Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers to open Fort Smith location on Jan. 16

Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers will open its Fort Smith location at 7719 Rogers Ave. on Tuesday (Jan. 16), a company representative has confirmed.

Chelsea Bear of South Florida-based Fish Consulting told Talk Business & Politics on Friday (Jan. 12) that an official announcement would be forthcoming on Monday (Jan. 15), but the Jan. 16 date is solid.

The Fort Smith restaurant is one of five new Arkansas locations for the franchise. A Little Rock location at 610 S. Bowman Road opened in December. Freddy’s has also signed a new franchise agreement with Kevin Morrow for additional locations in Cabot, Searcy and Batesville “for development over the next several years.”

FFC MPH is the franchisee behind the Little Rock and Fort Smith restaurants. In a previous press release, the company stated FFC operates restaurants from San Diego to Tennessee and describes them as “One of Freddy’s largest franchisees,” having just opened a third location in Olive Branch, Miss.

“Freddy’s is a perfect fit for these communities. I live in the area and know my neighbors will appreciate the hospitality found at Freddy’s,” Morrow said. “The food is really good, too. Whether you swing through the drive-thru on your way to a ballgame or bring your family in to unwind after a busy day, you’ll enjoy your double steakburger and the frozen custard will leave you with a smile on your face.”

The fast-casual restaurant was founded by brothers Bill and Randy Simon, and their friend and business partner Scott Redler in 2002. Today, Freddy’s has grown to 280 locations in 31 states.

“Our accelerated development in the Southeast, from both existing and new franchisees, is a true testament to the strength of our brand and our unwavering commitment to our network of partners,” Randy Simon, president and CEO said in a statement. “With our restaurants in the region performing consistently well, we’re continuing to eye expansion opportunities and look forward to growing our footprint throughout the area.”

Franchise opportunities remain in areas across the U.S., specifically in the Southeast, with Russellville, Arkadelphia, and El Dorado being named as three potential locations in-state. The Interstate 20 corridor that stretches across Mississippi and Louisiana also presents an opportunity for prospective franchisees. New franchisees agree to develop at least four locations within their negotiated territory.

According to the Freddy’s corporate website, the initial franchise fee for a Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers restaurant is $25,000 with ongoing royalties of 4.5% of gross sales. There is a charge of 0.375% as contribution to the marketing and advertising fund as well.

Freddy’s opened its first location in Wichita, Kan., serving a combination of cooked-to-order steakburgers, Chicago dogs, and other items along with signature desserts prepared with premium frozen custard churned fresh throughout the day.

Freddy’s was named for a fifth time to Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500 list (ranked #41) in 2017. It has, for the fourth consecutive year, been included as one of the top 10 on Franchise Times magazine’s Fast & Serious list. Other notable accomplishments include several consecutive years on Inc. Magazine’s 500/5000 list of fastest-growing private companies, and a feature on Consumer Reports’ lists of best burgers, cleanest fast-food restaurants, and best service.