Crack Shack, the fried chicken restaurant chain launched five years ago in Little Italy, announced a new partnership deal today that will expand the fast-casual concept across the U.S.
Crack Shack founder and CEO Mike Rosen said up to three new locations will open outside California in 2021 as part of the the deal inked with Savory, a restaurant-focused investment fund launched in May with $90 million in capital by the Mercato Partners Fund in Utah. The new locations will join the six existing Crack Shacks in Little Italy, Encinitas, Costa Mesa, Century City, Pasadena and Las Vegas.
Rosen said he has been approached many times by private equity firms that wanted to invest in an expansion, but Savory brought something new to the table — a management team of restaurant industry veterans with expertise in real estate evaluation, construction management, design, human resources and employee training.