Expansion Roundup: 4 Brands’ Early July Proclamations

In addition to serving up summertime offerings like shredded beef birria, mango lemonade and key lime pie crepes, several restaurant brands are advertising plans to put down new roots. Among the new month’s announcements are a few firsts, including a first franchisee for one beverage brand and a state debut for another.

Here are the details of four brands’ plans:

• Pikes Peak Lemonade: The brand has hooked its first franchise deal. Under franchise partner Michael J. Cooke, the new franchise will operate as a mobile model, serving communities in and around Washington D.C., Virginia and Delaware. Pikes Peak Lemonade, owned by Lisa and Ches DiDonato, was founded in 2015 and operates a tap room in Colorado Springs, Colo. The menu for Pikes Peak Lemonade includes drinks made with organic sugar and mindfully sourced ingredients.

• Del Taco: The quick-service restaurant brand, which has nearly 600 units across 17 states, is branching out into Virginia for the first time with a new unit in Chesapeake. It is the first in a multiunit deal with franchisees Steve Kissel and Brian McGavran as the brand looks to expand along the East Coast. The unit will be modeled in the brand’s Fresh Flex design, with dual drive-thru lanes, pickup lockers and more adding off-premise convenience.

• Stoner’s Pizza Joint: Four new franchisees are set to help the chain grow in Florida and Texas alike, with at least one of nine planned units set to open this August. In Texas, units are planned for Killeen, San Marco and San Antonio, while Florida units will be in Bradenton, Fleming Island, Orange Park and Jacksonville Beach. Stoner’s currently has 40 locations across six states, plus 15 locations in near term development. The brand expects to reach 100 locations in the next 18 months.

• Sweet Paris Creperie & Cafe: The 17-unit, Houston-based brand is expanding its home state reach via a five-unit deal with Strategic Partners (led by Edward and Cynthia Hymes and their son, Edward). Under the new agreement, a fresh location will open in Southlake, Texas, by this fall, plus four in the greater Dallas-Fort Worth area starting in 2025. Beyond Texas, the brand also has units in Florida, Minnesota and Mexico, plus plans for a fall 2024 opening in Phoenix.

Additional expansion news of note includes that of Jack in the Box (owner of Del Taco), which recently shared plans to re-enter Chicago for the first time in 40 years.