Take a deep breath, everyone. Unless you’re in the Atlanta metropolitan area on August 30 and/or September 13, you’ll still be able to get your Bojangles fried chicken fix.
The restaurant chain recently announced that it would be giving the employees of its company-owned locations a “well-deserved” break. The result will be the closure of six separate Bojangles stores in Georgia.
CEO Jose Armario explained why the chain decided to provide its employees with breaks.
“We appreciate everything our dedicated team has done for Bojangles this past year. From navigating a global pandemic to adjusting to new safety measures to picking up shifts for those unable to come in for work, we’ve asked, and they’ve delivered,” Armario said, per WSB-TV Atlanta. “But this hasn’t been easy, and we know many people are physically and emotionally drained, so we hope these extra two days off will provide rest and refreshment.”
The fried chicken restaurant chain cited labor shortages and an overall stressful period of time for its employees. According to WSB-TV Atlanta, the two days off are only the beginning. Apparently, Bojangles plans on unveiling even further benefits shortly.
Bojangles is Looking to Take Its Show Nationwide
Fried chicken aficionados in the Southeast have had a monopoly on the chain’s food offerings since it opened in the 1970s. Now, however, the restaurant chain is poised to expand.
According to a Forbes article from June, Bojangles made a number of new hires to help achieve this. At present, there are roughly 760 total restaurants under the company’s umbrella. Since the company went private in 2018, it has put an increased emphasis on finding franchisees to run stores in new markets.
“If we find the right operators who are maniacally focused on service and experience, like we have done in Texas, it will be easy for the brand to grow because our unit economics are so strong,” Bojangles Chief Growth Officer Jose Costa said.
In terms of Bojangles’ timeline, 2016 is an eternity ago. But at that point, the chain was hoping to grow to a total of 3,500 restaurants across the United States. According to Forbes, things have changed. But the desire to grow is still there.
The areas they are trying to reach include Tennesee, Georgia, Florida, Texas, New York, and Ohio. In fact, they already have some agreements in place to these ends. Of course, expanding during a pandemic doesn’t seem logical. But apparently, Bojangles is boomin’.
“We’ve seen more demand in the last 12 months than we’ve seen prior and that is a combination of our management team, our support of our franchisees, opening regular training centers and providing the right framework to grow AUVs (Annual Unit Volumes),” Costa continued.
There could be a Bojangles popping up in your neighborhood sometime soon.
