This quick service restaurant (QSR) chain has been an American fast-food staple since the late 1940s, when it opened more than 1,300 stores in just three years. Today, its parent company licenses and services a system of more than 7,000 locations across the U.S., Canada, and more than 20 other countries.
Like most successful QSR and fast-casual brands, this chain has built its growth on a careful balance: protecting the nostalgic favorites customers love while introducing new menu items that attract new business. That strategy has expanded the menu well beyond its original offerings to include burgers, chicken, sides, and most recently, a new chicken strip sandwich
The Challenge: A Fryer Manufacturer That Couldn’t Keep Up
As franchise owners kept opening new locations, the parent company was ramping up its chicken program and leaning hard on the frying side of the business. But a sustained disruption at its longtime fryer manufacturer left the chain far behind on fryer equipment orders, with backlogs stretching into months, and in some cases, over a year.
The chain needed a supplier it could count on, fast.
The Solution: The Henny Penny Evolution Elite and 320 Series Open Fryers
When the chain came looking for a high-quality fryer from a partner they could rely on, PHT Systems went straight to work with its culinary team, testing the Henny Penny Evolution Elite and 320 Series open fryers against the chain’s own product and training requirements. The evaluation centered on two things that mattered most: product quality and cook time.
The Results: A Plan That Outperformed the Original
The chain was surprised by what the testing turned up.- Faster Recovery: The Henny Penny fryers recovered temperature faster than expected, keeping cook times consistent even during peak volume.
- Quicker Filtering: Filtering was faster and easier than the chain’s previous setup, cutting down on daily maintenance time.
- Reliable Supply: PHT Systems and Henny Penny were able to keep fryers in stock and deliver complete orders in a matter of weeks, not the months-long backlogs the chain was facing elsewhere.
A Partner for the Future
What started as a search for a backup fryer turned into a long-term partnership. The chain now has an additional equipment partner it can count on to support store growth, backed by PHT Systems’ hands-on equipment training, while keeping food quality and frying costs in line, no matter what the supply chain throws at it next.
Facing a supplier that can’t keep up? Contact PHT Systems to find equipment you can count on.