Expansion Updates: Regional Milestones in 2026

Thank you. And we likewise have Clinton Anderson, the CEO of Fourth, who will be moderating the discussion with Jason. So Jason, how about I let you provide the audience some information about your background and you can likewise tell them a little bit about Chop Store. And after that I'll let you take it from there, Clinton.

My name is Jason Morgan, CEO of Original Chop Shop. We purchased the brand name in 2016three unitsand I have actually grown it to 26. After a quick stint of trying to be an accounting professional for about a year and a half, I transitioned into casino residential or commercial property and worked in business finance.

I was the very first employee there after private equity purchased the business. Assisted grow that from 20 to 150 areas, took it public in 2014, and after that left about a year and a half after going public to do this at Chop Shop. My hope is that we can duplicate the success we had at Zos, and we're off to an actually good start.

We're at the counter, we bring the food to the table. It is primarily protein bowlsabout 40 percent of the mix. We also do salads, sandwiches. The secret to the program is we have a beverage element as well with fresh-squeezed juices and protein shakes. We do all stables, we do breakfast all the time.

Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

A little more complex than a few of the walk-the-line ideas that are out there, however we believe we've got something pretty special. We're going to add another shop this year and a minimum of four shops next year. We will be 31 or so shops by the end of next year.

Top Advantages of Restaurant Expansion in 2026

I have actually been in this function for about six years. Fourth, as many of you know, is a leading supplier of software application solutions to the restaurant and hospitality industry. Our objective is to assist our customers be successful in driving success and being efficientmanaging labor, managing inventory, and generally providing them with tools they need to provide their vision.

It's rare to have business that are cherished and growing quickly, that can repeat that success every year. Jason, among the reasons I was so ecstatic to have you join our session is the success at Zos was amazing. I have actually just fulfilled a handful of brand names where there was such a strong customer affinity for the brand.

And now you're doing the same thing at Chop Shop. When you talk with customers about Chop Shop, they love the place. They discuss its differentiation. And to be able to take what is a reasonably complicated idea in regards to providing an excellent experience for the consumer, and have the ability to grow that from a couple of shops to now north of 30 stores next yearit's incredible.

We're going to discuss how to scale a restaurant company. Every restaurateur I ever talk with has dreams of taking one store, 2 stores, five shops, and turning it into something much biggerexpanding throughout the city, throughout the state, into several states, and ultimately national, even worldwide reach. But it's not easy, particularly in today's environment.

It's not an easy time to drive success and development at the very same time. How do you scale it and make it effective? Second, beyond technology, how do you scale great teams?

Analyzing Franchise ROI Against Growth Trends

The first question I have for you, Jasonlook, you have actually done this two times now in the restaurant market. What are some of the lessons you've learned? What has your experience remained in regards to what it requires to really drive success in expanding restaurants? Tell me a little about your path, what you experienced along the method, and possibly some of the more difficult lessons you learned.

We talked a little bit before we started about LinkedIn, and I have actually got a post teed approximately follow this next week about what the playbook is likepoint by pointfor growing an organization. To me, among the essential things, and I feel really fortunate, is that both brands I have actually been involved with are unique.

And there's nothing precisely like Chop Shop in regards to what we're finishing with a large, varied menu. Most brand names today are really singularly focused in terms of what they're using from a foodstuff. I feel like we started at a benefit with both brands by having something special that filled a specific niche nobody else was doing.

Because it's just harder to stand apart when there are 10, 20, 50 ideas within a two- or three-mile radius trying to do the exact same thing. So a lot of it starts with the brand. Does your brand name have something distinct that nobody else is doing? That's uncommon.

The Benefits of Restaurant Franchising in 2026

The 2nd thingI originated from a financing background, so a great deal of my knowings are more finance and data-driven versus a great deal of early startup restaurateurs who are innovative types. They love the food, they constructed the menu, they constructed the brand name. I most likely couldn't do that from scratch. But if you gave me something that has all those parts in place, I can take it from there and put the playbook in place.

They don't know their breakeven sales. They do not comprehend how margin improves as sales increase. I have actually seen so lots of business where the numbers just do not work.

Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

If you don't have those two things, you should not be building shops. Because as I hear your description, you have actually highlighted 3 things: execution, brand name distinction, and financial practicality.

Regional Milestones in Brand Scaling

Second, you need a compelling brand or unique idea that resonates with clients. And another crucial lesson is about getting in brand-new markets.

When we expanded to Dallas, I expected new shops to do 5070% of Phoenix sales in the very first year. Too lots of operators presume new markets will open at complete volume day one.