Love & Honey Fried Chicken, the Philadelphia-based premium fast-casual chain, has executed a 20-unit franchise development agreement targeting Southeast Florida and markets south of Orlando, marking the brand's first formal entry into the state and its most significant single-market commitment to date. The deal, signed May 12, 2026, does not disclose a buildout timeline or total capital investment, but a 20-unit development agreement in a high-density corridor such as Southeast Florida typically implies a multi-year schedule and tens of millions of dollars in franchisee-side construction and fit-out costs. Love & Honey has not publicly stated a system-wide unit count target or a projected opening cadence for the Florida pipeline. The fast-casual fried chicken segment has seen sustained franchising activity over the past three years as operators seek to capitalise on durable consumer demand for premium, chef-influenced comfort food. Chains including Dave's Hot Chicken and Raising Cane's have each accelerated multi-state development programmes, intensifying competition for qualified multi-unit operators — precisely the profile a 20-unit commitment in a single region implies. Love & Honey's positioning around chef-driven preparation and what the company calls "heartfelt hospitality" places it in the upper tier of the category on price and experience, a segment that has demonstrated relative resilience against value-oriented trade-down pressure. For more on competitive dynamics in the fast-casual chicken space, see our sector overview at [/restaurants/fast-casual-chicken-segment-outlook](/restaurants/fast-casual-chicken-segment-outlook). Florida represents a strategically logical first out-of-market push for a Philadelphia-origin brand: the state's population growth, tourism-driven foot traffic in the Orlando corridor, and the density of the Southeast Florida metro area provide the scale a developing franchise network requires to build brand recognition efficiently. The agreement also reflects a broader trend of Northeast regional restaurant concepts using Florida as a proving ground before pursuing wider national rollouts, a pattern tracked in recent franchise-deal coverage at [/franchising/northeast-brands-florida-expansion](/franchising/northeast-brands-florida-expansion). Love & Honey has not issued formal unit-economics disclosures or a franchise disclosure document summary in connection with this announcement. The company, described as carrying a loyal Philadelphia following, has built its brand through its original location before pursuing the franchised growth model now taking shape with the Florida agreement. Further financial terms, including franchise fees, royalty rates, and development incentives, were not disclosed. Written by Michael Politz, Author of [Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1)](https://www.amazon.com/Beverage-Magazines-Guide-Restaurant-Success/dp/1119668964), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.