Bojangles, a Southern fast-food chain known for its fried chicken, sweet tea, and sweet and savory biscuits, is opening its first location in the Lone Star state this spring in Euless.
This will be followed by four more, the next of which — in north Frisco — is expected to open in late spring or summer of this year, The Dallas Morning News reported. Four of the new locations will be in North Texas and the fifth in San Antonio.
According to a list of signed leases by the company obtained by the DMN, the addresses for the new locations in North Texas are: Highway 183 and Main Street, Euless; near U.S. 380 and 423, Frisco; 2821 Eldorado Pkwy., Frisco; and 790 N. I-35E, Lancaster.
Construction has begun on the Euless, Lancaster, and Frisco locations.
The competition for fried chicken has continued to grow over the years, especially in North Texas, according to the DMN. Raising Cane’s has its operations office in Plano, and Golden Chick has headquarters in Richardson.
The classics Popeyes, Chick-fil-A, and KFC are also local staples and Bojangles’ future competitors.
Bojangles was founded in Charlotte, North Carolina, in 1977. Its food and beverage offerings remain influenced by its Southern and Appalachian roots, as recently demonstrated by the chain’s announcement of a partnership with a Boone-based Appalachian Mountain Brewery to concoct its very own Bojangles Hard Sweet Tea.
It is likely this dedication to catering to local tastes that sees Bojangles now boasting around 800 locations, most of which are in the Carolinas and Georgia. A few dozen of its restaurants can also be found scattered across Alabama, Tennessee, and Virginia.
According to a statement from the company, it is planning a huge expansion over the next years with the hope of building around 50 new locations, the DMN reported.
Bojangles is not the only chain from out-of-state that has been recently expanding into North Texas, as observed by the DMN: Portillo’s, the Chicago-based hot dog and Italian beef sandwich shop is planning on opening at least five locations in the region.
Many restaurant chains have made the choice to invest in Texas. In-N-Out, hailing from California, came to Texas in 2011, and now there are over 40 locations statewide, according to the DMN.