The Southern-style breakfast franchise plans six new restaurants – three franchises in the Florida Panhandle and three corporate joint ventures – as it gears up for another year of strong growth.
Louisville, KY (RestaurantNews.com) Biscuit Belly, the fast-growing brunch franchise known for its scratch-made biscuits and Southern hospitality, is seeing major momentum. The brand has started development on six new restaurants across the Southeast – three franchised locations in the Florida Panhandle and three corporate joint-venture stores in Wake Forest and Fayetteville, North Carolina, and Peachtree City, Georgia.
The new signings bring together seasoned franchisees and reinvestment from Biscuit Belly’s own leadership, a sign of the team’s belief in the brand’s direction and future.
“Florida has been on our radar since the very beginning,” said Chad Coulter, co-founder and CEO of Biscuit Belly. “With its year-round tourism, it’s an incredible branding opportunity – you never know who might stop in, love the experience and want to bring it to their hometown.”
Multi-brand franchise partners Clint Dollar and Dave Gardner, who collectively own more than a dozen Cinnabon, Auntie Anne’s, Great American Cookies, Marble Slab Creamery and Charleys Cheesesteaks locations, have signed a three-unit agreement to open in Pensacola and Panama City Beach. After years of operating primarily in malls, Dollar and Gardner were drawn to Biscuit Belly’s single-shift breakfast model.
“We talked about the breakfast model for years. We loved the lifestyle that closing in the early afternoon could provide,” Gardner said. “It allows us a little more work-life balance, and it allows us to appeal to a different employee base. All of that has led us here.”
Their first Biscuit Belly is opening in 2026, with the other two expected to be open by 2027.
“We are thrilled to have Clint and Dave in the system,” Coulter said. “They have many years of experience and they’ve already been very impressive in terms of how involved they’ve been and how quickly they are looking to get open, which is great.”
In addition to the Florida expansion, Biscuit Belly is investing alongside partners to open three new joint-venture locations in Wake Forest and Fayetteville, North Carolina, and Peachtree City, Georgia. The company’s founders and core leadership team are personally contributing capital to the projects.
“We believe in what we’re building, so we’re putting our own dollars into these ventures,” Coulter said. “It’s a slower, more deliberate approach – we’re selective about sites and franchisees – but it’s about long-term sustainability, not just selling deals. We’d rather grow the right way. We have these and a few more locations we’re looking to execute agreements on that will be announced soon.”
With 13 locations already open across Kentucky, Georgia, Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia, Biscuit Belly is on track to nearly double its footprint with projects now underway and leases in progress in Texas, Ohio and several additional Southeast markets.
“People everywhere love great food and a fun, welcoming experience,” Coulter said. “When you deliver that, it travels anywhere – and we’re excited to keep bringing Biscuit Belly to new communities.”
About Biscuit Belly
Founded in 2019 and franchising since 2020, Biscuit Belly opened its first location in Louisville, Kentucky where it became known for its creative approach to Southern comfort food classics with a focus on large, gourmet biscuit sandwiches. With a chef-cultivated menu, the brand has paired their Southern inspired offerings with genuine hospitality to create an upbeat, fun environment where guests can enjoy a delicious meal with family and friends. With thirteen locations currently open in Kentucky, Georgia, Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia the brand has several more stores under construction. For more information, please visit BiscuitBelly.com.
Contact:
Chad Cohen
Mainland
786-417-5769
ccohen@hellomainland.com