Founderology Forum

How Urban Bird Hot Chicken turned a bad lease into a fast-growing brand

Brandon and Chantel Gawthorp built 32 Wingstop franchises across three states over 20 years, then let it all go to bet on themselves. They opened the first Urban Bird Hot Chicken in 2020, in a space another restaurant left behind. Six years later, they have 24 locations open, many more on the way, and every single one built 100% debt-free

August 4, 2026

Urban Bird Hot Chicken founders Brandon Gawthorp and Chantel Fiaschetti are sharing the lessons behind the Texas-based brand's growth on a new podcast episode, discussing the decisions that helped transform a struggling lease into a fast-growing hot chicken concept.

The episode explores how the couple launched Urban Bird after negotiating a costly lease obligation into an opportunity to open a new restaurant. Despite having limited experience with Nashville hot chicken, the founders spent roughly 60 recipe tests before opening, prioritizing product quality over speed even as lease payments mounted.

Among the topics discussed:

• Why Brandon Gawthorp sent what he describes as a difficult but necessary text message that many entrepreneurs would hesitate to send.
• How an employee who spoke little English when hired eventually became the manager of one of the brand's restaurants.
• Why the company has turned away numerous franchise inquiries to protect its long-term growth strategy.

The founders also discuss how an operational challenge became a business opportunity. Early on, many chicken pieces delivered by suppliers were too small to meet the restaurant's jumbo tender specifications. Rather than discard the product, the team developed a new menu item using the smaller cuts — a decision Brandon says became one of the company's top-selling offerings and helped improve restaurant profitability.

The conversation also examines Urban Bird's rapid expansion. After doubling its footprint in a single year, the founders recognized they needed to redesign their operating systems to support continued growth.

"What got us to 23 stores is not what's going to get us to 46," Brandon Gawthorp said during the episode.

Throughout the interview, the couple discusses building the brand without taking on debt, navigating operational challenges and preparing the business for its next phase of expansion.

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