Lee's Famous Recipe Chicken Announces Record Growth and Expansion Strategy at Annual Conference

Lee's Famous Recipe Chicken gathered more than 280 franchise owners, corporate leaders and business partners for its annual Lee's Family Reunion at the Ameristar Casino Resort Spa in St. Charles, Missouri. CEO Ryan Weaver opened the reunion by highlighting a system experiencing significant growth, with 2024 system sales reaching $235 million and 2025 tracking ahead of that milestone. The brand currently boasts an average unit volume of $1.85 million and is pushing toward a $2 million goal while announcing development objectives to more than double the current unit count by 2030.

The company is investing in rebranding initiatives that modernize existing restaurants, with conference attendees visiting the recently remodeled St. Charles location that has seen an 8% sales lift and 7% traffic growth. Beyond financial metrics, the reunion focused on connection, inspiration and shared purpose through presentations from industry leaders. Guest speakers included Danny Klein, VP Editorial Director of QSR Magazine, and Scott Greenberg, author and management trainer, who delivered insights on leadership, industry trends and thriving in competitive business landscapes.

A particularly memorable moment featured Jack Omer and Katie Bennett, grandchildren of Lee's founders, whose presence highlighted nearly 60 years of company history and the family spirit that continues to shape the brand's future. The event culminated in an Awards Dinner recognizing outstanding operators who embody the brand's values of service, quality and growth. The Legacy Award went to former operators Emmett and Jenny Gamache from St. Louis for their decades of commitment to the Lee's brand and local community, while NLM Enterprises LLC received Operator of the Year for exceptional sales performance and operational excellence in the Detroit market.

Henry Loving of HTL Inc. received the Pacesetter Award for the unit with the highest sales across the entire system, with his Richmond, Virginia store topping more than $6 million in annual sales. CEO Ryan Weaver emphasized that the combination of heritage and momentum positions Lee's to achieve its boldest goals, noting that the brand has been recognized for three consecutive years as a top 10 Fast Food Fried Chicken by USA Today's 10Best Readers' Choice Award. For additional information, please visit https://www.leesfamousrecipe.com.