A history of how
Bojangles’^® made history

The year was 1977. The world was into leisure suits, disco balls and galaxies far, far away. In Charlotte, NC, they were craving chicken. But it couldn’t be just any chicken. That’s where Bojangles’^® came in.

1977 The Beginning

Founders Jack Fulk and Richard Thomas open the first Bojangles’^® restaurant—it becomes a local phenomenon.

1978 Franchised

The first Bojangles’^® franchised restaurant is opened.

1981 Highest Sales

Bojangles’^® achieves the highest restaurant sales average in the nation and is acquired by The Horn & Hardart Company.

1984 200 Restaurants

Bojangles’^® opens its 200th restaurant.

1989 Hurricane Hugo

Hurricane Hugo hits big—Bojangles’^® continues serving when almost all other restaurants are closed.

1990 Acquired

Bojangles’^® is acquired by the Silicon Valley investment group Interwest Partners.

1992 New Growth

Bojangles’^® acquires 76 restaurants to prepare for new growth.

1995 More Growth

Bojangles’^® begins its second generation of growth, opening 66 restaurants.

1998 Acquired

Bojangles’^® is acquired by a private investment group headed by Joe Drury.

2002 300 Restaurants

Bojangles’^® opens its 300th restaurant.

2007 Acquired, Recognized and Listed

Bojangles’^® is acquired by Falfurrias Capital Partners. Entrepreneur magazine recognizes Bojangles’^® as the #1 restaurant franchise in the chicken category and Inc. magazine lists it among the nation’s fastest-growing private companies.

2008 Big Year

The Wall Street Journal names Bojangles’^® one of only eight restaurant franchises in its elite “25 Franchise High Performers.” Charlotte Coliseum becomes Bojangles’^® Coliseum and Bojangles’^® opens its 400th restaurant.

2010 It’s BO Time!^®

Bojangles’^® launches “It’s Bo Time!^®” and starts the e-club. GE Capital, “QSR” magazine and “Nation’s Restaurant News” list Bojangles’^® as one of their top 10 growth restaurant concepts.

2011 500 Restaurants

Bojangles’^® prepares to open its 500th restaurant. There are now Bojangles’^® in two international locations, 10 states and Washington, DC.

• 1977
• 1978
• 1981
• 1984
• 1989
• 1990
• 1992
• 1995
• 1998
• 2002
• 2007
• 2008
• 2010
• 2011

Bojangles’^® Cajun-style fried chicken and made-from-scratch biscuits made everything else seem, well, in bad taste. People stopped caring about shag haircuts and bell-bottom jeans. All they wanted throughout the Carolinas was more Dirty Rice^® and Cajun Pintos^®.

More than 30 years later, that hasn’t changed. Neither has the recipe our founders Jack Fulk and Richard Thomas came up with. And neither have the cravings. They’ve just spread to the rest of the country.