Multi-unit signings in Wilmington, North Carolina, Ocala, Florida and Savannah, Georgia are propelling the ‘sunup to lunch’ brand’s growth across the US southeast.
Eggs Up Grill was founded as a single restaurant in 1997 in Pawleys Island, South Carolina, with the goal of providing a spot for the local community to catch up with family, friends and neighbors over a great meal. Today, Eggs Up Grill has grown to 36 locations across the U.S. Southeast, with 15 to 20 new restaurants set to open in 2020. The brand will soon open its first locations in Florida and Tennessee and has also recently been recognized on FSR Magazine’s List of Emerging Breakfast Chains as well as landing a spot on Franchise Times’ Top 200+ List for 2019.
To support its strategic plan to reach the 100 unit mark by mid-2022, Eggs Up Grill has announced recent multi-unit signings with franchisees in Wilmington, North Carolina, Ocala, Florida and Savannah, Georgia. The brand’s franchisees come from diverse backgrounds but all can agree on the fantastic business opportunity offered by Eggs Up Grill. The breakfast, brunch and lunch brand offers its franchisees several benefits including a simple business model, strong unit-level economics, a track record of success, fantastic guest reviews, an experienced leadership team and support system and family-friendly hours of operation—6am–2pm, which provide franchisees with an enviable work/life balance.
Mary Ashton and David Dukes, a Wilmington-based husband-and-wife duo fell in love with the brand due to its “neighbors-serving-neighbors” approach and delicious food. The pair signed a six-restaurant deal in the Wilmington, North Carolina market with all locations expeced to open by the end of 2022. This signing marks the largest multi-unit signing for the brand to date—but Eggs Up Grill is far from slowing down.
Brad Harper, a multi-unit franchisee with Zaxby’s, signed a three-unit deal to bring Eggs Up Grill to the Sunshine State and is targeting a December opening for his first location in Ocala, Florida. He plans to develop his other two locations in nearby Marion County over the next 18 months. Similar to the Dukes, Harper claims to have gravitated toward the brand due to its warm, welcoming environment.
“I visited one in Albany, Georgia and it won me over,” said Brad. “The owner and I spent an hour chatting. I loved the warm, welcoming and attentive service the restaurant provided; it encompassed all the feel-good words. And the food was terrific as well.”
Eggs Up Grill is primed for steady, continuous growth throughout the Southeast. The most recent multi-unit signing is a three-restaurant deal in the Savannah, Georgia market by Greene and Sheppard, LLC. The signing will contribute to the brand’s continued growth in Georgia, building upon the draw of existing restaurants in the Peach state as well as the nearby South Carolina low country.
The brand has proven its dominance in the breakfast, brunch and lunch category through the loyalty of its franchisees, many of which continue to reinvest in the brand by adding new restaurants. With new leadership in place, both current and future franchisees enjoy a tremendous amount of support and attention. Throughout the past year, the brand has invested heavily in technology as well as training and support, with the opening of the first company restaurant and training center. Additionally, the brand is growing revenue through menu innovation, expanding its catering program and rolling out online ordering in early 2020 to suport the increasing demand for delivery.
“We are actively working to continue to grow our topline sales through innovative, new product development and appealing promotions that expand our revenue both inside and outside our four walls,” said Ricky Richardson, CEO of Eggs Up Grill.
Eggs Up Grill has partnered with Spartanburg-based chef David Moore of Cribbs Hospitality LLC and is already seeing the benefits of this collaboration, with an overwhelmingly positive guest reception of the recently introduced menu items including Peaches and Cream Pancakes and the Shrimp and Grits Omelet.
“We believe these steps are key to growing strong sales and keeping our guests happy while ensuring success for our franchise partners,” said Richardson.
About Eggs Up Grill:
Eggs Up Grill is home to the whole neighborhood, serving smiles from sunup through lunch. The aromas of freshly brewed coffee, savory bacon and hand-cracked, farm-fresh eggs on the griddle, and warm, attentive team members will make you feel right at home. We are “neighbors serving neighbors” daily from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Recently ranked as the no. 1 breakfast franchise by Entrepreneur magazine’s Franchise 500® for its outstanding performance in areas including unit growth, financial strength and stability, and brand power, Eggs Up Grill is experiencing record growth across the Southeast. Originally founded in Pawleys Island, S.C., by restaurateur Chris Skodras, Eggs Up Grill now has 47 locations and is headquartered in Spartanburg, S.C. In 2018, private equity firm WJ Partners acquired Eggs Up Grill, building the team and priming the brand to rapidly grow in more communities across the U.S. with plans underway to reach the 100 restaurant mark by 2023. For more information, visit eggsupgrill.com.
The investment for an Eggs Up Grill franchise ranges from $462,330 to $653,680, including a $39,000 initial franchise fee. For more information on available opportunities, please visit https://www.eggsupgrill.com/franchise
