After Jared Leonard opened the first location of The Budlong Hot Chicken in Lakeview in 2016, its popularity grew quickly and more locations followed. Last year, Leonard, who moved to Colorado in 2017 to open other restaurants, put out feelers to potentially sell the brand. Now under new ownership, The Budlong reopened its four locations this week. Craveworthy Brands, launched in
2022 by Gregg Majewski, a quick- service restaurant executive who oversaw Jimmy John's expansion from 30 to 300
stores, bought The Budlong for an undisclosed amount last year. Craveworthy owns, operates and franchises three other brands — Wing It On, Krafted Burger Bar & Tap and Lucky Cat Poke — across 18 states. It added The Budlong to its portfolio and has plans to open 100 stores by 2027. Budlong reopened its locations in Lincoln Square, Lincoln Park, Hyde Park and in the Loop within the Urban Space Food Hall, Block Club Chicago first reported. Majewski tells Crain's three new locations will open in Lakeview, Oak Brook and Dallas in the next few months. He said the size and square footage needed to quickly open numerous locations was part of the attraction to acquire The Budlong, but the menu items' quality and popularity sealed the deal. "In any deal I have to love the food first, and Budlong nailed that," Majewski said. "It had a cult following of devoted fans that were extremely passionate about it." Over the next four years, Craveworthy plans to open corporate stores around the country, Majewski said. He added it launched a franchise sales program on April 1 and will actively sell stores across the country.
"Since we are willing to go into second-generation restaurant locations, we have low buildout cost and quick buildouts," he said. In addition to opening new stores, Craveworthy brought on culinary professionals Becca McIntyre and Robert Kabakoff to oversee the brand's expansion and new menu items. "My culinary team will be continually working on keeping the menu fresh and current in the trends today and pushing the envelope on what we can do with toppings, sides and overall flavors of our food," Majewski said. "Expect to see more changes to our menu regularly while always keeping what made Budlong Budlong, which is America's first true Southern chicken spot. We are so much more than hot chicken." Craveworthy also plans to launch a rewards program and an updated website for easier
online ordering and will renovate existing stores for a streamlined take-out and third- party pickup process.
To celebrate the reopening, Majewski said The Budlong will offer its chicken sandwich for $3 — normally $6.99 for thigh meat and $9.99 for breast meat, according to its website — on April 6 during lunch and dinner at all four locations.