Fast-food chain Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen has 75 restaurants in Los Angeles, Orange and Riverside counties, and it plans to open 24 more despite the lagging economy.
Chicken-centric Popeyes, however, doesn’t plan on launching the new outlets on its own dime. It’s seeking franchisees – would-be entrepreneurs willing to take on the expense and risk of opening their own businesses.
“We just don’t have the resources to build everywhere ourselves,” said Greg Vojnovic, vice president of development of Popeyes, owned by AFC Enterprises Inc.
Restaurant chain franchising is on a slow but steady increase, and not just at Popeyes.
Yum Brands Inc. this year planned to turn about 400 of its company-owned restaurants into franchises, most of them KFCs. And in September the company agreed to sell two of its chains – Long John Silver’s and A&W – to firms that specialize in franchising.