A Chicken Salad Chick franchisee operates a fast-casual Restaurant that prepares a limited menu on-site, captures every order through required systems, and fulfills dine-in, carryout, catering, and approved off-premise orders. The franchisee runs labor, food preparation, service, compliance, and local execution; Simply Southern Restaurant Group, LLC controls the System, menu, suppliers, technology, marketing rules, and quality standards.
What does a Chicken Salad Chick Restaurant sell, and who buys it?
The franchised business sells specialty chicken salads, pimento cheese, side salads, soups, sandwiches, beverages, desserts, and approved catering products to individual guests and group-order customers.
The 2026 FDD describes a limited-menu fast-casual Restaurant with dine-in and carryout demand, plus catering services. Chicken salad and pimento cheese may be sold in individual or pound quantities. The official flavor page identifies twelve chicken-salad varieties, while the official catering menu shows group luncheons, platters, bowls, lunch boxes, sides, desserts, and beverages.
Demand can reach the Restaurant through the dining room, counter pickup, a drive-thru where the approved site includes one, catering, and franchisor-approved digital or delivery channels. Official location pages show that pickup, delivery, curbside, and catering availability varies by Restaurant. The contract does not independently grant internet or wholesale distribution rights; unapproved apps, mail order, telemarketing, and other channels are restricted.
| Operating format | Preparation point | Customer handoff | Contract status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Non-drive-thru Restaurant | At the Restaurant. | Dining room, carryout, catering, and approved off-premise channels. | Primary configuration. |
| Drive-thru Restaurant | Same Restaurant kitchen and System standards. | Adds approved vehicle ordering or pickup. | Primary configuration. |
| Satellite location | None on-site; supplied by the main Restaurant. | Limited resale at nearby premises. | Occasional approval under the main contract. |
How does work move through the Restaurant after opening?
The operating cycle links approved demand channels to required order capture, recipe-controlled preparation, service or delivery handoff, payment and loyalty processing, then recurring reporting and audit access.
- Actor
- Guest and service personnel.
- Action
- Accept a dine-in, carryout, drive-thru, catering, pickup, or approved delivery order.
- Required system
- Franchisor-designated front- and back-of-house systems.
- Output
- A recorded order routed to preparation; manual order recording is restricted unless permitted.
- Actor
- Kitchen personnel under on-duty management.
- Action
- Prepare authorized menu items using required recipes, portions, food-safety procedures, and quality standards.
- Required asset
- Approved equipment, designated ingredients, approved produce and packaging, Manual standards, and Chicken Salad Chick University recipes.
- Output
- Prepared components ready for assembly or packaged catering fulfillment.
- Actor
- Service, kitchen, and management personnel.
- Action
- Assemble the approved meal or group order, verify presentation, completeness, packaging, and customer instructions.
- Required standard
- System specifications for food quality, cleanliness, service, uniforms, and approved menu execution.
- Output
- A completed order for dining-room service, counter handoff, drive-thru, catering, or approved delivery.
- Actor
- Service personnel and guest.
- Action
- Complete handoff and payment; issue or redeem approved gift, loyalty, stored-value, coupon, or discount instruments.
- Required system
- Approved payment devices, order systems, and the required customer loyalty program.
- Output
- A closed transaction with captured sales and Consumer Data handled under required security procedures.
- Actor
- General Manager, Assistant Manager, or other management personnel on duty.
- Action
- Supervise employees, monitor inventory and food execution, address complaints, maintain sanitation, and keep equipment operating.
- Required asset
- Confidential Operations Manual, training programs, approved vendors, and Restaurant Assessment standards.
- Output
- A compliant operating shift and records for management review.
- Actor
- Franchisee or Operating Partner, accounting support, franchisor, and CSC Affiliate.
- Action
- Submit semi-monthly sales and expense statements, monthly financial statements, and requested operating reports.
- Required system
- Prescribed accounting, recordkeeping, reporting, and connected transaction systems.
- Output
- Royalty and Brand Fund calculations, operational visibility, audit records, and data available for inspection.
Can the Restaurant be manager-run?
A manager-run structure is permitted, but passive ownership is not established by the FDD: the franchisee or an Operating Partner must participate personally in or directly supervise the Restaurant.
That person must have a vested financial interest and be dedicated to the Restaurant, and may not operate or manage another business without prior written approval. When the designated operator is not on-site each day, the Restaurant must have a dedicated General Manager and/or Manager. Management personnel must be on duty during business hours, with Assistant Managers based on volume.
The franchisee controls hiring, firing, discipline, wages, scheduling, employment agreements, and labor relations. The franchisor does not employ or supervise unit personnel, but requires management certification, confidentiality agreements, trained service and kitchen personnel, approved uniforms, and specified operating hours. Item 19 separately notes that affiliate-owned Restaurants carry at least two salaried managers; it does not impose that same two-manager minimum on franchisee owner-operators.
The practical distinction is direct supervision, not daily counter work. A franchisee may delegate shift execution to certified managers, but the contract keeps responsibility for the Restaurant, its employees, contractors, legal compliance, records, and operating results with the franchisee or approved designated operator.
Which suppliers and systems are mandatory?
Supplier choice is tightly restricted: almost all establishment and operating purchases must come from designated or approved suppliers or comply with written System specifications.
Designated categories include kitchen and restaurant equipment, smallwares, décor, chicken, every chicken-salad recipe ingredient, other menu ingredients, produce, packaging, and the POS/information system. SSRG Cake is the designated source for proprietary cake and dessert products, although the franchisee buys them through a third-party distributor. The franchisor and affiliates negotiate purchase arrangements but do not guarantee supplier performance or the most favorable terms.
An alternative supplier can be proposed only through the approval process. The franchisee must provide samples, specifications, requested business information, and pay testing or inspection costs before approval. The franchisor may re-inspect facilities, change specifications, add or remove suppliers, and revoke approval if criteria are no longer met.
- People and shifts
- Hire, schedule, supervise, compensate, and manage personnel.
- Daily execution
- Order inventory, prepare food, serve guests, maintain the Premises, and comply with law.
- Technology ownership
- Acquire, operate, maintain, secure, and upgrade required systems.
- Local demand
- Conduct approved local advertising and execute community-level marketing.
- System definition
- Set menu, recipes, equipment, hours, and quality standards.
- Data and controls
- Access transaction data, prescribe reporting, inspect the Restaurant, and audit records.
- Support
- Provide Manual updates, supplier lists, advisory services, and training.
- Channel permission
- Approve delivery, catering execution, digital channels, advertising, coupons, and promotions.
- CSC Affiliate
- Administers the Brand Fund and receives required advertising contributions.
- SSRG Cake
- Controls the proprietary cake and dessert supply through a distributor.
- Approved suppliers
- Provide food, packaging, equipment, décor, software, and services.
- Commercial vendors
- Provide approved communications, maintenance, payment, and technology services.
What does the franchisor control, and what remains a franchisee decision?
The franchisor controls the branded operating envelope; the franchisee makes employment and local business decisions inside that envelope and bears responsibility for execution.
- Franchisor requirementOffer all periodically specified products and no unauthorized products; follow recipe, portion, presentation, service, cleanliness, and uniform standards.
- Franchisor requirementUse designated technology, maintain connectivity, permit unrestricted access to transaction data, and install required upgrades.
- Franchisor requirementParticipate in the Brand Fund, approved loyalty programs, required promotions, and approved local advertising formats.
- Franchisor enforcementInspect without prior notice, sample products, interview customers, review complaints and health notices, and audit records.
- Franchisee decisionSelect, employ, schedule, discipline, and compensate personnel; establish employment policies and contractor terms.
- Franchisee responsibilityMaintain licenses, food-safety compliance, insurance, taxes, premises, equipment, Consumer Data security, and vendor performance at the unit level.
All orders and financial data must be recorded on designated systems unless the franchisor permits another method. The franchisee pays for acquisition, maintenance, security, PCI compliance, and upgrades, while the franchisor and CSC Affiliate receive broad access to captured operating data.
How much protection does the Protected Area provide?
The typical location protection covers the physical location of another Chicken Salad Chick Restaurant, not every customer, order, product, or distribution channel inside the radius.
Unless a venue or market calls for a smaller area or none, the FDD states that it is generally a one-mile radius from the Restaurant’s front entrance. During the initial term, the franchisor and its affiliates will not place another Chicken Salad Chick Restaurant physically inside that radius. They retain rights to sell similar products through other channels, including the internet, and to operate other brands.
An Area Development Agreement creates a Development Area for multiple Restaurants, but it is not fully exclusive. Non-Traditional Venues and Restricted Venues can be carved out when the developer cannot or will not pursue the opportunity. A satellite location also requires approval and remains tied to the main contract rather than creating a separate territorial grant.
What does the FDD show about the outlet mix?
At December 31, 2025, the system contained 326 U.S. outlets: 252 franchised outlets and 74 outlets classified as Company-Owned and operated by affiliate SSRG II, LLC.
Interpretation: the year-end system was 77.3% franchised and 22.7% affiliate-operated; 12 of the latter were sold to franchisees during 2025. Source: 2026 FDD, Item 20, Table No. 1, p. 52. Percentages are 252 ÷ 326 and 74 ÷ 326 and reconcile to 100.0%.
The outlet tables record 49 franchised openings and three franchised outlets that ceased operations for other reasons during 2025. Five affiliate-operated outlets opened and 12 were sold to franchisees, producing a net decline of seven in that population.
Which operating questions remain to be verified for a specific deal?
The FDD defines the control structure, but several site-level operating facts remain dependent on the accepted location, current Manual, supplier list, technology specification, and local channel approvals.
- Channel mixConfirm whether the proposed Restaurant will include vehicle service, curbside, delivery, catering, and app-based pickup, and who controls each order source.
- Management structureConfirm whether the approved designated operator will be on-site, who will serve as General Manager, and how many Assistant Managers the franchisor expects at forecast volume.
- Supplier routeObtain the current designated and approved supplier list, distributor service map, proprietary-item freight terms, and backup procedures for outages.
- Technology stackObtain current POS, back-office, loyalty, payment, security, reporting, maintenance, and upgrade specifications and vendor contracts.
- Territorial carve-outsMap the exact location-protection radius and identify nearby Non-Traditional Venues, Restricted Venues, planned Restaurants, internet channels, and satellite opportunities.
- Operating standardsReview the current Confidential Operations Manual, Restaurant Assessment standards, required hours, menu calendar, promotion calendar, and inspection process.
Operating-model synthesis. The central transaction is the sale of approved, prepared food through a Restaurant and franchisor-approved off-premise channels. The franchisee’s central responsibility is daily execution by trained management and employees. The strongest dependency is the franchisor’s control over recipes, suppliers, required technology, data access, marketing, and inspections.
The key format distinction is whether the accepted Restaurant includes vehicle service; the approved satellite is only a limited extension of a main Restaurant. The largest undisclosed question is the current combination of technology vendors, distributor coverage, staffing expectations, and channel permissions for the specific site.
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