has expanded in the Southern U.S. and now includes 17 corporate locations.
Today, Southern Classic Chicken is a second-generation family-run franchise business, with Alan (Howard’s son), as well as Brandon and Alex (Leon’s sons), at the helm.
“When we came into the business, our goal was to bring a little extra energy and insight to help modernize and grow the impact of Southern Classic Chicken,” said Alan.
The Fannings remain actively involved in running the company’s day-to-day business and have expanded the footprint to include 17 corporate stores, with two markets in development in Lafayette and New Orleans, Louisiana. But that simple model and menu has basically stayed the same.
Impressive Chicken Franchise AUVs: Why Now Is the Time to Join Southern Classic Chicken
Around five years ago, the Fanning family began flirting with the idea of franchising as a way to share their success across more communities. “We looked at franchising several times over the years — we’ve always had a strong following and we wanted more people to try our product because we believe it’s one of the best,” said Alan.
But while the Fannings may have been experts in chicken, they knew they needed experts on the franchising side. That is where Tom O’Keefe came into the picture. O’Keefe has more than 30 years of franchise experience as a franchise attorney, and has held executive roles with Popeye’s/Church’s Chicken, Ruth Chris Steak House and Anytime Fitness. He was most recently President of Smoothie King before going on his own to help growing companies like Southern Classic Chicken.
As the Fannings looked to further expand their operations through franchising, they retained O’Keefe as a Managing Director to help format and launch their growth plans.
“I am no stranger to the franchising space, and I have worked with many national and international brands,” said O’Keefe. “I could tell the Fanning family had a true love for the industry and a true love for the restaurant. It is really all about involvement. You can’t be accountable for this restaurant without being involved. Adding super compelling unit-level economics to those other components left me very confident that this franchise opportunity would be well received and pursued.”
While other restaurant concepts struggled through the COVID-19 pandemic, Southern Classic Chicken proved to be well-positioned for changing consumer demand thanks to its successful, thriving business model that focused on walk-up and drive-thru experiences, and the affordable price point, with an average meal ranging from $8.00-$12.00. In 2020, Southern Classic Chicken saw system-wide drive-thru sales increase by more than 20%. The first franchisees joined the Southern Classic Chicken family in Louisiana just after the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions began to lift in 2021.
“They have an incredible team that is very committed to the brand,” said Nick Binnings, a Southern Classic Chicken franchisee based in Louisiana. “The three core items that made me become a franchisee: the family behind the company are as good as they come– the real deal, the unit economics are incredible, and the operations are very simplistic, making the decision an easy one.”
In the three years since, that growth has shown no signs of slowing down. AUVs have steadily increased from $2,077,182 in 2020 to $2,360,144 in 2021 to $2,673,102 in 2022, according to the company’s most recent Item 19. As a result, more and more savvy entrepreneurs and restaurateurs are taking notice.
“We’re now seeing a lot of franchisee candidates who are really intrigued by our performance post-COVID,” said Alan. “The pandemic was really a test for the company more than anything else. No one is pandemic-proof, but we made it through that time successfully. Now, we are ahead of the curve with a model that everyone is chasing.”
Looking ahead, Southern Classic Chicken is ready to find partners to grow with — but they aren’t interested in teaming up with just anybody. They are specifically looking for franchisees who are eager to be hands-on in the business or are willing to hire an operating partner who will be there everyday.
“We look for a cultural and business alignment and want like-minded people who have restaurant management experience, or at the very least, have a love and passion for service and restaurant operations,” Alan noted. “Our numbers may be strong, but we don’t view this as just an investment. It is who we are. We want our franchisees to feel the same.”
With family at the forefront of the business, franchisees can expect to be welcomed with open arms as members of the Southern Classic Chicken family. Just ask the many team members who have been with the company over 20 years or more.
“Not only do we get to work with family, but we also get to create another family by working at the restaurant,” said Alex. “Many on our team have been with us for decades. They have become part of the family. That really helps the longevity and stability of the business as we continue to grow as a company.”
How Southern Classic Chicken is Preparing for a New Generation of Franchise Growth
So, with such big plans for growth, what is the Southern Classic Chicken team doing to support this next generation of franchise owners?
To start, the company recently went through a brand refresh. “The Southern Classic Chicken branding had been the same since the 1980s, so it was due for a change,” said Alex. “We wanted to be prepared for the future. We worked with a team to update our colors, our logos and our branding.”
But the update wasn’t just cosmetic. As part of this process, Southern Classic Chicken has also unveiled a new store prototype in Bossier City, Louisiana, that Alan says is “the future of the brand.” Operational efficiency has been increased through elements such as a new floor plan and a dual lane to fit more cars (up to 30) in each lot, which keeps people out of the street. And by shrinking the footprint of the building, the company has found that it has a much higher throughput.
And while the goal is to update Southern Classic Chicken’s looks to feel more modern, the team is still committed to staying true to their roots as the franchise grows. Sourcing the highest quality ingredients and products possible, for example, remains a top priority so the company can provide the “absolute best” to its customers at a better price point and value than competitors.
“From the very first day, my uncle said he wanted to ‘do chicken and do it right,’” said Alan. “That’s the way it started and the way it was always intended. We want our product to be just right. We’re a fried chicken business that specializes in traditional Louisiana-style fried chicken and quality, classic southern sides. Our promise is to give communities the experience and value that builds trust and goodwill today and for generations to come. We do fried chicken, and we do it well.”
To complement the heavy drive-thru business, Southern Classic Chicken is also known for leveraging its walk-up model to provide a convenient and fast service to customers. Though this is something many brands adopted out of necessity during the COVID-19 pandemic, the chain has always had walk-up windows and drive-thrus from the beginning, with some locations having dining rooms.
“People love it, and it helps us streamline our day to day operations by not having customers in the building,” said Alan. “[Walk-up windows] are like having a second drive-thru. We have some sit downs now, but we move faster in our walk-up and drive-thru locations.”
This careful balance between rolling out new initiatives and sticking true to what has worked in the past is already proving to pay off for Southern Classic Chicken franchisees. “We are seeing results in sales volumes that are higher than usual,” Alan added. “We’ve also seen an increase in younger customers since we launched the brand refresh. Prior to the brand refresh, we had zero social media presence, and over the course of the past 1.5 years, we’ve grown to over 15,000 followers– which highlights the strong community and culture Southern Classic Chicken has built over the decades. We have a shiny new exterior, but the inside is a proven model of over 30 years.”
And the numbers don’t lie — the average gross revenue at the top one-third of reporting Southern Classic Chicken restaurants was a whopping $3,974,144 in 2022.
How Southern Classic Chicken Is Supporting Franchisees
In addition to perfecting its business model, Southern Classic Chicken also takes pride in its heavy focus on training and support for franchisees. The leadership team has been running corporate stores for 35 years, so they know the business inside and out and have the real front line experience to make each franchise a success, Alan notes.
“We give franchisees all the resources and support they need to do their jobs well, manage their business and, at the end of the day, make money,” said O’Keefe.
Throughout ownership, business coaches will also be available to contact for any questions or guidance. Franchisees also benefit from a cloud-based system called The Coop where they can find a library of learning resources, operational playbooks and access system-wide communication.
Southern Classic Chicken is also very focused on building a community when it comes to their franchisees. By bringing in the right people who share their mission and values, and working very closely with them, the company believes it can create an awesome culture that feels like family.
“We’ve done a good job at creating our company’s mission and values,” said Alan. “I believe that successful companies are the ones that speak a common language and have a common set of beliefs. We’ve successfully created a common center in a corporate environment.”
Winning the Chicken Segment: Why the Future Is Bright for the Southern Classic Chicken Franchise
For potential franchisees looking for an opportunity to join a thriving family business with a beloved product, a well-positioned business model and an expert leadership team, Southern Classic Chicken offers an unmatched prospect in the booming $30 million chicken segment. In particular, Southern Classic Chicken is looking forward to growing steadily with the right franchisees starting in states such as Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas and Mississippi.
And while their eyes are fixed on the prize ahead, the Fannings and the Southern Classic Chicken team remain committed to nurturing the familial culture that has been so instrumental to the company’s success in the past.
“We’re growing slowly but surely — we don’t want to just sign on a bunch of franchisees as fast as we can,” Alan said. “We are here for them. We want to help them make money. That’s our philosophy. We’re a family and we want to keep it that way. Now, we are excited to bring this restaurant to more people and help more families create lasting memories with great food
The total investment necessary to open a Southern Classic Chicken franchise ranges between $777,500-$1,235,500 (assuming leased real property), including a $40,000 initial franchise fee. Average Gross Revenues at the reporting Southern Classic Chicken restaurants for the calendar year of 2022 were $2,673,102.