Huey Magoo's, an Orlando-based chicken tender chain now steered by former Wingstop executives, is making a move on North Dallas after signing a development deal that will plant multiple locations across the area. It is the brand's first public push into the Dallas-Fort Worth market and it drops yet another national tender contender into an already packed lineup. Expect Huey Magoo's staple hand-breaded and grilled tenders, served in compact, drive-thru-friendly setups tailored for speed and volume.
According to a press release from PR Newswire, Huey Magoo's has signed a 12-restaurant development agreement that covers eight restaurants in the North Dallas market and four in Birmingham, Alabama. The Jha Rajput Patel group is named as the local developer for the Dallas units, with the deal positioned as part of the chain's broader push to reach roughly 100 locations in 2026. Company leaders say the agreement underscores strong interest from experienced multi-unit franchisees.
The chain, founded in Orlando in 2004, has expanded primarily through franchising and now operates dozens of locations across the Southeast, the Houston Chronicle reported. The paper also noted that Huey Magoo's builds its menu around the tenderloin, a cut the company has branded as the "filet mignon of chicken," and that the closest existing locations to Texas are in Mississippi.
Huey Magoo's growth strategy is powered by an executive team with serious chicken and wing credentials. Industry coverage points to Andy Howard, the brand's president and CEO, as a former Wingstop executive whose background has helped shape the chain's expansion approach, according to Nation's Restaurant News. Trade outlets repeatedly highlight that pedigree as one reason franchise investors are paying attention.
What North Dallas Will See
The new agreement brings a mix of formats to the region, including a compact 1,500-square-foot prototype aimed at cutting buildout costs, freestanding drive-thrus and express units. The company says these designs are meant to speed development and reduce capital requirements, according to PR Newswire. The same release outlines multi-unit franchise commitments that are structured to seed the local market over several years.
Local coverage that shared reporting from the Dallas Business Journal notes that David Boatright, Huey Magoo's director of franchise sales, told reporters the typical timeline from site selection to opening runs about nine to eighteen months, and that the company is not yet disclosing specific addresses for its Dallas-area locations, as reported by WFAA. Huey Magoo's franchising page currently lists Texas as a market in development and outlines training and real estate support for new operators.
Why Dallas Matters
Industry outlets describe the chicken tender category as one of the hottest corners of quick service, with brands rolling out smaller footprints and flexible restaurant formats to grab market share. Trade coverage has tracked how operators are fine-tuning real estate strategies to cut costs and build faster. That makes Texas, with its heavy drive-thru traffic and sprawling suburbs, a logical target for a brand built around quick, repeatable tender meals, according to QSR Magazine.
For now, the development agreement firmly plants Huey Magoo's on the DFW expansion map. The real proof will come when permits hit the city logs, construction fencing goes up or the company pins down its first official opening date. We will update this story as Huey Magoo's or its franchisee group releases more detailed location and timing information.
