Jack in the Box awarded 16 franchise development agreements year-to-date through the end of its fiscal third quarter for 2021. The chain plans to build 64 new locations across Arizona, California, Idaho, Texas and Utah.
This growth milestone follows the relaunch of Jack in the Box’s franchise development program earlier this year encouraging existing and new franchisees to grow with the brand.
“Over the last year and a half, we’ve proven to be pandemic-resistant and we’re eager to grow with our current franchisee network as well as prospective owners,” says Darin Harris, CEO of Jack in the Box. “In order to grow, we needed to re-energize our franchisees and strengthen relationships with our existing franchisee network.”
Jack in the Box saw franchised same-store sales increase 10.3% in the third quarter of 2021 and the chain is ramping up development. As part of the development agreements, Jack in the Box will enter Salt Lake City, Chicago and Louisville for the first time. The brand will also expand existing footprints in Houston, Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Dallas, among other cities.
With a goal of reaching 4% annual restaurant growth by 2025, Jack in the Box has opened 10 locations through its third quarter of the restaurant chain’s 2021 fiscal year. In addition, Jack in the Box unveiled its new MK12 prototype earlier this year, which serves only off-premises customers and features a lane for drive-thru as well as a lane for online pick-up and third-party delivery. The new prototype will cut development costs 18% to 23%, per a company release, and allows for more storage capacity and dual-assembly kitchens. The quick-serve restaurant chain plans to open the first two MK12 locations in its 2022 fiscal year in Oklahoma and California.