Franchise Disclosure Documents: Growth Stories from the Front Line

This report examines recent Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) activity and the growth trajectories of seven restaurant franchise brands. It covers rapidly expanding systems such as Graze Craze, Dave’s Hot Chicken, Playa Bowls, and The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill, alongside brands showing steadier development, including Capriotti’s and Dippin’ Dots. The analysis follows unit growth, franchise activity, closures, development pipelines, and reported system momentum from 2021 through select 2025 activity.

Seven Restaurant Franchise Growth Stories at a Glance

The table brings the seven franchise systems and their stated measurement periods together before the detailed company sections. Restaurant names with verified coverage in RestaurantData’s Restaurant Enterprise Index™ are linked to the supporting direct or parent-company profile.

FDD growth figures for the seven restaurant franchise brands discussed in this report.

Restaurant Brand	Measurement Period	Latest Figure Cited	Reported Change
Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop	YE 2021–YE 2024	153 locations at YE 2024	+39%
Graze Craze	June 2022–June 2025	90 units at June 2025	+592%
Dave’s Hot Chicken	YE 2021–YE 2024	244 units at YE 2024	+578%
Dippin’ Dots	YE 2021–YE 2024	260 franchised stores at YE 2024	+12.5%
Playa Bowls	YE 2021–YE 2024	73 locations added in 2024	Annual additions accelerated
The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill	2021–2024	69 franchised units in 2024	+360% franchised; +267% total
Keke’s Breakfast Cafe	Three years through YE 2024	55 franchised locations at YE 2024	Approximately +22%

Linked restaurant names open the current public REI profile that supports the relationship.

Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop

Capriotti’s grew 39% from year-end 2021 to 2023 and maintained 153 locations in 2024. Franchisees recorded a net decline of five stores while company-owned operations gained five, leaving the systemwide location total unchanged and preserving the reported multi-year growth rate. The result indicates stabilization after the brand’s rapid post-pandemic expansion phase.

Graze Craze

In June 2022, Graze Craze operated 13 U.S. stores. By June 30, 2025, the system had reached 90 units, a 592% increase in three years. Its FDD lists 98 franchisees with signed agreements who had not yet opened, plus 33 confirmed future store addresses. Those pipeline disclosures indicated continued development activity into 2026; signed agreements and future addresses should not be counted as operating restaurants.

Dave’s Hot Chicken

Roark Capital Group acquired a majority stake in Dave’s Hot Chicken in June 2025. The brand grew from 36 locations at the end of 2021 to 244 units at the end of 2024, a 578% increase over three years. At the time of the filing review, the chain expected to add approximately 100 new stores in 2025, placing it among the fastest-growing restaurant concepts in the U.S.

Dippin’ Dots

Dippin’ Dots increased its franchised store count from 231 to 260 between 2021 and 2024, a 12.5% increase. The brand operates no company-owned locations. Acquired by J&J Snack Foods Corp in 2022, Dippin’ Dots also reports approximately 22,000 points of presence including non-traditional venues such as stadiums, amusement parks, and entertainment venues.

Playa Bowls

Playa Bowls ended 2021 with 128 locations and has added new stores every year since, with accelerating momentum:

• 2022: +35 new locations
• 2023: +52 new locations
• 2024: +73 new locations

Growth remained primarily franchised, with only one company-owned store added annually. The accelerating pace of new openings indicated strong franchise development activity as the system entered 2025.

The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill

The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill expanded from 15 to 69 franchised units between 2021 and 2024, a 360% increase in franchised locations and 267% total growth overall. At the time of review, coming-soon listings on the brand’s website indicated that the chain could approach 91 locations. Coming-soon listings represent development activity and are not counted as operating restaurants.

Keke’s Breakfast Cafe

Keke’s Breakfast Cafe increased its franchised store count in each of the three years reviewed. At year-end 2024, the system operated 55 franchised locations—approximately 22% growth over the period. At the time of review, the brand’s website listed seven coming-soon units, indicating an active development pipeline in the breakfast and brunch segment. Coming-soon units are not treated as operating restaurants.

What FDD Data Reveals That Public Sources Miss

Franchise Disclosure Documents provide one of the most detailed standardized public sources for unit-level franchise research. Compared with press releases, brand websites, or trade coverage, FDDs can disclose annual outlet counts, franchised and company-owned splits, closures, signed-but-not-opened development pipelines, and identified future addresses. RestaurantData.com analyzes FDDs annually for more than 125 brands and connects this research with location-level company and contact intelligence.

These FDD findings connect with Atlas by RestaurantData, which organizes restaurant brands, locations, headquarters, franchise organizations, operator groups, ownership relationships, and available decision-maker contacts within a connected restaurant industry database.

See also: Top 100 Restaurant Franchisors: 2022–2025 →  |  FDD Analysis: Top 20 Brands →  |  Fast-Growing Restaurant Brands →

Research Scope, Methodology and Interpretation

RestaurantData’s human researchers reviewed annual Franchise Disclosure Documents and standardized the figures presented here from the outlet histories, development disclosures, and related filing sections available for each system. Because franchise systems use different fiscal year ends and reporting conventions, the stated measurement period remains attached to every figure.

Operating-location counts are distinct from signed franchise agreements, planned restaurants, coming-soon listings, and other pipeline indicators. Growth in location count does not, by itself, measure profitability, unit economics, franchisee satisfaction, or brand quality.

For standardized definitions of restaurant brand, parent company, franchisor, franchisee, planned location, and related research terms, consult the Restaurant Data Dictionary. Additional filing-cycle coverage is available in RestaurantData’s restaurant franchise FDD analysis.

Citation and Use

When referencing this report, retain the reporting period attached to each brand and distinguish operating locations from signed agreements, future addresses, and coming-soon units.

Suggested citation: RestaurantData.com, “Franchise Disclosure Documents: Growth Stories from the Front Line,” originally published November 19, 2025; updated September 16, 2026.

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