Lee's Famous Recipe Chicken, a fried chicken chain with nearly 60 years of history, gathered more than 280 franchise owners, corporate leaders, and business partners at its annual "Family Reunion" conference held at the Ameristar Casino Resort Spa in St. Charles, Missouri. The event highlighted the brand's record-breaking growth, outlined future expansion plans, and recognized outstanding operators.
CEO Ryan Weaver opened the reunion by reporting that 2024 system sales reached $235 million, with 2025 tracking ahead of that figure. The brand's average unit volume now stands at $1.85 million, and the company is targeting a $2 million goal. Lee's also announced development plans to more than double its current unit count by 2030. To support this growth, the brand is investing in rebranding initiatives to modernize existing restaurants. Attendees saw the impact of these efforts firsthand at a recently remodeled St. Charles location, which experienced an 8% sales lift and 7% traffic growth.
Beyond the numbers, the reunion focused on connection and inspiration. Guest speakers Danny Klein, VP Editorial Director of QSR Magazine, and Scott Greenberg, author and management trainer, delivered insights on leadership and industry trends, challenging attendees to think bigger. Their presentations left franchisees energized to apply these lessons in their own communities.
A highlight of the event was the appearance of Jack Omer and Katie Bennett, grandchildren of Lee's founders. Their presence underscored the brand's family heritage and tradition, which continue to shape its future direction.
The conference concluded with an awards dinner recognizing top operators. The Legacy Award was presented to former operators Emmett and Jenny Gamache from St. Louis, Missouri, for their decades of commitment to the brand and community. NLM Enterprises LLC received the Operator of the Year award for exceptional sales performance and operational excellence in the Detroit, Michigan market. The Pacesetter Award for highest system sales went to Henry Loving of HTL Inc. for his Richmond, Virginia store, which generated over $6 million in annual sales in 2024.
"Our Family Reunion shows why Lee's keeps growing year after year," said Ryan Weaver, CEO of Lee's Famous Recipe Chicken. "We celebrated record-breaking sales, honored operators who set the standard in our system, and gained powerful insights from industry leaders who reminded us to keep thinking bigger. On top of that, having the family members of our founders with us brought our story full circle. That combination of heritage and momentum sets Lee's apart and positions us to achieve our boldest goals yet."
For more information about Lee's Famous Recipe Chicken, visit www.leesfamousrecipe.com. Franchising opportunities are available at www.leesfamousrecipe.com/franchise.
