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Zaxby’s, a fast-casual chicken chain that has long been a staple of the South, is heading to Manhattan — and the Upper East Side will be its first stop.
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The Georgia-born chain has signed a 10-year lease for 3,600 square feet at 1267 First Avenue, between East 68th and East 69th streets, Commercial Observer first reported. The restaurant is expected to open this summer.“We are really excited to be in New York City and look forward to opening this summer,” a Zaxby’s spokesperson told Commercial Observer.
For Upper East Siders unfamiliar with the brand, Zaxby’s is a fast-casual chain built around hand-breaded chicken fingers (or “Chicken Fingerz,” in Zaxby’s parlance), traditional and boneless wings, and chicken sandwiches. The menu also features salads — branded as “Zalads” — including a Cobb Zalad and an Asian Zensation Zalad, along with sides like crinkle-cut fries, fried pickles, and buttery Texas toast. A roster of signature dipping sauces ranges from the fan-favorite “Zax Sauce” to the intensely spicy “Nuclear” and “Tongue Torch” options. The chain also recently brought back milkshakes and has been rotating limited-time items like Southern Fried Shrimp and Giant Quesadillas stuffed with chicken fingers.
Founded in 1990 in Statesboro, Georgia by childhood friends Zach McLeroy and Tony Townley — McLeroy famously sold his drum kit to help scrape together the $16,000 needed to open the first location near the Georgia Southern University campus — the chain has grown into a national operation with more than 1,000 locations across 22 states.
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The Upper East Side location is part of an aggressive expansion push for the brand, which has historically been concentrated in the Southeast. In December, Zaxby’s opened its first-ever New Jersey restaurant, marking its debut in the Northeast. The chain recently surpassed 1,000 U.S. locations and is targeting more than 60 new openings in 2026 alone.“This marks a major milestone for Zaxby’s entering Manhattan for the first time,” Franco told Commercial Observer. “The corridor benefits from consistent foot traffic driven by the surrounding hospitals and dense residential base.”
Zaxby’s joins a wave of chicken-focused chains expanding across the city, including Raising Cane’s, Dave’s Hot Chicken, and Wingstop, all of which have been aggressively adding locations in recent years.
East Side Feed has reached out to Zaxby’s for a more specific target opening date; they don’t have one at this time, but we’ll provide updates when we know more.
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