Maepole, the quick-serve healthy eatery from Peter Dale of Athens' The National and Five & Ten, is looking to significantly expand its presence in metro Atlanta. Currently with two locations in Athens and one in Atlanta, the chain has at least one location in development with several more planned.
If you have not been or are unfamiliar, Maepole is in many ways a cross between Flower Child and Souper Jenny. The restaurant is counter service and leans heavily on healthier options.
The Athens-based brand was acquired in May 2025 by Tony Townley, co-founder of Zaxby's. Maepole, known for its plant-forward bowls, is basically the opposite end of the food spectrum from Zaxby's, but Townley plans to use his franchising experience to expand through franchising and introduce a drive-thru model. Several other Zaxby's alumni are also reportedly now involved with Maepole, including Blake Clayton Bailey, who spent nearly 23 years at Zaxby's as their Chief Financial Officer and today lists "Business Owner at Maepole" as his current job on his LinkedIn page.
ToNeTo Atlanta has confirmed that one of the upcoming locations is planned for "Southard Exchange" a new development at the corner of Castleberry & Bethelview Roads in Cumming. Maepole will be one of several new businesses in the development with 7 Brew Coffee, Shake Shack, Chick-fil-A and Fifth Third Bank also opening in the project.
A site plan for the Cumming project suggests that Maepole will introduce a drive-thru model, a first for the brand, and one clearly meant to speed up service and allow the brand to grow more easily.
The Maepole website suggests that other locations are planned for Decatur, Gainesville, and Lawrenceville, with sources suggesting a previously identified site in Gainesville fell through with others now being explored. The website does not specify locations or opening timelines, but the upcoming Lulah Hills project on the site of the former North DeKalb Mall seems like a probable "Decatur" location for the restaurant.
The first Maepole opened on North Chase Street in Athens in July 2018 followed by the debut Atlanta outpost on Georgia Avenue in Summerhill in April 2021. A second Athens location opened at The Markets at Epps Bridge on Epps Bridge Parkway in late 2023.
Have you been to Maepole? Where else in metro Atlanta would you like to see Maepole open? What is your favorite healthy fast-casual restaurant?
Please share your thoughts below.
10 comments:
Because I have had to endlessly endure Omar Epps and those horrible TV commercials, along with that annoying tagline to "who's got the sauce?" I will never, ever, under any circumstance patronize Zaxby's or anything else they come up with. (rant over)
All you had to say is owner of Zaxby's and it's a hell NO! THEY WILL NICKEL AND DIME YOU TO DEATH!!! EVERY SAUCE $0.75, FORK, SPOON, KNIFE $0.15 each. Rice $2.50 Beans $3.99 etc ... Total bill before tax $45.50 💸 ... Rather go Chick-fil-A or Chili's ... Zaxby's HOME OF THE OVERPRICED GREEDY SALTY GREASE ON YOUR FINGER CHICKEN FOOD! HOPEFULLY THEY FAIL.
Zaxby = Horrendous chicken!!
All the complaints you made above are completely accurate and well-deserved. The issue here is that Zaxby’s is now owned and operated by Goldman Sachs the New York investment firm. They purchased it a few years ago ago from Tony and Zach and began to run it downhill almost immediately increasing prices running annoying advertising and driving off virtually all of the original employees who made the company the great firm it was prior to the sale.
If I have to have a chicken sandwich (and don't want to drive outside of the Congo to go to Arby's) I will go to Publix and buy a couple of chicken tenders. Cut them up and slap them on a bun. Zaxby's can't compete with that, even in their dreams.
Last time I ate at Zaxby's, I was amazed that they could make chicken strips purely out of salt
THEY WON’T FAIL. NOTHING IS FREE. NOT SURE WHY YOU WANT IT TO BE.🍗🍴🧊
LoL 😂 ... They do have very salty chicken
On my last visit to Athens I ate at Maepole and it was great. I hope they do very well and expand to us here in Florida!
So very true. Better chicken and lots less salt.
Super service at Publix too!
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