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The Southern-inspired brand’s Oregon debut and continued Texas expansion spotlight a single-shift model for operators seeking a differentiated restaurant opportunity.
Huckleberry’s Breakfast & Lunch is expanding with a simple idea in mind: get the fundamentals right, then grow from there.
Known for serving “Southern Cookin’ With a California Twist,” Huckleberry’s recently made its Pacific Northwest debut in Gresham, Oregon, adding to a 33-unit presence across California, Nevada, and Texas. The brand is built for operators seeking a full-service growth vehicle focused on one daily shift.
“It’s wonderful to be home having dinner with your family, says David Glennon, chief operating officer of San Luis Obispo, California-based Heritage Restaurant Brands, Huckleberry’s parent company. “The one-shift operation is certainly an easier model to execute if you’re moving from a QSR environment to full service, and you’re able to attract great industry talent.”
What makes Huckleberry’s different goes beyond the Cajun Eggs Benedict and unique Louisiana vibe. The differentiator is the operating model. Restaurants are open 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., seven days a week.
The format suits franchisees who know how to run systems and lead teams. A single shift means one labor pool to hire, train, and schedule. Guests are delighted by the full-service dining experience, scratch-made comfort food, and the kind of authentic welcome that keeps people coming back.
Huckleberry's growth strategy begins with the franchisee, says Reem Fahoum, Heritage’s vice president of marketing and franchising.
“Our growth is deliberate rather than opportunistic,” Fahoum says. “With restaurants across California, Nevada, Texas, and now Oregon, we build outward from strength.”
Oregon franchisee Scott Ganz saw an opening for a distinctive daytime restaurant in greater Portland after visiting Huckleberry’s in California.
“We sense a real demand for a truly unique breakfast and lunch restaurant in greater Portland,” Ganz says. “Once we tried the food, met other operators and Heritage leadership, we knew this was exactly what we wanted to do.”
Huckleberry’s is looking for franchise partners who will protect the brand’s food, service, and hospitality standards from opening day forward.
“We won’t enter a market without the right operator,” Fahoum says. “The franchisee comes first; the pin on the map follows.”
Less than two months after opening in Gresham, Huckleberry’s is seeing a strong early response. Heritage credits Ganz’s hands-on approach: he invested in the training process, took a genuine interest in the community, and stays involved in day-to-day operations.
Franchisees who lead the way share that profile, Fahoum says.
“The ones who hire right and are in the dining room, not behind a desk, are the franchisees leading the pack,” Fahoum says. “When someone commits to executing the brand according to our standards, the results follow. It’s not a coincidence that our best franchisees are the ones opening their next location.”
Texas has provided another important proof point, with restaurants in Keller, Arlington, and Sachse. Austin, Carrollton, and Greater Collin County are next on the development map.
“Great food, unique atmosphere and genuine hospitality resonate in any state,” Glennon says. “Texas is a competitive restaurant market, and guests surely recognize a concept that puts all of the pieces together.”
Ask Greg Graber, founder and CEO of Heritage Restaurant Brands, how many restaurants he plans to open in the year ahead, and you won’t get a number. His attention is on giving franchisees the support they need to deliver the Huckleberry’s experience in every market.
“We believe that by executing our brand standards at a high level, it will not only increase guest counts in our existing units but attract franchisees that want to be a part of something special,” Graber says. “Growth will naturally follow.”
The Pacific Northwest, Southern California, and Texas remain priorities for the company’s next phase of expansion.
“Huckleberry’s will thrive in any major market,” Graber says. “Not only because of the brand fundamentals but because of the uniqueness of the brand—and the food. It’s just so tasty.”
Ready to bring an authentic bite of the Bayou to your market. Learn more at huckleberrys.com/franchising.
A breakfast & lunch franchise that gets you home for dinner every night.
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