A local franchisee is getting ready to open Memphis’ first location of Waldo’s Chicken and Beer, opening first in Countrywood at 2200 N. Germantown Parkway.
While the company already has six locations in Tennessee, this will be the first in Memphis, opening in December 2023, according to the Daily Memphian. This will be the first of many for franchise owner Fayaz Abdul, who says he is fully committed to expanding this concept to West Tennessee and North Mississippi market. A new location is also expected to come to East Memphis in Summer 2024. Waldo’s Chicken and Beer has locations in Alabama, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Colorado, Arkansas, and Florida.
“Waldo’s is a fast-casual environment focusing on fresh scratch-made food while delivering full-service guest experiences,” Abdul tells the Daily Memphian. “We feel it’s a winning combination. We see a great need for this concept to be a part of the Memphis community. Memphis is like the second largest city in Tennessee, and we don’t have any stores. I think this will kind of fill that void there.”
When these locations open, customers can expect delicious, made-from-scratch food such as fresh-cut fries and chicken that is marinated overnight and cooked in two ways: southern fried and rotisserie. All locations feature a similar 5,600-square-foot featuring an inside dining area and an enclosed patio. While there will be plenty of space for guests, Abdul is also making sure there is enough space for large parties and gatherings.
“I feel really good about it because I’m blown away by the quality of food,” Abdul said. “To our Memphis community, they haven’t tried anything like this. I think it’ll be a great fit for this market. You can’t really order anything on the menu that we didn’t make that morning. That’s what we’re known for.”
