A fast-casual fried chicken chain founded by Dave Thomas's grandson is coming to the city where his grandfather opened the very first Wendy's more than half a century ago. Minnie Bird, the chicken sandwich and dirty soda concept co-founded by Sean Thomas, has signed a franchise agreement to bring three restaurants to the Columbus area, with the opening date for the first location not yet specified.
A Homecoming to Wendy's Birthplace
The symbolism is hard to miss. As reported by NBC4 WCMH-TV, Sean Thomas is Dave Thomas's grandson and owns multiple Wendy's locations himself, giving him a direct hand in both the legacy chain and his own upstart brand. Wendy's got its start in Columbus, according to 614NOW. Artifacts from that original Broad Street restaurant are now on display at Wendy's headquarters in nearby Dublin.
The new brand's name carries its own piece of family history. Minnie Bird is named for Minnie Sinclair, Dave Thomas's grandmother.
From Burgers to Bird: Sean Thomas's Pivot
Minnie Bird is Sean Thomas's fast-casual food concept. He co-founded Minnie Bird in 2024 alongside David Sloan, the former CEO of Naf Naf Grill, according to NBC4's reporting. The brand's focus is squarely on chicken.
Sean Thomas isn't just a chicken entrepreneur on the side — he also owns multiple Wendy's locations. That dual role — legacy Wendy's operator and independent fast-casual founder — puts him in the unusual position of competing, in a sense, with his own family's chain while paying homage to it.
What's on the Menu, and Who's Bringing It Here
Minnie Bird's menu centers on fried chicken sandwiches, wraps and tenders, rounded out with crinkle-cut fries, fried cheese curds and coleslaw, per NBC4's report. The chain leans hard into two signature extras: customizable dirty sodas — fountain drinks mixed with flavored syrups and cream-based add-ins — and a free swirl of soft-serve ice cream included with every meal. The chain highlights dirty sodas as a signature extra.
The Central Ohio franchise group behind the expansion includes Pranay, Ashish and Bob Patel, described by 614NOW as experienced multi-unit operators who currently run Subway and Barrio Burrito Bar locations in the region. The Patel group operates more than a dozen restaurants in Central Ohio, according to a company release cited by NBC4, and said Minnie Bird's food is genuinely different while its operating model is simple to run. Patel described the operating model as simple to run.
Rapid Growth From Chicago to Two New States
Minnie Bird currently has three Chicago-area locations, according to NBC4. The chain is now preparing for national growth, per the company's own release, with Ohio marking its entry into a new state alongside a simultaneous push into Florida. Minnie Bird signed a franchise agreement in July 2026 to open 20 locations across Orlando and Tampa, with its first Florida restaurants expected to open in 2027.
Exact site selections for the three Columbus-area restaurants have not yet been disclosed, according to NBC4's report. Columbus's chicken scene has already been heating up: Hoodline previously reported on new Chick-fil-A openings as national chains jockey for space in the metro area. Whether Minnie Bird can carve out its own foothold in the Columbus market remains to be seen as the brand works to scale from three Chicago stores into markets across two new states.
