Zaxbys is preparing to open a third Las Vegas Valley restaurant, this time at the Decatur Meadows Shopping Center in the Rancho Oakey neighborhood, according to permit records tied to the site at 398 S. Decatur Blvd. The Southeastern fried chicken chain has opened two locations in Southern Nevada since its April 2025 debut and is preparing a third.
The Decatur Meadows location would be the third for local franchisees Royce Chow and Jie Zhou, whose names are listed on the permit for the new restaurant, as reported by WhatNow. Zaxbys first entered the Las Vegas Valley on April 14, 2025, opening at 5290 Blue Diamond Rd. under Chow and Zhou's Zax Nevada LLC, a debut detailed in a PR Newswire announcement. That first restaurant, built by local firm AJB General Contractor, spans roughly 2,600 square feet.
The franchise group didn't wait long to expand. A second location opened June 23, 2025, at 2210 E. Craig Rd. in North Las Vegas, offering more than 50 job opportunities and directing 10% of grand-opening proceeds to local nonprofit Opportunity Village. That North Las Vegas store also runs about 2,600 square feet, with 30 seats and a drive-thru.
A Corridor Already Reshaped by Housing Growth
The Decatur Meadows Shopping Center sits along a corridor that's seen significant residential investment in recent years. Nevada HAND's 480-unit Decatur Commons affordable housing development was estimated to be completed in summer 2022.
WhatNow reported a City of Las Vegas permit for the planned Zaxby's at 398 S. Decatur Blvd.
National Growth Machine Behind the Local Push
The Las Vegas expansion is part of a much larger national story for Zaxbys. The chain has surpassed the 1,000-restaurant milestone nationwide and is targeting more than 60 new openings in 2026, according to Nation's Restaurant News. Georgia remains the brand's largest market.
Part of what's fueling that pace is a new construction strategy. The same trade publication's report notes that Zaxbys introduced a “Modern Farmhouse” design offering six flexible building prototypes, including drive-thru-only formats, that can cut construction costs by up to 70% compared with a traditional 3,000-square-foot store.
Entering a Crowded Chicken Battlefield
Zaxbys isn't the only Southeastern chicken chain with a presence in Southern Nevada.
Bojangles has also been muscling into the market. The chain opened its fourth Las Vegas Valley store on Paradise Road in January as part of a 20-unit development deal led by local operator LV Petroleum, Hoodline previously reported. Bojangles is also planning a flagship Strip location at the LINQ featuring a full bar and live entertainment.
From a Georgia College Town to Wall Street Backing
Zaxbys traces back to 1990, when founders Zach McLeroy and Tony Townley opened the first location near the Georgia Southern University campus in Statesboro. McLeroy sold his drum set for $8,000 and Townley matched the contribution, raising $16,000 in initial startup costs to launch what was originally called Zax, focused on chicken fingers, crinkle fries, Texas toast and Zax Sauce. The company began franchising in 1993, adopted the Zaxbys name in 1994, and expanded outside Georgia to Bowling Green, Kentucky, that same year before eventually pushing into Western states including Utah.
The company's ownership shifted dramatically in November 2020, when Goldman Sachs acquired a majority stake in Zaxbys. Former Noodles & Company chief Bernard Acoca took over as CEO in 2022, while co-founder McLeroy became chairman of the board, according to background reporting cited by WhatNow. Zaxbys has also expanded into Western markets such as Nevada, where it describes its culture as centered on core values of customer service, hospitality, inclusion and boldness, paired with what the company calls a saucy personality.
