The operator now owns units in 20 states.

Add AES Restaurant Group to the list of franchisees making major store acquisitions this year.

The Zionsville, Ohio–operator announced the purchase of 115 Arby’s restaurants across nine states, which expanded its total portfolio to 344 units in 20 states. AES is the second-largest Arby’s franchisee in the world.

The group bought the locations from parent company Inspire Brands. The locations come with over 2,000 employees and 18 area supervisors.

“We are proud of our long-standing relationship with Inspire and the Arby’s brand and are excited to take this next step in our journey with the brand,” John Wade, owner of AES, said in a statement. “This achievement is a testament to the hard work, dedication, and outstanding results of our team. Their relentless commitment to excellence drives our organization to thrive and expand.”

Earlier this year, the company also purchased 40 units in Florida, North Carolina, and Virginia.

AES, founded in 2004 by Wade, stands for “Attitude Equals Success.”

Wade previously worked for RTM Restaurant Group from 1993-2004—the largest Arby’s franchisee at the time—before becoming an operator himself by buying six restaurants in Indiana. Over the years, AES has completed several acquisitions and opened new stores, but the recent transaction with Inspire is by far its largest to date.

The newest fleet of restaurants will be operated by COO Robert Bird and VP of operations Michelle Carter, both of which have decades of experience.

“Welcoming more than 2,000 new team members into our AES Restaurants family marks an exciting new chapter for our organization,” Jay Bedrosian, president of AES, said in a statement. “We remain committed to providing every employee with the resources and tools they need to advance professionally and grow as leaders.”

AES is the latest example of a quick-service franchisee playing big in the M&A market. In late November, Papa Johns announced it sold 85 restaurants to Chris Patel of Pie Investments, which made him one of the pizza chain’s largest operators at over 150 outlets. He also agreed to develop another 52 units by 2030. Also, earlier this year, Eyas Capital acquired over 120 Bojangles restaurants from BOJ of WNC, the brand’s largest franchisee. Similar to Pie Investments, Eyas Capital signed on to develop over 40 additional units in Ohio.

Arby’s is the third-largest sandwich chain in the country in terms of U.S. systemwide sales, following Subway and Panera. It ended 2024 with 3,365 domestic locations, a net decrease of 48 year-over-year.

Source https://www.qsrmagazine.com/story/arbys-second-largest-franchisee-expands-to-344-stores-after-major-inspire-brands-purchase/