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Chainlets are just local restaurants covering all the bases.
Wining and dining at a “chain” restaurant doesn’t always mean ditching local eats for corporate monotony.
Enter the chainlet: a still-small local restaurant brand with a growing regional footprint. Coined by New York Magazine, chainlet essentially describes a local spot that got popular enough to multiply—but not enough to wind up off every highway exit with the essence (and smell) of an Applebee’s.
They transcend food fads and build brands that don’t just survive, but thrive—enough to establish several outposts and a footprint without fumbling flavor or the small-business feel. Think beloved neighborhood resto, now with siblings. But, there is a tipping point. Once these concepts balloon beyond a dozen-ish spots—or
open digs in the likes of LA, Vegas and NYC—they graduate to full-fledged chains.
The sweet spot: growing the footprint without losing the flavor, personality and small-biz appeal that got people hooked in the first place—by staying regional or sticking to smaller cities. Raleigh—and NC—has plenty that fit the bill. We scanned the scene for go-to homegrown mini empires.
3 locations:
Benchwarmers Bagels
The Cowfish
The Crunkleton
My Way Tavern
4 locations:
Come Back Shack
Jubala
Vic’s
Wong’s Tacos
5 locations:
Diced
6 locations:
Midwood Smokehouse
Tazza Kitchen
Two Roosters
7 locations:
K38 Baja Grill
8 locations:
Hibachi 88
10 locations:
Char-Grill
Timber Pizza
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