PHOENIX — Slim Chickens is planning to soon bring its brand of Southern-style chicken tenders to Arizona after the Arkansas-based franchise signed a 10-year deal with a local developer.
Barnett Management Company, which operates several restaurants throughout Arizona, announced on Tuesday it was going to build 32 Slim Chickens locations in the state over the next decade.
Barnett hopes to open Arizona's first location in the West Valley by the end of 2022. More restaurants would then be developed in Tucson, Yuma, Flagstaff, and throughout the Valley.
“Slim Chickens is one of the nation’s fastest-growing restaurant brands,” said Jackie Lobdell, vice president of franchise development at Slim Chickens. “I could not be more excited about our partnership and expanding our brand in Arizona with the Barnett team."
The original Slim Chickens restaurant opened in 2003 and now there are more than 140 locations in operation across the country. Another 650 restaurants are currently in development.
The franchise's menu includes chicken wings, chicken and waffles, buffalo chicken wraps, and fried pickles.
Tom Barnett, the founder of Barnett Management, said he intends to operate Arizona's Slim Chickens locations the same as he's operated other franchises his firm has managed.
“In our 42 years of operating Burger Kings in Arizona, all of our managers started at lower positions and worked their way up," Barnett said. "That philosophy has brought us great success and we expect Slim Chickens in Arizona to do very well with that approach.”
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