Zaxby's - Wikipedia
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| Trade name | Zaxbys |
|---|---|
| Formerly | Zax Zaxby's |
| Company type | Private |
| Industry | Restaurants |
| Genre | Fast casual |
| Founded | March 1990; 35 years ago |
| Founders | Zach McLeroyTony Townley |
| Headquarters | Athens, Georgia, U.S. |
| Number of locations | 941 (2022) |
| Area served | United States |
| Key people | Bernard Acoca (CEO) Zach McLeroy (Chairman, Former CEO, Co-Founder) Tony Townley (Former Chief Strategy Officer, Co-Founder) |
| Products | Chicken Fingers, french fries, Texas toast, 12 Signature Sauces |
| Website | www.zaxbys.com |
Zaxbys is an American chain of fast casual restaurants offering signature Chicken Fingerz, sandwiches, bone-in and boneless wings, and salads - known as Zalads. The chain operates primarily in the Southern United States and has more than 900 locations. Most Zaxbys restaurants are owned and operating through franchising.[1]
History and locations
[edit]
The first Zaxbys was established in Statesboro, Georgia, in March 1990, near the Georgia Southern University campus, by childhood friends Zach McLeroy and Tony Townley.[2] The company's first restaurant outside of Georgia was opened in September 1994 in Bowling Green, Kentucky. In 2013, they opened locations in Utah, the first expansion outside of the southeastern United States.[3] In 2024, Zaxbys announced further expansion plans for 2025, including a store in Cambridge, Maryland, the first location in the state. More locations are slated to open along the Eastern Shore of Maryland in the coming years.[4] As of 2025, Zaxbys had more than 970 locations throughout the U.S.[5]
In 2022, Zaxbys introduced a new CEO, Bernard Acoca; he was the first CEO that was not one of the co-founders.[6] Outgoing CEO Zach McLeroy stayed on as chairman.[7]
Menu and themes
[edit]Zaxbys is a fast casual restaurant offering Chicken Fingerz, chicken wings, fried shrimp, sandwiches, and salads.[8] Dipping sauces are offered with chicken finger orders, and range from mild, to the moderate "Zax Sauce", to the intensely hot "Nuclear". Dining rooms at Zaxbys restaurants are decorated with assorted whimsical objects and signs, which often vary in theme by location and region.[citation needed] Some locations in college towns feature objects and decorations related to the local university. Similarly, citrus-industry themed decorations line the walls at a location in Orlando, Florida.
Since the December 2013 announcement that Zaxbys would begin to offer the Coca-Cola Freestyle machine at their locations, the decor in the fountain drink dispensing area has been dominated by that distinctive dispenser and other Coca-Cola branding.[9][10]
The company reintroduced milkshakes to its menu in 2025.[11]
Products
[edit]Zaxbys sells three sauces at Walmart, Winn-Dixie and Amazon as of July 2024.[12]
The company offers an app-based points-for-dollars loyalty program called Zax Rewardz.[13]
Advertising
[edit]In October 2008, the video game Midnight Club: Los Angeles featured Zaxbys as a restaurant on the streets of Los Angeles. California, notably, is not home to any Zaxbys locations.[14]
In 2025, Zaxbys featured actor Omar Epps as The Sauce Boss[15] to promote the chain's signature sauces.[16]
Sponsorships
[edit]
Zaxbys is "The Official Chicken of Sports Fanz" and has collective intellectual property rights at nearly 30 Division I colleges through 2015 through a deal with their football and basketball teams. The sponsorship, which was made through IMG College, includes 25 states, seven conferences, and the entire area of Zaxby's locations. Included are ten colleges from the Southeastern Conference, six colleges from the Atlantic Coast Conference, three colleges from Conference USA, two each from the Big Ten Conference and Sun Belt Conference, and one college from the Big 12 Conference.[17] Additionally, Zaxbys has a separate agreement with Clemson University to provide brand presence at all football and men's and women's basketball games.[18]
Zaxbys was also the sponsor of the Heart of Dallas Bowl, played at the Cotton Bowl Stadium.[19]
Zaxbys was a sponsor for Joey Clanton in the No. 09 JTG Daugherty Racing truck in the NASCAR Truck Series. Zaxbys also sponsored the late John Wes Townley (son of co-founder Tony) in NASCAR's Truck Series and Xfinity Series, and Townley's Athenian Motorsports.[20] John Wes retired from competition after 2016, thus ending the sponsorship.
Zaxbys is a supporter of Make-A-Wish.[21]
See also
[edit]- List of chicken restaurants
References
[edit]- ^ "Spotlight on Zaxby's" (PDF). greysteel.com. Greysteel. October 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 4, 2021. Retrieved May 28, 2018. Zaxby's primarily operates a franchise model with 145 corporate-operated locations.
- ^ Healy, Jim (November 30, 2020). "Business Focus - Zaxby's expansion plans". Statesboro Herald. Retrieved February 5, 2022.
- ^ Fitzpatrick, Hayley (August 5, 2015). "A billion-dollar fast-food chain no one ever talks about is taking over America". Business Insider. Axel Springer SE. Retrieved February 5, 2022.
- ^ Canham-Clyne, Aneurin (October 11, 2024). "Zaxbys is coming to Maryland". Restaurant Dive. Retrieved October 18, 2024.
- ^ Boteler, Cody (May 22, 2025). "Zaxbys chicken chain is coming to the Baltimore region". The Baltimore Banner. Retrieved May 27, 2025.
- ^ Lalley, Heather (October 26, 2021). "Zaxby's hires Bernard Acoca as CEO". Restaurant Business. Retrieved February 25, 2022.
- ^ Ewen, Beth (November 2021). "Out as CEO, Zaxby's Founder Reflects on 30 Years of Growth". franchisetimes.com. Retrieved February 25, 2022.
- ^ Karel, Janna (April 15, 2025). "Georgia's Favorite Fast-Food Chicken Chain Zaxbys Expands to Las Vegas". Eater Las Vegas. Retrieved May 4, 2025.
- ^ "The Extra Mile for Freestyle". Here Comes the Shrink. September 11, 2014. Archived from the original on July 29, 2016. Retrieved September 18, 2016.
- ^ "Zaxby's Saturday & Today | My Clinton News". www.clintonchronicle.com. Archived from the original on March 24, 2017. Retrieved March 23, 2017.
- ^ Hauari, Gabe (May 19, 2025). "Zaxbys milkshakes are back! How to score a half-off deal on the sweet treat". USA Today. Retrieved June 4, 2025.
- ^ Atlanta Digital Team (July 17, 2024). "Zaxbys now selling signature sauces in stores". Fox 5 Atlanta. Retrieved April 22, 2025.
- ^ Canham-Clyne, Aneurin (October 11, 2022). "Zaxby's revamps loyalty program and mobile app". Restaurant Dive. Retrieved April 22, 2025.
- ^ "Zaxby's Ads Featured In Video Game". The Franchise Mall. October 15, 2008. Archived from the original on May 3, 2010. Retrieved September 18, 2016.
- ^ Wheless, Erika (April 23, 2025). "Zaxbys' CMO on the chain's new 'Sauce Boss' campaign with Omar Epps". Ad Age. Retrieved May 27, 2025.
- ^ Kelly, Chris (April 23, 2025). "Q&A Zaxbys' CMO on breaking through the chicken category with 'sauce'". Marketing Dive. Retrieved May 27, 2025.
- ^ "IMG College - Zaxby's Scores Big With Major College Sports Sponsorship". www.imgcollege.com. Archived from the original on March 24, 2017. Retrieved March 23, 2017.
- ^ "Army defeats North Texas in overtime at Zaxby's Heart of Dallas Bowl: Score, stats, recap". OregonLive.com. Retrieved March 23, 2017.
- ^ "Playing Chicken: Georgia-Based Zaxby's Signs Sponsorship Deal With 25 Colleges". www.sportsbusinessdaily.com. May 8, 2013. Retrieved March 23, 2017.
- ^ "John Wes Townley Joins Red Horse Racing". Speedway Media. December 18, 2012. Retrieved October 11, 2013.
- ^ tamara (December 2, 2013). "Zaxby's Teams Up with Make-A-Wish for Third Year". QSR magazine. Retrieved March 23, 2017.
External links
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Zaxby's. - Zaxby's web site
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