Having owned and operated five Rotolo’s Pizzeria locations in Ascension and Livingston parishes since 2009, Chad Calongne and Ryan Brach were looking for a new challenge in the restaurant industry.
About 18 months ago, the pair ate their first MOOYAH Burger at the chain’s Siegen Lane location. They loved the food and atmosphere, so they began researching the company. About one year ago, they signed contracts to become franchisees and will open their first store Monday at 2706 S. Cabela’s Parkway in Gonzales.
“Burgers and pizza are two things that are kind of staples in American culture today,” Calongne says.
MOOYAH Burgers is one the several growing fast casual burger chains, competing against other chains like Five Guys Burgers and Fries and Smashburger that are spreading around the country and world.
Calongne says they were attracted to the high quality and freshness of the ingredients, including bread baked fresh every day from scratch.
“The quality level that we’re used to dealing with (with Rotolo’s) is on par here with MOOYAH,” Calongne says.
The duo would eventually like to expand to other cities in Ascension Parish and move into Livingston Parish, where they have three Rotolo’s Pizzerias and feel the market is ripe for a fast casual burger restaurant.
The Gonzales location will be the 77th store for the Plano, Texas-based company, which could celebrate the opening of its 100th location in early 2016. Outside the U.S., there are locations in Canada, Mexico and Saudi Arabia.
The Gonzales store will be the fifth location in Louisiana and second in the Baton Rouge area. Chuck Kerr opened the first location in Baton Rouge, at 6555 Siegen Lane, Suite 6, in fall 2013.
Tim Markle, director of development for MOOYAH Burgers, says the company has been excited with the response the Louisiana stores have received. The Siegen Lane and Metairie locations consistently rank in the top 10 weekly for highest-grossing locations, and the Siegen Lane store is the top grossing store in the entire company so far in 2015.
“Louisiana residents have been extremely good to us as far as patronizing our restaurants,” Markle says.
The company has plans to aggressively expand in Louisiana, Markle says. Kerr is in the site selection phase for a second location and has narrowed the choices down to two areas, while a franchisee in Lafayette is also looking for a suitable location. Markle says they hope to put at least two restaurants each in the Shreveport/Bossier City and Lake Charles/Beaumont, Texas, areas.
“We’d like to put a MOOYAH in every city that can handle one in Louisiana,” Markle says.
—Ryan Broussard
