The Big Biscuit Franchise Expands Through Multi-Unit Growth

Experienced Franchise Operator Deepens Commitment as Breakfast Brand Approaches 40 Locations

The Big Biscuit is strengthening its presence in Oklahoma as longtime franchise operator Steve Zahn expands his portfolio with the growing breakfast-and-lunch concept.

Zahn, the first franchisee to join The Big Biscuit system, has committed to additional development that will bring his Oklahoma portfolio to nine restaurants. Seven locations are already operating, while two more are moving through development.

The agreement represents more than another round of restaurant openings. It demonstrates how existing franchisees can become an important source of growth when a brand develops a scalable operating model and maintains productive relationships with its operators.

The Big Biscuit is now approaching 40 corporate and franchised restaurants across Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma and Arkansas.

From First Franchisee to Multi-Unit Operator

The Big Biscuit was founded in 2000 and began franchising in 2019. Zahn was among the earliest operators to recognize an opportunity to expand the concept beyond its established markets.

His current Oklahoma restaurants span Tulsa, Broken Arrow, Edmond, Owasso, Midwest City and Oklahoma City. Additional development is underway in Oklahoma City and Norman.

For a growing franchise system, expansion from an existing operator can be particularly significant. Multi-unit franchisees already understand the brand's operational requirements, customer proposition, training structure and economics.

Instead of introducing an entirely new operator to the system, the franchisor can expand alongside someone who already has experience running the concept.

Zahn also entered The Big Biscuit system with extensive restaurant and franchise experience, giving the brand an operator familiar with the demands of managing multiple locations.

Operational Efficiency Supports Expansion

The Big Biscuit operates in the competitive breakfast and lunch restaurant category, where speed, food quality and consistency can have a major impact on customer satisfaction.

One of the concept's notable operational characteristics is its ability to combine full-service dining with average ticket times of approximately six minutes.

That efficiency can become increasingly important as a franchisee adds locations.

Processes that work effectively in one restaurant must remain repeatable across several stores if an operator wants to build a larger portfolio. Staffing systems, food preparation, training and restaurant-level procedures all become more important as unit count increases.

The brand's daytime operating model is another characteristic that differentiates it from restaurant concepts dependent on lunch, dinner and late-night business.

The Big Biscuit focuses on familiar American breakfast and lunch dishes served in generous portions within a family-friendly restaurant environment.

The Big Biscuit Builds Across Four States

Oklahoma represents only one part of the company's broader development strategy.

The Big Biscuit has been adding restaurants across its four-state footprint while combining franchise development with corporate expansion.

Recent growth has included restaurants in Kansas and Arkansas, while additional development is taking place in Missouri.

Kansas remains an important market for the company, with further restaurants moving through its development pipeline. Missouri is also seeing franchise activity, including expansion into Columbia, while the company's Arkansas presence continues to develop following openings in that state.

Rather than pursuing rapid nationwide expansion, The Big Biscuit has emphasized measured growth with operators it believes can successfully represent the concept.

That strategy can be particularly important for emerging restaurant franchises. Opening restaurants quickly can increase unit count, but sustainable franchise development depends on finding operators capable of maintaining brand standards as the system expands.

Experienced Operators Become Part of the Growth Strategy

The Big Biscuit development approach increasingly includes experienced multi-unit restaurant operators.

These franchisees can bring established leadership skills, local market knowledge and experience managing restaurant teams across multiple locations.

For emerging franchisors, attracting sophisticated operators can also provide an important validation point. Existing restaurant owners typically evaluate operational systems, unit economics, leadership and scalability before committing capital to additional concepts.

Repeat investment from an existing franchisee can send an equally important signal.

Zahn's decision to continue developing The Big Biscuit after already building a sizable Oklahoma portfolio suggests that his relationship with the concept has moved beyond an initial franchise investment into a longer-term growth strategy.

Familiar Food Meets a Community-Focused Model

The Big Biscuit has built its menu around familiar breakfast and lunch favorites rather than relying exclusively on rapidly changing food trends.

Comfort-driven dishes, generous portions and traditional breakfast selections help position the restaurants as accessible destinations for families and everyday dining occasions.

The company also emphasizes community involvement across its markets.

Its initiatives have included programs supporting public education, teachers, food insecurity efforts and local organizations. Community participation can be particularly valuable for franchise restaurants because individual locations depend heavily on repeat customers from their surrounding trade areas.

Zahn's Oklahoma restaurants have participated in those efforts, including school supply initiatives that eventually expanded across the broader franchise system.

A Franchise Relationship Built for Continued Development

As The Big Biscuit moves toward its next phase of expansion, the company's Oklahoma growth illustrates a model increasingly common among successful emerging franchise systems: grow with operators who have already demonstrated that they can execute the concept.

Zahn began as the brand's first franchisee. He is now developing his eighth and ninth Oklahoma restaurants while The Big Biscuit approaches 40 locations system-wide.

For the brand, that progression provides another pathway to expansion without sacrificing its focus on experienced operators and disciplined development.

And as additional restaurants open across Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri and Arkansas, The Big Biscuit is positioning multi-unit franchise ownership as a central component of its next stage of growth.

Explore more about The Big Biscuit Franchise opportunities.