Matt Thomas just signed a Multi-Unit Development Agreement to open two Flying Biscuit Café locations in Palm Beach County, Florida — the first cafés the brand will have in the county. He’s picking the first site now.
Two cafés, one trade area. That’s the plan, and it’s a deliberate one.
He’s not scattering them across the map
Thomas has development rights for two locations, and he wants them in the same stretch of Palm Beach County rather than spread thin. Open the first, get it running the way it should run, then add the second. After that, keep looking.
If that sounds like someone who’s done this before, that’s because he has.
Thomas opened his first sandwich-franchise restaurant in Chicago in 2005 with two partners. He ran operations; a partner handled the books. Two years later the group moved into South Florida and eventually got to 12 locations there, plus the original Chicago store.
He wasn’t planning a second act in restaurants. Then he started researching breakfast franchises specifically — and kept coming back to one.
“This community seems to like going out to breakfast/brunch almost as much as I do. The Flying Biscuit Café is doing it better than anyone out there and I’m excited to share this concept with my neighbors.” — Matt Thomas
Why Palm Beach County
Thomas picked the county for the mix: young professionals, families, retirees. All of them eat breakfast. Most of them are looking for somewhere to take people on a Saturday.
And the weather keeps patio seating in play basically all year, which matters more than it sounds like it should. Shrimp and grits outside in February is a hard thing to argue with.
Two cafés is a real commitment to one community. Thomas isn’t moving to Palm Beach County to run these — he’s already there. These are for his neighbors.
What the brand side says
“Matt brings significant restaurant and business experience to Flying Biscuit Café, having previously owned and operated more than 10 sandwich-franchise locations. His experience as a multi-unit franchisee gives him a strong understanding of restaurant operations, team leadership and what it takes to run and grow a business. We’re glad to have Matt in the system and looking forward to getting started on his two locations in Palm Beach County.” — Andrew Scherzer, partner and director of franchise development, Flying Biscuit Franchising
Thomas is new to the system and came through the standard process, Discovery Day at the Atlanta headquarters and all.
Where this puts Flying Biscuit
The deal brings the brand to 43 cafés open and 13 in development across Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina, Florida and Texas.
Quick version, for anyone keeping score:
- Franchisee: Matt Thomas, multi-unit operator
- Market: Palm Beach County, Fla. — a first for the brand
- Deal: Multi-Unit Development Agreement, two cafés
- Status: first site in selection now
- System total: 43 open, 13 in development
What a Flying Biscuit morning actually looks like
Founded in Candler Park, Atlanta, in 1993. All-day breakfast, Southern-leaning comfort food, and a menu that runs well past eggs — stuffed French toast, the famous shrimp and grits, hearty omelets, vegan scrambles, burgers, wraps. A lot of locations pour a full bar, too, including mimosa flights and the “Stage 5 Clinger” Bloody Mary.
Doors open early and close at 3. Breakfast and lunch, nothing after — which means the team is home in the afternoon and the kitchen only has to be great at one thing.
Tens of thousands of biscuits a week. Too much butter, which is the right amount.
Want a market of your own?
Flying Biscuit Franchising is awarding territories across the Southeast and beyond, and Palm Beach County is proof there’s still white space in good markets.
If you’ve run restaurants and you’re looking at breakfast — or you’ve never run one and you’re serious about learning — take a look. You can review available markets, ownership requirements and the steps to a franchise agreement, then start a real conversation with the franchise development team.
Fill out the contact form at flyingbiscuitfranchising.com and let’s talk.
