A local franchise group continues to expand Huey Magoo’s in Georgia.
The next location from franchise group DAD’s Tenders is slated to open in Monroe next spring, following a recently opened one in Covington.
DAD’s Tenders is made up of Alex Larson, Dean Thompson and Derry Thompson. It was first announced in 2018 that the group would be bringing dozens of locations of the chicken tender restaurant to Georgia.
Huey Magoo’s isn’t their first foray into the franchise business; they are also experienced franchisees of Papa John’s. They spent several years looking for another concept with certain criteria in mind.
“We knew we didn’t want a full-service restaurant, but we wanted to have a different atmosphere than the typical fast-food chain,” Larson told What Now Atlanta.
Then they stumbled upon Huey Magoo’s in a restaurant news magazine.
“We took a jump at going down to Orlando, where they’re originally based out of, and spent two to three days touring their restaurants,” Larson said. “We ended up being the first franchise out of the state and their largest franchise group.”
DAD’s Tenders has their eye on up to 25 locations.
The Monroe store, which is expected to be open by the end of Q1 in 2024, will be a free-standing building at the Monroe Pavilion, a shopping complex anchored by a Publix.
The upcoming location comes on the heels of the grand opening of the group’s newest Huey Magoo’s in Covington. The location at 13000 Town Center Drive features an outdoor patio and a mobile pick-up window in addition to indoor dining space, a consistent format for the restaurant.
The Covington store represents Huey Magoo’s 53rd restaurant overall and the fifth one for DAD’s Tenders, who have already opened stores in Loganville, Oakwood, Dacula and Flowery Branch.
“We’re trying to do more than just be a traditional place for people to grab a bite to eat,” Larson said. “We have a different focus on customer experience, from start to finish.”
Huey Magoo’s is a rapidly expanding chicken franchise that began in Florida in 2004. In addition to the Peach and Sunshine States, the brand can be found in Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Ohio, North Carolina, South Carolina, Missouri and Las Vegas.
The menu includes the quintessential chicken tenders (grilled, hand-breaded or sauced), as well as sandwiches, wraps, salads and a variety of dips.
“DAD’s Tenders are a dream team in Georgia, who we are extremely fortunate to have leading our growth there,” Huey Magoo’s President and CEO Andy Howard said in a press release. “It’s a very big week for Huey Magoo’s with back-to-back openings in Ohio and Georgia, and we have even more stores and exciting announcements coming before the end of the year.”
