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FRANCHISE RESALES

Buy a CityBird Tenders Franchise

CityBird Tenders is a fast-casual chicken tender concept built around a deliberately streamlined, takeout-led menu. Founded in 2018 in Cincinnati, it sells made-to-order tenders from cage-free, antibiotic-free chicken that is house-brined and fried fresh, alongside chicken sandwiches, salads, fries, coleslaw and a rotating lineup of scratch-made sauces.

The brand is part of Thunderdome Restaurant Group, a Cincinnati operator with more than 50 restaurants across its portfolio and a second franchised concept, Currito. CityBird grew out of Thunderdome’s sister brand The Eagle, which saw heavy carryout demand for chicken; the group tested a small first unit, then expanded it into a franchised system around 2022.

Units run on small footprints of roughly 800 to 2,500 square feet, typically end-cap spaces with patio and parking, paired with a compact equipment package suited to a focused menu. The network is still emerging, with around nine locations concentrated in Ohio and neighbouring Kentucky, Illinois and Indiana, plus an early North Carolina site, and growth targeted across Midwest and Appalachian markets.

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Why buy a CityBird Tenders Franchise?

Chicken is one of the most resilient and fastest-growing categories in quick-service dining, and CityBird’s focused tender concept is built to ride that demand without the operational sprawl of a broad menu. The compact, takeout-oriented format keeps the back of house simple, which supports tighter labour scheduling and lower rent than full-service restaurants require.

To buy a CityBird Tenders franchise is also to join a system run by an experienced multi-brand operator. Thunderdome Restaurant Group has built and franchised concepts before, including the 24-unit Currito, and CityBird’s leadership has signalled a deliberate, owner-focused growth approach rather than a rapid mass sell-off. For a resale buyer, an existing unit offers an established location, equipment package and local customer base in a brand still early in its franchising curve.

CityBird Tenders Franchise Costs & Information

  • Minimum Qualifications

    • Franchise Fee

      $30,000-$45,000

    • Minimum Cash Required

      $ 20,000

    • Total investment

      $292,500-$957,000

  • Royalty

    • 6%

      of gross sales

  • Training & Support

    • World-class program includes real estate, design/construction, and operations training.

    • Marketing resources, technology tools, and people/culture guidance

CityBird Tenders – Additional  Information

  1. Training & Support

    New franchisees complete a two-week intensive training programme at CityBird's Cincinnati headquarters, covering food preparation and day-to-day operations. Ongoing support continues post-opening through operations guidance, marketing resources, technology tools and people-and-culture support drawn from Thunderdome Restaurant Group's leadership team. Buyers of an existing CityBird unit should confirm what transfer training and system access the franchisor provides to incoming owners, and whether current staff are already trained on the brand's operating procedures.

  2. Ideal Owner

    CityBird suits a hands-on, operations-led owner who wants to be present in the restaurant rather than a passive investor. The franchisor has openly favoured single-unit operators who run the day-to-day themselves, with room to add a second location once the first is established. Comfort managing hourly staff, holding food-quality and service standards, and driving local takeout and delivery awareness matters more than prior restaurant ownership, though foodservice or QSR experience is an advantage.

  3. Recognition & Awards

    CityBird has not yet earned major national franchise awards such as Entrepreneur's Franchise 500 or Franchise Business Review honours, which is typical of an emerging concept early in its franchising life. Recognition comes instead from strong local customer reviews, steady year-over-year sales growth and the credibility of parent Thunderdome Restaurant Group, an established Cincinnati operator of more than 50 restaurants. For resale buyers, brand-level recognition should be weighed alongside the specific territory's local reputation, online reviews and community visibility.

  4. Industry / Market

    CityBird operates in the US chicken quick-service segment, the fastest-growing protein category in fast food. US chicken QSR sales rose nearly 9% in 2024, far outpacing burger chains at around 1.4%, and the fast-food chicken category has grown at roughly a 5.6% annual rate over the five years to 2025. Demand is supported by chicken's value positioning, menu versatility and strong takeout and delivery behaviour, all favouring CityBird's compact, carryout-led format. For resale buyers, category momentum still depends on local competition and the unit's own traffic.

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