Federal Donuts & Chicken’s nationwide expansion kicks off with 3 new locations in suburban Philadelphia

Federal Donuts & Chicken, taking the first steps at a national expansion, will expand its presence in Philadelphia’s suburbs this year with three franchise locations, in Radnor, Conshohocken, and Willow Grove.

There are no projected opening dates for the chicken/doughnut/coffee shops at 200 N. Radnor Chester Rd. in Radnor (a former HipCityVeg); 4021 Welsh Rd. in Willow Grove (a former Jamba Juice at Willow Grove Pointe); and 200 Ridge Pike in Conshohocken (next to Saladworks in Plymouth Square Shopping Center).

Radnor is expected to be the first to open, followed by Willow Grove. Letters of intent for other potential sites have been signed in Southeastern Pennsylvania, said Chris Magarity, a member of the franchise group.

Originally conceived as Federal Donuts in 2011 by a multiheaded partnership including restaurateurs Mike Solomonov and Steve Cook, it was intended as a passion project to combine two fried foods they love. Two years ago, the company took on private-equity investment in a deal that could grow the brand to 150 stores nationwide, and rebranded as Federal Donuts & Chicken. Jeff Benjamin, also the business partner of chef Marc Vetri in their Italian restaurants, is chief executive of the company.

There are six Federal Donuts & Chicken locations in Philadelphia, one in Wynnewood, and several arena stands. A FD&C location in Las Vegas opened last month in Red Rock Casino Resort & Spa.

The most recent opening was last month at Wolf and Swanson Streets in South Philadelphia. This location, with an outsize kitchen, will also be used for research and development.

Magarity’s partners in the franchise group are Mike Sloane and Michael Heller.

Sloane owns Park Avenue Motor Cars, the Mercedes-Benz dealership in Fort Washington, where Magarity is chief executive. They are partners in several Montgomery County restaurants, including Westside Bar & Grill in West Conshohocken and Jasper’s Backyard in Conshohocken. Heller, executive chairman and chief executive of Cozen O’Connor, one of the city’s largest law firms, is a longtime friend of Sloane’s.

In an interview, Magarity said: “The unique kind of combination of a James Beard-winning chef and fast-casual food is something that’s one of a kind, and the fact that it’s a Philadelphia brand is very personal to all of us.”

Magarity’s go-to is the Early Bird breakfast sandwich — a bacon, egg, and cheese with a chicken tender, topped with cherry pepper relish. Sloane is partial to the chicken tenders. Heller, who in his day job at Cozen looks at holes in legal arguments, said he enjoys the chocolate cake old-fashioned and cinnamon brown-sugar doughnuts, and finds the chicken sandwich and tenders “insanely good.”