With new stores and creative menu additions, Rise Biscuits and Righteous Chicken continues to excel 

Rise Biscuits and Righteous Chicken (Rise) is known for many things: deliciously Southern flavors, mouthwatering biscuits made with 100 percent butter, and the unique, waitstaff-free dining experiences in its stores. From fluffy, flavorsome biscuits to fried-to-perfection chicken, Rise is committed to product quality and menu innovation while also growing its corporate and franchise store networks.  

When we last spoke with Brian Wiles, COO of Rise, at the beginning of 2024, the company celebrated its 11th anniversary and was launching new menu items with more biscuit options, chicken sandwiches, and ‘Chix & Grits’, Rise’s take on ‘shrimp and grits’. One year later, we catch up with Brian on what’s been happening over the last year or so, and it comes as no surprise that Rise has successfully opened additional stores and added even more menu items that are taking its customers by storm.  

“We’ve opened up some fantastic stores over the last year, and we’ve experienced continued growth and success in our existing markets,” Brian begins. “We’re super excited about adding biscuit beignets to our menu, which are made from unbaked biscuit dough that’s fried and then tossed in powdered sugar to create a beignet inspired by carnival food. We currently have cinnamon sugar, blueberry, and hot cocoa beignets on the menu, and these flavors have already seen success. In fact, our data shows that we sold more cinnamon sugar beignets in the first two-to-three months than we had cinnamon sugar doughnuts throughout the whole year. We’re planning to create seasonal limited time offerings like lemon for spring, berries for summer, and of course, pumpkin spice for fall.”  

Investment and innovation 

Elaborating on the additional stores Rise has opened over the last year or so, Brian continues: “The recent opening of our Dallas store has been very successful, and we’re imminently opening a second location in the Memphis market. We’ve also seen growth in existing locations, such as in Thousand Oaks, where the population is growing, and the demographic is changing.   

“Many of our franchisees have been with us for several years and we take huge pride in watching them grow alongside the brand. One of our franchisees recently opened an additional store in Cary Town in Raleigh, for instance, after we identified a gap in the market for a strategically placed store between Richmond College and Virgina College. Another franchisee has experienced immense success with two stores in the Orlando market and is now planning to open a third store.”  

On the topic of Rise’s franchise network, Brian shares details about the corporate support available to franchisees. “We believe the most successful stores are run by franchisees who genuinely understand their area and market,” he explains. “For those without experience in the restaurant industry, we support them to learn how the market works, how to deliver excellent service, and to understand customer expectations. However, most of our franchisees typically begin the journey with Rise to establish their own ‘small business’ in their community.   

“We encourage our franchisees to live and work in the area where their store is located, and we’ve even known people relocate to take on new or additional stores. The more people are in the community, the closer they are to the heartbeat of the town and the more they know about what customers in the area want and need.”  

Brian continues: “Alongside opening new stores, we must ensure our existing stores are bright and welcoming for both customers and employees, and that employees are equipped with the best tools to work efficiently and accurately. We continuously upgrade equipment and we’re currently focusing our investment on machinery to increase our throughput of food and maintain our goal of waiting times of five minutes or less.   

“We cook just-in-time food for the freshest possible food that keeps ticket time low. We’re adding more technology to our kitchens to collect more data about what items sell most often and use that data to make informed decisions about preparing our most popular ingredients ahead of orders. We’ve invested in more efficient deep fryers in our stores and we’re using better holding equipment to keep food hotter, crispier, and tastier.”  

Committed to customer experience 

As our conversation continues, the talk turns to Rise’s upcoming franchisee meeting and Brian gives us a sneak preview of what will be announced. “We’re adding new options to our menu, including a new side of macaroni and cheese,” he reveals. “This is a customer-led creation, as when we previously offered macaroni and cheese several years ago, several customers were ordering macaroni and cheese on a biscuit. Customers can also add macaroni and cheese to a chicken sandwich, or order a macaroni and cheese loaded box.   

“We always test new options in our corporate stores first to ensure the products will be relatively successful when they hit franchise locations. We’re constantly evaluating and expanding our menu, whether it’s adding new sandwich options, sauces, or additional toppings.   

“We’re also using technology to enhance the customer experience,” Brian adds. “We’re extending our rewards program so that our app remembers customers’ previous orders, for instance. We’ve also partnered with a review platform to send customer surveys after an order to gain feedback on their experience.”  

By prioritizing flavorsome food, customer experience, and quick yet carefully considered service, Rise will inevitably continue to succeed throughout 2025. “We want to open more stores in new locations by the end of the year, but finding appropriate space in the current real estate market is an ongoing challenge that can take up to six months,” Brian shares. “There always seems to be obstacles along the way, but to mitigate this as much as possible, we’re engaging in this process early and getting permits in place well in advance, so watch this space for more new stores!”

www.risebiscuitschicken.com