Philadelphia-born Love & Honey Fried Chicken is pushing into Massachusetts, actively recruiting experienced franchise operators to open locations across Greater Boston, Worcester, Cambridge, Somerville, Springfield, and both the North Shore and South Shore regions. The move marks the brand's first entry into the Bay State and follows a recent Rhode Island opening in Cranston.
The Expansion Strategy
The brand's Massachusetts push is part of a broader Northeast corridor buildout for the fast-casual concept, which was founded in Philadelphia in 2017. With existing locations in Pennsylvania, New York, and now Rhode Island, the company is threading a geographic line up the East Coast. Leadership is specifically seeking multi-unit operators rather than single-unit owners — a signal that the brand is prioritizing scalable, well-capitalized partners over grassroots franchisees.
"Massachusetts is a natural step for Love & Honey as we continue building our footprint across the East Coast," said Laura Lyons, Co-Founder and CEO of Love & Honey Fried Chicken. "We have seen how guests in New York, Rhode Island and Pennsylvania have connected with the brand, and we believe the same quality, warmth, and sense of community will resonate with guests across Boston and the surrounding communities."
What Separates the Concept
In a fried chicken segment that has grown intensely competitive over the past several years, Love & Honey positions itself around chef-driven preparation and sourcing standards. The menu centers on hand-dredged chicken that is Halal-certified, raised without antibiotics, and sourced through Coleman Farms. Sides and sauces are scratch-made, and the brand operates under a national supply agreement with Sysco — a detail that matters for prospective operators evaluating supply-chain reliability as they scale.
For operators weighing the investment, the brand offers a $5,000 discount on the franchise fee for veterans, along with multi-unit incentives designed to reward operators who commit to larger development agreements. Geoff Goodman, President of Love & Honey Fried Chicken and a Boston native, framed the opportunity around local market expectations: "Massachusetts guests won't settle for anything less than great food and a real sense of community. We are looking for franchise partners who understand that successful growth is about more than opening restaurants."
Operator Implications
Massachusetts presents both opportunity and friction for fast-casual franchisors. The state's food-forward culture — particularly in Greater Boston and Cambridge — rewards differentiated concepts, but real estate costs, labor regulations, and a discerning dining public raise the bar for execution. For operators already running multi-unit portfolios in adjacent markets, Love & Honey's Northeast concentration could offer a natural adjacency.
The fried chicken category itself remains one of the most active segments in fast-casual restaurant expansion, with established and emerging brands competing for both prime real estate and experienced franchisee talent. Love & Honey's Halal sourcing and antibiotic-free protein standards may give it an edge in markets with large Muslim communities and health-conscious consumers, two demographics well represented in Greater Boston and Worcester.
Operators interested in the franchise opportunity can find development details at loveandhoneyfranchise.com. For broader context on what's driving fast-casual franchise growth in the Northeast, see our restaurant franchise and growth coverage.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
