There is a food tenant trend picking up steam in 2024 that is focused solely on loaded fries. The brands sprouting up in this category have basically enhanced the typical order of French fries by offering culinary toppings such as pulled pork, grilled chicken, meatballs, chili, crab, steak, smoked salmon and shrimp. Keep your eyes peeled for Buena Papa Fry Bar, Mr. Fries Man and New York Fries to all be expanding their elevated French fries’ franchises into new U.S. territories in 2024 and beyond.
Buena Papa Fry Bar is boosting up its expansion thanks to an appearance on the “Shark Tank” television show in October that resulted in a deal made with one of the sharks. With three locations open pre-2024 — the most recent being a unit in Miami that opened last December — Buena Papa Fry Bar now has three additional locations expected to open by late spring: in a food hall in Atlanta, in the food court at Willowbrook Mall in Wayne, N.J., and in an end cap space of shared outparcel in a neighborhood center in Jacksonville, N.C. The franchise anticipates at least two more units to open by year’s end, with a goal of opening up to at least 10 units in 2025. Territories eyed for expansion include Washington, D.C., New York City, Chicago, Virginia Beach, Va., Greensboro, N.C., Charleston, S.C., and Nashville, Tenn. Buena Papa Fry Bar targets units in the 800- to 1,600-s.f. range in strip malls, neighborhood centers, food halls and food courts in regional malls. Buena Papa Fry Bar is famous for serving French fries that feature culinary fusions from such regions as Mexico, South America, Italy and Greece, as well as the U.S.
Mr. Fries Man began franchising its loaded fries concept back in 2020 and now has 13 locations in eight states: California, Arizona, Georgia, Maryland, Nevada, North Carolina, South Carolina and Utah. The chain hopes to open between eight and 10 new locations over the next 12 months, and upcoming areas targeted for franchise growth include the metros of Texas, New York and Illinois. Mr. Fries Man seeks end caps in the 850- to 1,700-s.f. range, either street-front units, including the ground floor of a mixed-use building, or strip malls and power centers. Sites in trendy neighborhoods close to a university or a community college area are preferred. Mr. Fries Man is known for its large selection of toppings, including proteins such as shrimp, chicken, crab or steak, as well as a choice of sauces, such as cheese or barbecue sauce.
New York Fries originally opened a now-defunct location in New York City’s South Street Seaport neighborhood back in 1983 before expanding the concept into Canada and the Middle East. The brand is now focused on franchise growth in the U.S. for 2024. Its first U.S. unit appeared in January at the Roosevelt Field mall in Garden City, N.Y., with a second location popping up in the Menlo Park mall in Edison, N.J., in February. Its third and fourth stores are slated to open by mid-2024 at the Newport Centre mall in Jersey City, N.J., and the Smith Haven Mall in Lake Grove, N.Y. New York Fries has indicated interest in continuing to expand along the Eastern Seaboard, followed by the rest of the country. New York Fries seeks food court spaces in the 350- to 450-s.f. range in high-traffic regional malls, as well as in non-traditional locations such as in theme parks and highway travel plazas. New York Fries, which also serves hot dogs, offers toppings for its fries such as pulled pork, beef chili, cheese curds and gravy.
