P. Terry’s is preparing to grow its footprint in San Antonio as the Austin-based burger chain introduces a new employee ownership model designed to support long-term expansion.
According to the San Antonio Current, P. Terry’s has transitioned to an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT), making employees beneficiaries of a trust that holds a controlling stake in the company. Alongside the change, the company is launching a profit-sharing programme that leaders say will strengthen employee retention while positioning the brand for continued growth.
The company currently operates 35 locations across Central Texas, including five restaurants in San Antonio, and expects to add more locations in the Alamo City. While the company has not announced specific sites or opening timelines, co-founders Patrick Terry and Kathy Terry said expansion remains a priority.
“We’ve always been focused on our employees from day one,” Patrick Terry told the publication. “We’re always looking for ways to take care of the people who help make P. Terry’s great.”
Founded in 2005 as a single 527-square-foot burger stand in Austin, P. Terry’s expanded into San Antonio in 2021, marking its first market outside its hometown. The chain has since grown to five area restaurants, including its 24-hour Broadway location.
Kathy Terry said the Employee Ownership Trust allows the company to preserve its employee-first culture while avoiding a future sale to private equity or outside investors.
“We knew someone else probably wouldn’t be making birthday cakes or offering interest-free loans,” she said. “The trust lets us protect the business and the people who make P. Terry’s what it is.”
As part of the transition, P. Terry’s has also introduced a profit-sharing programme that will initially distribute 5% of the company’s earnings to eligible employees with more than two years of service. The company aims to increase that figure to 20% over the next four to five years.
The Terrys credited the San Antonio workforce as one of the reasons they are confident about expanding further as they spoke to the publication mentioned above.
“The people who work at the P. Terry’s in San Antonio are really above average,” Patrick Terry said. “It’s an amazing group.”
In addition to its growth plans, the chain will continue its quarterly Giving Back Day initiative, during which one day’s profits are donated to a local nonprofit organisation.
Kathy Terry said the programme has helped the company build relationships with local organisations and better understand the needs of the San Antonio community.
Although the company has not disclosed how many additional restaurants it plans to open or where they will be located, P. Terry’s said it expects to continue expanding in San Antonio as it builds on the success of its existing locations.
What Now San Antonio reached out to P. Terry’s for additional information regarding its San Antonio expansion plans but did not receive a response by the time of publication. This article will be updated as more information becomes available.
