Zaxby’s is one of the most popular fast-food chicken chains in the Southeastern United States, and they seem to be expanding each year! The chain was founded in 1990 in Statesboro, Georgia, when it opened with the name “ZAX.” The focus of the chain is primarily chicken, and the menu revolves around a few key items, namely chicken fingers, wings, sandwiches, and salads (although the sandwiches and salads usually involve chicken themselves). Since its launch, the restaurant chain has opened over 400 locations and is launching more each year, mostly in the states where it already operates.
Due to its origination in the south, most of the states with Zaxby’s are located in the southeast, with New York being the most northerly state to have a location. Additionally, Georgia, the home of the chain, has the most locations by nearly double the runner-up (North Carolina).
To compile the number of Zaxby’s locations by state, 24/7 Wall Street used data from World Population Review and Indeed (the source where World Population Review claims to have found the data).
Georgia
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- Total Zaxby’s Locations: 153
As the home, headquarters, and founding state of Zaxby’s, it makes sense that Georgia has the most locations of any state. The 153 locations are nearly double the runner-up and hold a significant portion of the total restaurant locations in the United States.
North Carolina
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- Total Zaxby’s Locations: 86
North Carolina borders Georgia, and with the second-highest number of restaurants, it makes sense that the two states are neighbors. There are 86 total locations in North Carolina, and they are distributed across rural and urban areas with enough density that they are seen with some regularity in the state.
Florida
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Total Zaxby’s Locations: 61
Florida holds the number 3 spot for total Zaxby’s locations in the United States. Extending from the Panhandle all the way south to West Palm Beach, you can find locations in most major cities, although Miami is notably exempt.
South Carolina
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Total Zaxby’s Locations: 61
Although total fast-food locations are bound to change with some regularity, South Carolina and Florida are currently tied for third place for total Zaxby’s locations in the state. From the coastal areas of Charleston and Myrtle Beach all the way to Greenville and the border of Charlotte, Zaxby’s locations are pretty much everywhere.
Alabama
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Total Zaxby’s Locations: 60
Coming just shy of both Florida and South Carolina, Alabama has a total of 60 Zaxby’s locations in the state. With plenty of restaurant locations to spread around, there are a few Zaxby’s in each of the major cities and a few in some of the more rural areas in the state.
Tennessee
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Total Zaxby’s Locations: 60
Another duplicate, Tennessee, has the same total number of Zaxby’s as Alabama, just one shy of Florida and South Carolina. Most of the locations are centered around two major cities, Nashville in the west and Knoxville in the east. There are a few other locations in smaller regions like Pigeon Forge and Chattanooga.
Mississippi
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Total Zaxby’s Locations: 21
Mississippi has a few locations, and they are surprisingly dispersed across the state. The majority are in the largest city in the state, Jackson, but there are a few along the coast, in Hattiesburg, and along major highways heading north into Memphis and Tupelo.
Arkansas
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Total Zaxby’s Locations: 20
Arkansas has 20 total Zaxby locations, and they are almost all located in the northern half of the state. The most southerly is located in Hot Springs, near Lake Hamilton. A few are dispersed around the state’s capital, Little Rock, and north towards Fayetteville and Bentonville.
Texas
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Total Zaxby’s Locations: 19
Despite being in the south and one of the largest markets for chains in the United States, Texas has a mere 19 total Zaxby’s locations. All of the locations are located within the “Texas Triangle” or along the connecting highways, including Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, and Austin.
Kentucky
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Total Zaxby’s Locations: 18
Kentucky has 18 total Zaxby’s locations, most of which are in two major cities: Louisville and Lexington. There are a few locations in more rural areas and along major highways, almost all of which are to the south of the two major hubs.
Virginia
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Total Zaxby’s Locations: 13
There are 13 total Zaxby’s locations in Virginia, and it appears that this also includes the Washington DC metro area. The main locations for Zaxby’s in Virginia are around Chesapeake, Norfolk, and Newport News along the coast, and in Richmond. There are a few scattered locations around the rest of the state, along with one location near DC next to the Dulles International Airport.
Indiana
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Total Zaxby’s Locations: 13
There are a total of 13 Zaxby’s locations in Indiana, the same as Virginia/Washington DC. Most of the locations are found in Indianapolis and the Indiana side of Louisville and Evansville.
Louisiana
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Total Zaxby’s Locations: 10
Louisiana has a total of ten Zaxby’s locations in the state. There are three main regions with locations: Bossier City to the north near the border of Texas, Baton Rouge to the south, and Highway 20 from Bossier City to Monroe.
Utah
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Total Zaxby’s Locations: 9
Utah has a total of nine Zaxby’s locations in the state, and the launch of the chain into Utah marked the furthest expansion west the chain had attempted. Additionally, the expansion into Utah was the first state not considered “part of the South,” with other non-southern states to come soon after.
Oklahoma
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Total Zaxby’s Locations: 7
There are a total of seven Zaxby’s locations in Oklahoma. There are two cities with locations: Oklahoma City and Tulsa.
Missouri
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Total Zaxby’s Locations: 5
There are five Zaxby’s locations in Missouri, and they are a little dispersed. There are a few in Kansas City to the north, a few in Springfield to the south, one in Columbia to the east, and one in Warrensburg.
Kansas
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Total Zaxby’s Locations: 4
Kansas has a total of four locations, but the data isn’t clear on whether these are all even in Kansas or just in Kansas City. For certain, there is one location on the Kansas side of Kansas City, with potentially a few that should technically count for Missouri since they are on the Missouri side of the city.
California
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Total Zaxby’s Locations: 1
World Population Review lists California as having one location, but Google Maps and other data doesn’t seem to show one. It’s possible the location is either new or unlisted on Google, or just closed recently. In fact, there is even content online that shows a “Coming Soon” sign at 6407 W. Sunset Blvd in Los Angeles, but that location seems to be vacated currently.
New York
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Total Zaxby’s Locations: 1
Again, World Population Review lists a location in New York, but we are unable to find mention of a location here. There is a single office listing on Indeed that shows a location in NYC, along with employee reviews, but nothing on Google or anywhere else confirms this.
States With No Zaxby’s Locations
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Iowa
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Dakota
- Vermont
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
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