Plano Based Burger Franchise Opening New Joint in Abilene

Abilene, TX – MOOYAH Burgers, Fries & Shakes, a fast casual, “better burger” franchise is opening its first location in Abilene on Monday, August 2nd at 3550 S. Clack Street. Longtime restaurant industry veterans Chuck Holbrook and Casye Fowler will oversee the location, bringing a combined over 25 years of experience from working for brands such as Chili’s, Raising Cane’s and Uncle Julio’s. Knowing just how popular Plano, Texas based MOOYAH Burgers, Fries & Shakes is in its home state, Holbrook sees strong potential in Abilene.

“MOOYAH is just what Abilene needs. We have nice restaurants, but burger options could be higher quality,” Holbrook said. “When you look at the demographic here, a brand like this will be set up for success.”

“It gives you more a small business, local feel because we’re family owned and we’re from here,” Fowler said. “When you walk in the doors you feel like home, and Abilene is that kind of community, and it needs more of those businesses to be able to thrive. We bring a different kind of burger.”

Through this venture with MOOYAH Burgers, Fries & Shakes, Holbrook knew he wanted a brand that had great business metrics while also having a fantastic product. Not only did the business model line up with what Holbrook was looking for, but so did the brand’s target audience. Abilene has four high schools along with three universities and a big medical community.

“With Casye and Chuck’s experience in restaurant operations, we are ecstatic that they have chosen MOOYAH as their next business venture, and in their hometown no less,” said Mike Sebazco, MOOYAH’s Vice President of Operations and Development. “We know that our product quality is second to none, and Chuck choosing to join the MOOYAH family proves that once you taste MOOYAH’s menu, Franchise Owners and Guests are hooked.”

Prior to opening the first of three planned area MOOYAH locations, Holbrook and Fowler have years of experience working in managerial roles at Chili’s restaurants, Raising Cane’s and Uncle Julio’s. Spending years in Abilene, Holbrook and Fowler saw a gap in the market place when it came to quality burger options. After conducting research, MOOYAH stood out due to its tasty and customizable menu offerings and ability to grow with the brand in central Texas.

The Abilene location will highlight the brand’s refreshed design, featuring the new prototype that showcases dining zones and seating arrangements, purposeful third-party and to-go shelving, a closed kitchen, digital menu boards, and a new logo. Future Franchise Owners can now also build a restaurant that has a drive-thru, a structural rollout that was created during COVID-19.

At MOOYAH, Guests have the advantage of choosing from a variety of bun options, such as baked-in-house artisan potato or multigrain wheat non-GMO buns and hand-crafted lettuce buns called Iceburgers to accompany the never-frozen, 100 percent Certified Angus Beef® brand burgers, all natural Jennie-O turkey burgers and Dr. Praeger’s black bean vegan burgers. Each gourmet burger can be customized with six cheeses, Applewood smoked bacon and sliced avocado, along with nine free veggie toppings and ten free sauces.

MOOYAH’s hand-cut fries come together in a six-step process that takes a total of 24 hours to completely prepare. A delightful combination of constant attention and a little magic help transform U.S. #1 Idaho potatoes into perfect, crisp-on-the-outside and fluffy-on-the-inside fries. Guests also have the choice of savory sweet potato fries. Never one to forget dessert, MOOYAH offers 100 percent real ice cream shakes, allowing Guests to choose from 7 flavors ranging from vanilla and Hershey’s chocolate to Reese’s, Oreo and more.