Wichita is witnessing the birth of yet another homegrown food franchise

Wichita is witnessing the birth of yet another food franchise.

Max Sheets started Chick N Max in 2017 and now is offering the business as a multiunit franchise for the first time.

“We’re learned a lot along the way, and we really have perfected our processes,” Sheets said.

That’s how he knew it was time to start franchising, he said.

Sheets said the pandemic taught him some things, too.

“The last year has been a challenge . . . but it’s been good for us,” he said. “Because we have drive-throughs, our sales have been very good.”

There are three Wichita Chick N Max restaurants, and the one at the Village at Greenwich at 21st and Greenwich does not have a drive-through. Sheets said he’ll never again build a Chick N Max without one.

“We’re seeing a lot of innovation in the drive-throughs throughout the industry right now.”

Chick N Max offered discounted family meals and community support meals during the pandemic.

“We reached out to the community, and the community embraced us,” Sheets said. “A lot of people started trying Chick N Max and were liking what we’re doing, and they continue to come back.”

He said he also now has a well-developed online ordering system and is close to having an app as well.

“That’s all resulting from COVID. . . . It’s given us a year to really focus on these things.”

In addition to franchising, Sheets said he’s planning at least a couple more Chick N Max restaurants in Wichita.

One will be at 5510 E. Central near Central and Edgemoor where a Wendy’s once was and a hair salon was most recently.

Morrie Sheets, who is no relation to Max Sheets, of J.P. Weigand & Sons handled the deal for the space.

Max Sheets said what sets Chick N Max apart from other restaurants in general and chicken places in particular is “two distinct platforms that no one else has.”

Along with large fried tenders that are what Sheets calls true tenders and not other parts of a chicken, he said every one of his restaurants has a smoker that creates healthy almond chicken, which is proving to be a popular alternative.

Sheets said he also hired a seasoned culinary director who has worked for other major restaurants nationally and has helped his menu evolve.

“We really took our focus to sandwiches and really focused on becoming the better chicken sandwich,” he said.

“The restaurant space is crowded,” Sheets said. “We’ve spent this time really perfecting a niche in the . . . chicken segment.”

From the beginning, he said his goal was to create “a concept that could go from coast to coast.”

Sheets said franchising will allow him to grow much faster than opening each restaurant on his own.

Chick N Max has received a lot of press nationally, Sheets said, and he said he’s already getting interest from potential franchisees who have already been calling about it.

“It’s just taken a while to get to that moment, and we’re there.”

The franchise fee is $35,000, and the total investment to open a Chick N Max is $241,000 to $727,500. The wide range takes into account market and store sizes and other factors.

The restaurants range from 1,800 square feet to 2,400 square feet and usually seat 60 to 80 people and have 15 to 20 employees.

Initially, Sheets will focus on surrounding states and the southeast.

“The southeast is a great region for our brand because of our flavor profiles.”

He adds, though, “Anyone that’s interested, we’re certainly going to visit with them.”

Sheets has had a long history in the restaurant business.

He started with Pizza Hut through franchisee Jamie Coulter, with whom Sheets worked for a number of years, including with Coulter’s Lone Star Steakhouse & Saloon and Fox and Hound.

Sheets also worked with Ted Turner scouting sites for his Ted’s Montana Grill nationally.

Most recently, he was in real estate development for Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers.

All of the experience gives him some idea of what to expect with Chick N Max franchising.

“If we could do three to five (a year), we’d be real happy with that,” Sheets said.

He acknowledges it’s probably not up to him.

“The market will tell us.”

This story was originally published March 25, 2021 at 2:24 PM.