Old Soul. Modern Flavors. Real Profit.
We Are Bringing Fast Food Back to the Basics.
Before all the labels, there was just fast food. Honest, flavorful, and done right. It wasn't a bad thing. At Jonah's Chicken, we own the edge. We're making it good again: fresh daily deliveries, hand-thrown sides, sauces born on the spot. No freezers. No factories. Just quality that ruled once and will again. Our model fits anywhere, builds loyal crowds, and delivers margins that dominate - proving chef-driven taste and fast service can fuel each other, not fight.
The Problem:
Legacy Brands Fight for Marketshare at the Expense of Quality and Profit Margin
Legacy brands like McDonald's and KFC ditched their "good food quickly" origins for factory-made, on-site reheated engineered food to fuel explosive growth—resulting in bland, processed meals that erode quality and margins. In-N-Out, for instance, DID not take that road and their store economics and brand loyalty speak to that decision.
Consumers face a no-win: fast but uninspired factory fare, or long waits for better options in a $300B market ruled by efficiency over craft.
Modern diners crave transparency, artisanal quality, and innovation without compromise, but get imitation and factory taste instead.
History shows the cost: McDonald's traded freshness for scale, while In-N-Out preserves it with ~double the average unit sales (~$5.8M vs. ~$3M) and ~2x the margins (20% EBITDA vs. 8-10% for McD franchisees), proving consumers reward quality
Ultra
Processed
Foods
Engineered Food will always Taste like Engineered Food
Assembly Line
Approach
When all you have to do is
"Heat it Up"
Zero
Innovation
Defensive Imitation is NOT Innovation
Our Solution:
Do One Thing Really Well.
We make one thing really well: chicken.
Flame-Finished chicken, with a unique flavor that maintains familiarity, and farm fresh sides. Food you can trust, made with ingredients you can pronounce.
We'll never sell a burger, sling a taco, or roll a wrap.
Focus on Perfection, Simplicity in design, Straight-line Operations and Space Flexibility combined for industry leading margins.
Culinary Mastery
Chef Jonah Johnson's recipes fuse his dad's Southern BBQ techniques with global culinary traditions and LA's vibrant immigrant neighborhoods.
Premium Quality
Daily-prepped components, house-made sauces, and zero compromises on taste.
Accessible Pricing
Our Bowl at $18 or feed a family of four for $54 —premium positioning without fine-dining price tags
Meet Jonah:
Chef Jonah Johnson
Jonah is the creative force behind Jonah's Chicken, blending a lifelong passion for global flavor with sharp business instinct. A classically trained chef turned entrepreneur, Jonah’s culinary journey spans the world—where he developed the signature brining, smoking, and flame-finishing method that defines Jonah's Chicken. With over 2 decades in the food and beverage industry and deep ties to LA’s cultural and culinary communities, Jonah brings a unique edge to the quick-service space
Market Opportunity:
$50B+ Fast-Casual Market in LA Metro
The Greater Los Angeles fast-casual dining market represents massive untapped potential for premium, chef-driven concepts. With 18M+ residents and the nation's highest concentration of food-forward consumers, LA is the perfect launching ground.
$54B
LA Market Size
Fast-casual and QSR annual revenue across LA metro area
$23
Average Check
Target customer spends 65% more than traditional fast-food consumers
73%
Quality Seekers
LA consumers willing to pay premium for artisanal, locally-sourced ingredients
28%
Annual Growth
Premium Fast-Casual Segment CAGR, outpacing traditional QSR (8%)
Key Market Drivers
-
Growing demand for transparency in food sourcing and preparation
-
Health-conscious consumers seeking nutritious, flavorful alternatives
-
Digital-native millennials and Gen Z prioritizing experience over price
-
Post-pandemic shift toward premium takeout and delivery options
Our Menu:
Freshly Prepared Signature Chicken ​​
​​Our focused menu features chef-curated chicken preparations that showcase global techniques with California sensibility. Every item balances complexity with speed, delivering restaurant-quality experiences in a fast-casual format.
The Chicken
Fresh, Brined, Smoked and Flame Finished with our signature K-Town sauce. Served Boneless on a Skewer or On-The-Bone (Whole, Half or Quartered).
The Sides
Fried Potatoes, Lightly Seasoned Japanese Rice, Napa Cabbage Slaw, and Gaucho Salad.
Bowl, Plate or Platter
Our Menu is perfectly served in any way the customer prefers.
Hit
the
Macros
Our Menu fits into most healthy lifestyles
Simple
=
Adaptable
Quickly pivot to market changes with negligible risk or outlay
House-Made
Everything
The Entire Menu
Everyday
Buisness Model:
Optimized for Flex Space, Lean Staff, No Waste
Fresh Prep
Chicken arrives daily, pre-brined.
Our sauces are no-cook and can be assembled in minutes.
Our model combines culinary precision with operational scalability. By implementing smart prep systems, technology-enabled ordering, and trained kitchen teams, we achieve both quality and throughput. And we do it all in any size space.
Digital-First Ordering
50% of orders via app, reducing labor costs and improving accuracy
Modular Assembly
Stations designed for 8-minute ticket times without sacrificing quality standard
Financial Projections:
Path to Profitability and Scalability
Revenue Streams
Unit Economics (Per Location)
​​
-
Average check: $23 per person
-
Daily transactions: 190-220Monthly revenue: $136K-$150K
-
Food cost: 13% (premium ingredients)
-
Labor cost: 28% (efficient operations)
-
EBITDA margin: 35-43% (Year 1: 43%, at maturity: 35%)
45%
Dine-In and Carry-Out
Prime Locations
30-40 Seats
55%
Delivery
DoorDash, UberEats, Proprietary App
Our conservative financial model demonstrates strong unit economics and rapid scalability. Each location reaches break-even within 8-9 months, with corporate profitability achieved by Year 2.
Year 1: Launch
3 flagship locations in prime LA neighborhoods (West Hollywood, Venice, Culver City)
Year 2: Expansion
Add 6 locations across LA/OC; break-even at corporate level. Introduce Event Catering
Year 3: Scale
16 total locations; Explore Consumer Branded Products
Year 4: Regional
Expand to San Diego and Bay Area (12 new locations)
Year 5: National
30+ locations; explore franchising and licensing opportunities
Go-to-Market Strategy:
Prime LA Locations and Digital-First Approach
Launch Locations
We've identified three high-traffic, food-forward neighborhoods that align perfectly with our target demographic and brand positioning.
Venice Beach
Abbott Kinney - Tourists, Locals, Beach-goaers; Premium Pricing Acceptance
West Hollywood
Melrose corridor—45K Daily Foot Traffic, Affluent Millennials, Thriving Food Scene
Culver City
Washington Boulevard - Affluent, High Foot Traffic, Office and Residential Area
Marketing Strategy
-
Influencer partnerships: Leverage LA food bloggers and local celebrities for launch buzz
-
Social-first content: Behind-the-scenes chef content, ingredient stories, customer testimonials
-
Strategic PR: Target Eater LA, LA Times Food, Bon Appétit for opening coverage
-
Loyalty program: Mobile app with rewards, exclusive menu items, and personalized offers
-
Community events: Chef tastings, cooking demos, neighborhood partnerships
Investment Ask:
$2M to Launch Three Flagship Locations
We're raising $2 million in seed funding to launch our first three locations and establish. This capital will fund buildouts, initial operations, and brand development through profitability.
Location Buildouts
$1.5M
​
3 Locations at $500K each (Improvements, Equipment, Design, Permits
Working Capital
$300K
​
6 Months Operating Runway, INventory, Initial Satffing
Marketing Launch
$100K
​
Brand Development, PR, Influencer Campaigns, Digital Advertising
Tech Platform
$100K
​
Mobile App, POS Systems, Kitchen Management Software
The Opportunity
Join us in defining this category of fast-casual dining that proves exceptional food doesn't require compromise. With a proven chef, validated unit economics, and LA's booming food scene, we're positioned to become the gold standard for chef-driven QSR.
​
Exit potential: Strategic acquisition by national chains (Chipotle, Sweetgreen) or private equity within 5-7 years at 8-12x EBITDA multiple
Startup Cost
per Location
$500,000
Monthly Revenue
$136-150K
Average Order
$23
Monthly EBIDTA
$58,500
Daily Order Count
190-220
Break-Even Time
8-9 Months
