[EXCLUSIVE] Another Chicken Chain is Coming to Cumming

Another growing chicken chain is continuing its Georgia expansion.  Slim Chickens, based in Fayetteville, Arkansas, plans to open a new location at 2611 Peachtree Parkway in Cumming where they will convert a former Steak 'n Shake that closed this past October.

The roughly 4,000 square foot freestanding building was constructed in 2007 and is located in an outparcel of the Target and Home Depot anchored Brookwood Marketplace shopping center.  

The offerings of Slim Chickens are quite similar to other quick-serve chicken chains such as Raising Cane's and Guthrie's, with a menu primarily focusing on chicken tenders, chicken sandwiches, salads, and shakes.  

In November 2024, Slim Chickens signed a ten-unit agreement with Peach State Slims to develop restaurants across several counties, including Floyd, Gordon, Bartow, Cherokee, Forsyth, Hall, Jackson, and Clarke, with the first location then slated to open by April 2026.  That timeline was delayed with this new Cumming location representing their first unit.   

The first Slim Chickens opened in 2003 in Fayetteville, Arkansas. In 2005, a second location opened in the nearby city of Rogers.  A decade after its launch, the first franchise location opened in Texarkana, Texas. The company today has more than 200 locations across 33 states, with reported commitments for about 1,000 more restaurants.  

The chain entered the Georgia market in August 2021 with a restaurant in Evans near Augusta.  In the years since, four additional units have opened in Albany, Gray, Statesboro and Warner Robins.  This expansion is being led by Southeast Slims Hospitality LLC, which in January 2021 signed a twelve-unit development deal across eastern Georgia, including Savannah and Augusta, and western South Carolina. 

In July 2019, Slim Chickens brought on Atlanta-based private equity firm 10 Point Capital as a minority investor.  Although the size of the investment was not revealed, company executives indicated that the funds would be used to propel the chain toward its goal of 600 restaurants and $1 billion in annual sales in the next 10 years.  

Fried chicken, like burgers, is incredibly competitive, with several new concepts like Slim Chickens hoping to be the next big thing.  Industry leaders Popeyes and Chick-fil-A operate more than 3,100 and 3,300 units, respectively, while smaller concepts like Zaxby's and Raising Cane's both recently surpassed 1,000 units.    

Guthrie's, established in 1965, is viewed by many as the granddaddy of many of today's growing chicken chains.  They currently operate 73 restaurants, but under new CEO Tom Carr, are again growing after years of stagnation and closures. 

Several other fried chicken chains have entered the Atlanta market in recent years, including Layne's, Super Chix and Huey Magoo's Chicken Tenders.  

Have you ever been to a Slim Chickens?  What is your favorite chicken tender restaurant?  What fast casual/quick-serve brand would you like most to see expand in metro Atlanta?  

Please share your thoughts below.