Eggs Up Grill is cracking into a brand-new market. The South Carolina-based breakfast, brunch and lunch franchise signed 11 new restaurant commitments across four franchise groups during the third quarter of 2026, marking the chain's first-ever entry into Kansas.
The milestone was detailed in a company announcement carried by PR Newswire, which reported that the chain opened three restaurants during the quarter, in Bonaire, Georgia; Spears Creek, South Carolina; and Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina. The release also noted the company's development pipeline has now grown to more than 200 restaurants either open or in the works nationwide, and it pointed out that more than 60% of Eggs Up Grill franchise owners operate or develop multiple restaurants under the brand. As Greenville Business Magazine also reported, the quarter's momentum included three new franchise groups joining the system, each bringing prior experience on the restaurant ownership and franchisor side.
Sales Growth Streak Hits 23 Quarters
Beyond the new restaurant signings, Eggs Up Grill extended its positive same-restaurant sales growth streak to 23 consecutive quarters, according to the same release. That builds on the brand's 22nd straight quarter of growth reported just months earlier, a milestone highlighted by the International Franchise Association, which also cited an 8.1% increase in average unit volume from 2025 to 2026.
CEO Ricky Richardson said the brand has momentum heading into the final quarter of the year, framing the growth as evidence that Eggs Up Grill is increasingly attracting sophisticated multi-unit, multi-brand operators. He said experienced operators are diversifying their portfolios with the brand while existing franchise partners continue to grow alongside it, adding that the company remains focused on finding partners who can grow with the brand for the long term.
An Existing Partner Doubles Down
One existing Eggs Up Grill franchise partner doubled its development commitment just 90 days after opening its first restaurant in a new state, per the PR Newswire release. The company did not identify the partner or the state involved, but the move underscores a broader pattern the brand has leaned on for growth: expansion driven largely by operators who already know the system. The International Franchise Association noted separately that a majority of the chain's new restaurants in 2026 are expected to come from existing multi-unit franchise partners rather than brand-new entrants.
Founded in Pawleys Island, South Carolina, Eggs Up Grill has served breakfast, brunch and lunch for more than 25 years, according to an earlier PR Newswire release. That same release noted the company had identified more than 1,000 available trade areas across its target markets, suggesting plenty of room left to grow even after crossing the 200-restaurant mark.
A Track Record of Rapid Expansion
The Q3 commitments arrive on the heels of a stretch of fast growth for the daytime dining chain. Eggs Up Grill opened 18 restaurants in 2025 and surpassed 100 locations nationwide, the International Franchise Association reported, while the brand's systemwide sales rose more than 52% from 2022 to 2024. The company has also pointed to a 25.2% increase in sales and a 20.3% rise in unit count between 2022 and 2023, according to figures posted on the company's own site.
Richardson has said he wants to maintain an annual unit-opening pace of 25% to 35%, per that same company post, and unit count has grown 30% year over year since 2021 by his account. The brand's rapid rise has also drawn outside recognition: Eggs Up Grill earned placement in the 2026 Entrepreneur Franchise 500, Franchise Business Review's Top 200 Franchises and Franchise Times' 2026 Fast & Serious ranking of the top 40 franchises to watch, the International Franchise Association noted.
Locally, the brand's newest South Carolina restaurant has already put a face on the expansion. The Post and Courier reported that Marc Cotone owns the newest Eggs Up Grill location in Mount Pleasant, part of the same wave of openings that included the Bonaire, Georgia, and Spears Creek, South Carolina, restaurants this quarter.
