Subway Franchisee Diversifies With Minnie Bird

DiPasqua Brands, the largest Subway franchisee in Central Florida, signed a 20-unit franchise development agreement with Minnie Bird, a fast-casual chicken concept co-founded by Venture Kitchen and Sean Thomas. Under the agreement, the DiPasqua organization will develop 20 Minnie Bird restaurants across the Orlando and Tampa markets with the first locations to open in 2027.

"We've been building restaurants in Florida for more than four decades, and we're selective about what we take on. Minnie Bird stood out. The food is excellent, the operation is simple to run, and there's real appetite for something different in the chicken category. We think it will connect with guests in Orlando and Tampa, and we're glad to be the ones to bring it here," said Pete DiPasqua of DiPasqua Brands.

Founded in 1977, DiPasqua Brands is one of the oldest and largest franchise groups in the Subway system, operating 110 restaurants across Florida. The family-owned company's agreement with Minnie Bird marks its expansion into an emerging brand.

"Signing a 20-unit agreement with an operator of DiPasqua's caliber this early in our franchising is a real signal for the brand. We built Minnie Bird to travel: strong unit economics, a small footprint, and a guest experience people come back for. This agreement takes us into one of the most competitive restaurant markets in the country with a partner who knows how to operate at scale," said David Sloan, co-founder and managing partner of Venture Kitchen.

Sean Thomas, co-founder of Minnie Bird, said, "From the first restaurant, guests connected with what we're doing: premium chicken, dirty sodas, and free soft-serve with every meal. Working with a Florida operator like DiPasqua to bring that to a new part of the country is exactly the kind of growth we set out to build."