Brand’s First Franchisee Signs Agreement for More Units as The Big Biscuit Continues Disciplined Growth Across Almost 40 Locations
- Restaurant industry veterans including Steve Zahn have signed multi-unit franchise deals propelling The Big Biscuit’s expansion.
- Zahn has seven restaurants open and two more in development as The Big Biscuit franchise expands to almost 40 locations across Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Kansas.
- The brand’s operational efficiency, daytime hours, high-quality breakfast and lunch offerings, and corporate support appealed to Zahn.
Steve Zahn (above) had more than 30 years of experience as a multi-unit restaurant operator, so he recognized a strong franchise opportunity when he saw one. The Big Biscuit, founded in 2000, captured his attention. When the brand began franchising in 2019, Zahn was all in, entering a multi-unit agreement to bring the breakfast and lunch franchise to Oklahoma. He recently signed a new multi-unit franchise deal, bringing his total investment to nine restaurants across the state – seven open and two more in development.
The Big Biscuit appealed to Zahn for several reasons. “They created what I feel is operational excellence. We offer full service, but ticket times average only six minutes; the systems in place make this possible. The daytime hours also appealed to me, as well as The Big Biscuit’s high-quality breakfast product. I may be biased a little bit,” he says with a chuckle, “but I pretty much speak the truth on that.”
Zahn praised the corporate team for its support and for designing a system that’s easy to replicate and scale. “We have a great relationship with corporate. They value the franchisee and are thoughtful about who they expand with. That’s hard to find in franchising these days,” he says. “They’re big enough that we can expand regionally and nationwide, but small enough that I can call, talk to somebody and get something resolved very quickly.”
Strategic Franchise Growth
Zahn’s latest multi-unit franchise deal comes during one of the most active periods of growth in the brand’s history. The Big Biscuit’s expansion over the past six-plus months has included new restaurant openings in Kansas and Arkansas, extending its reach into new markets while deepening its presence in existing ones. The brand now approaches 40 corporate and franchise locations across its home state of Missouri, as well as Kansas, Oklahoma and Arkansas. Seasoned industry veterans, in addition to Zahn, are helping fuel growth as multi-unit franchise owners in places such as Columbia, Mo., and Rogers, Ark…