“Home of the Better Chicken Sandwich” to enter the Springfield market with three restaurants
Chick N Max – a next generation fast casual franchise specializing in almond wood smoked chicken and wings, chef-crafted sandwiches, and fried tenders – is headed to southwestern Missouri, thanks to a multi-unit deal for the development of three restaurants in the Springfield metro area.
The restaurants will be run by Jason Kruse, a more than 25-year veteran of the franchise industry who currently owns and operates six SUBWAY restaurants in the area. While leases have yet to be signed, Kruse is eyeing various parts of Christian and Greene counties for potential sites, including Springfield, Nixa, Ozark, and Republic. He expects to have his first restaurant open and operating by the end of the year.
“Chick N Max has carved out a unique niche in a saturated segment and created the ‘Home of the Better Chicken Sandwich’ by creating a lineup of chef-crafted sandwiches with a global array of flavors,” said Kruse. “I can’t wait to open our first restaurant and provide the local community with a dining experience that will make their taste buds sing.”
Founded in 2017 and franchising since 2021, Chick N Max offers a unique culinary experience with its 10 unique flavors of chef-crafted sandwiches, made with almond wood smoked pulled chicken or crispy golden fried tenders. Some of those sandwiches include the Chicken and Waffles, the Loaded Bama with white Bama BBQ sauce, coleslaw, dill pickles; the Smoked Chicken BLT with pepper jack cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomato, Max’s signature sauce and pickles and the Sriracha Hot Honey, featuring hand-breaded tenders, buttermilk garlic sauce, sriracha hot honey, bread, and butter pickles on a brioche bun.
“Everybody has that one chicken sandwich, and they just ask you, ‘spicy or regular?’ Not here. We have global flavor profiles,” Kruse said. “Where else are you going to find that?”
Chick N Max’s almond-wood smoked chicken, a flavor profile unique to the entire industry, can also meet the needs of a more health-conscious diner when served as smoked leg quarters, breast quarters, half-birds, or smoked wings.
Guests can complete their meal with a range of 10 homestyle sides including fries, onion rings, mac and cheese, mashed potatoes and smoked white beans, and 11 sauces that are made daily to ensure the highest quality and taste.
“This marks yet another significant step in our growth,” said Chick N Max founder Max Sheets. “Anchored by our innovative take on chicken and an enthusiastic franchise partner like Jason Kruse, we’re perfectly positioned to accommodate the demands for alternatives to burgers and look to the future with great enthusiasm.”
The signing of the agreement with Kruse comes at a time when Chick N Max continues to expand across various parts of the Central United States. With six restaurants already open and operating across three states, and an active pipeline that stands at more than 50 restaurants, the burgeoning brand expects to open as many as 3-5 new restaurants this year and at least that many each year thereafter.
For more information, visit ChickNMax.com.
