FSR June 2023

PICKLEBALL

Chicken N Pickle OWNER: Dave Johnson OPENED: 2016

“People compare Chicken N Pickle to Topgolf, and we admire that company, but what is so dif ferent about our concept is we have zero technology. Literally it’s a wi e ball and a paddle, and peo ple put down their cell phones and technology,” Alldredge says. “Pick leball is all about connecting with other people; you have to engage with another person.” Ironically, given that in-per son interaction is fundamental to the experience, Chicken N Pickle expanded aggressively through out 2020 and 2021—the antith esis of most restaurants during the pandemic years, but a strat egy that has positioned the brand to be a leader in the fast-moving niche space. Seven restaurants are open, three under construction, and another four sites are com mitted. e company has 1,200 employees across its restaurant locations, 54 corporate employ ees, and recently opened a second corporate o ce in Dallas. “We can kinda tell if someone has never played before—they show up in jeans and cute shoes or boots,” Alldredge quips. “You can play in any outfit, but after that first time, they’re back in tennis shoes and ath letic clothes.” Every location has both indoor and outdoor courts, and the number varies between eight and 12 courts per store. True to name, the scratch menu revolves around chicken (spe ci cally rotisserie chicken) and, like other pickleball eateries, there’s full bar service. e brand’s director of culinary, Alex Staab, oversees the menu company-wide, and the business model is coun ter-side ordering with food deliv ered to the table and tabs follow ing guests throughout their stay, from pickleball courts to rooftop to yard games. It’s all about mak

ing the experience easy and enjoy able from the 7 . . opening to 11 . . close. EATERTAINMENT REIMAGINED, FULLY MONETIZED “I love combining the art of con cept creation with data science; that’s true with every concept I create, but you have to nd a way to monetize art,” says ompson, as he builds Camp Pickle around an invigorated strategy that is rei magining operations to produce more profitable operations at a faster clip. e bar scene at Camp Pickle incorporates a self-pour wall, appealing to the DIY, tech-driven nature characteristic of millenni als as it enhances the service expe rience while e ectively address ing wage in ation and lowering labor costs. After being age/identity–veri- ed, guests receive an RFID chip and then simply tap their payment card to pour their own drinks, charged by the ounce. Camp Pickle will have 40 craft beers on draft, 16 mid- and higher-end wines, and 10 craft cocktails—all on tap at the pour wall. “ at [beverage innovation] and moving to the foodservice coun ter as opposed to a full-service res taurant environment is going to allow us to cut an estimated 500 to 600 basis points out of our labor cost,” ompson says. In terms of employees, it reduces the head count needed from 350 for a com parably sized full-service operation to “just north of 250.” Citing the ongoing challenges around sta ng, he adds: “We’ve insulated ourselves from these bumpy waters around municipali ties trying to increase minimum wage and from being negatively impacted by losing tip credit.” He’s also devised an inno vative plan for rolling out the CapEx-intensive brand nation

LOCATIONS (IN ORDER OF OPENINGS): Kansas City, Missouri; Wichita, Kansas; San Antonio, Texas; Oklahoma City; Overland Park, Kansas; Grand Prairie, Texas; Grapevine, Texas UNDER CONSTRUCTION: Glendale, Arizona; St. Charles, Missouri; Webster, Texas COMMITTED: Henderson, Nevada; Fishers, Indiana; Allen, Texas MENU: Wood-fired rotisserie chicken and scratch-made food, full bar service FORMAT: Order at counter, server brings food to table FOOTPRINT: 60,000–80,000 sq. ft. EMPLOYEES: 1,200 store-level; 54 home offi ce FRANCHISE OPTION: No Smash Park OWNERS: Monty and Kerri Lockyear OPENED: 2018 LOCATIONS: Two in Iowa PLANNED EXPANSION: Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Minnesota, Nebraska MENU: Scratch-made food, full bar and beverage. FORMAT: Fast-casual, order and pick-up at the counter. FOOTPRINT: 27,000 sq. ft. inside; 17,000 sq. ft. outside

FRANCHISE OPTION: Yes Camp Pickle OWNER: Robert Thompson, Angevin & Co. OPENING: 2024 CONFIRMED LOCATIONS: Denver and Huntsville, Alabama

IN THE WORKS: Atlanta; Austin, Texas; Dallas; Nashville, Tennessee; New Orleans; Indianapolis MENU: Elevated, chef-driven menu featuring Mexican + camp cuisine with focus on smoked proteins FORMAT: Fast casual + DIY bar service EMPLOYEES: ~250 per location FOOTPRINT: 55,000 to 75,000 sq. ft. FRANCHISE OPTION: Hybrid joint-venture partnerships with investor owners but fully operated by Camp Pickle

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JUNE 2023