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July 30, 2026Short & citedBlog
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Money & Work • Fast Food

Zaxby's

Zaxby's is an American fast-casual restaurant chain known for chicken fingers, wings, sandwiches, salads, and signature sauces.

Updated July 30, 20261 min readCited sources

Zaxby's is an American fast-casual restaurant chain known for chicken fingers, wings, and signature sauces. Founded in 1990 in Statesboro, Georgia, it operates more than 900 locations, primarily in the Southern United States.

What it is

Zaxby's is a privately held chain focused on chicken-based menu items, including Chicken Fingerz, wings, sandwiches, salads, and fried shrimp. It is known for its 12 signature sauces, particularly Zax Sauce, and uses playful branding with words ending in “Z” (e.g., Fingerz, Zalads). Most locations are franchised.

Key details

The chain was founded by Zach McLeroy and Tony Townley in 1990. Its headquarters are in Atlanta, Georgia. While its strongest presence remains in the Southern United States, Zaxby's has expanded into other states. The company operates both franchised and corporate-owned restaurants.

Why it matters

Zaxby's is a notable player in the competitive fast-casual chicken segment, often compared to chains like Raising Cane's. For Canadian readers, it represents a popular U.S. brand without a current Canadian presence, offering insight into regional American fast-food culture.

In short

  • Founded in 1990 in Statesboro, Georgia.
  • Known for Chicken Fingerz, wings, and Zax Sauce.
  • More than 900 locations, mostly in the Southern U.S.
  • Privately held and heavily franchised.
Canadian angle

Zaxby's is an American chain and does not appear to have a Canada-based restaurant presence in the provided sources; it may be of interest to Canadian readers as a U.S. fast-food brand.

Quick questions

What is Zaxby's?
Zaxby's is an American fast-casual restaurant chain that serves chicken fingers, wings, sandwiches, salads, and related sides.
Is Zaxby's only in the South?
No. Zaxby's is concentrated in the Southern United States, but it has locations in other states as well.
Does Zaxby's have a secret menu?
No verified official secret menu is identified in the sources provided. Zaxby's does promote a standard menu and signature sauces.

Sources

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zaxby's
    Supports: Basic description of the chain, menu focus, regional concentration, and franchising.
  2. Zaxby's — https://www.zaxbys.com/about
    Supports: Official description of the brand, signature items, sauces, and company framing.
  3. The Daily Meal — https://www.thedailymeal.com/1205586/everything-you-need-to-know-about-zaxbys-fried-chicken/
    Supports: History, Southern concentration, expansion, and discussion of Zax Sauce.
  4. LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/company/zaxbys
    Supports: Founded date, headquarters, locations, and company overview.
  5. The Retail Connection — https://www.retailconnection.net/client/zaxbys/
    Supports: Founded in 1990, menu focus, Southern expansion, and franchised model.