Culver's is gearing up for its biggest building spree in more than a decade, with 59 new restaurants projected across the United States in 2026. If everything opens on schedule, the Wisconsin-born favorite will bulk up its presence in markets where it has already been quietly stacking locations for years.
According to the Milwaukee Business Journal, Culver Franchising System LLC is planning 59 new stores in 2026, which would mark its largest expansion push in over ten years. The outlet notes that the surge is driven by a robust franchise pipeline and targeted growth strategies in key markets.
The chain’s own Franchise Disclosure Document shows Culver’s has been steadily cranking out new restaurants for years. Net openings were 53 in 2024, 51 in 2023 and 55 in 2022, bringing the system to roughly 990 franchised restaurants by the end of 2024. The document also breaks down state-level data and puts Florida among the markets with more than 100 franchised restaurants and relatively strong per-unit sales, which helps explain why the chain is leaning into expansion there. Culver’s Franchise Disclosure Document
Florida Could Become No. 2 Market
The Sunshine State is not just a nice place for a beach day, it is turning into one of Culver’s most important battlegrounds. The Milwaukee Business Journal reports that Florida could become Culver’s second-largest market if the pace of openings continues to pick up.
Franchise development and site pipelines in Florida already account for a significant slice of the planned 2026 openings, with local operators working ahead on pad deals and site plans across the state. Many of those moves happen long before a “coming soon” sign hits a window, which means Florida could quietly climb the rankings before most diners realize what is happening.
How Culver’s Is Growing Its Footprint
Culver’s current playbook lines up closely with the strategies spelled out in its Franchise Disclosure Document. The chain offers a Mentoring Program that lets experienced managers or existing franchisees open additional units at reduced initial fees, essentially rewarding operators who already know the system and want to scale up. The same filing lists a total estimated investment range of about $2,642,500 to $8,573,000 for a new restaurant, along with details on those initial fees. Culver’s Franchise Disclosure Document
To keep customers coming while all those new sites are opening, the company is also refreshing menu items and enhancing its Delicious Rewards loyalty features in 2026, moves it says are meant to support traffic as the system grows. Those menu and rewards updates are laid out in a Culver's press release.
What To Watch Locally
For locals trying to figure out where that next ButterBurger might land, the first clues will usually show up in city paperwork, not on social media. Most new restaurants will appear initially in permit applications, site-plan filings and zoning agendas. Developers and mall owners in Sun Belt metros often advertise pad-ready spaces before any franchisee publicly confirms a build.
If you are tracking Culver’s specifically, keep an eye on municipal planning agendas and county permit databases in Florida and other fast-growing Sun Belt areas. Those records tend to reveal address details, building sizes and sometimes even drive-thru layouts long before construction crews roll in.
We will be watching to see where Culver’s decides to plant its next round of flags and which local franchisees are behind the deals, and we will update with permit and site-plan specifics as they appear in city and county records.
