American Deli

What American Deli does

American Deli is a privately held quick-service restaurant chain founded in 1989 in Atlanta, Georgia, operating through a franchise-led model with more than 200 locations across ten U.S. states. The corporate entity, American Deli International, Inc., is incorporated in Georgia and headquartered at 275 Scientific Dr. NW, Suite 1200, Norcross, GA. The company is best known as the originator of the "Lemon Pepper Wet" wing sauce, a proprietary recipe that has become an Atlanta food culture touchstone, reinforced by organic celebrity and athlete endorsements (2 Chainz, Lil Baby, Latto, Jaylen Brown, Jalen Johnson, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens) and earned media placements including Thrillist's 21 Best Wings in America, The Infatuation, Chowhound, WSB TV, and Atlanta Magazine. All sauces are produced by hand in small batches in-house, which the company positions as a craft differentiator from typical quick-service competitors.

The menu spans multiple cuisines — wings (bone-in and boneless), fried rice, subs, gyros, philly cheesesteaks, burgers, chicken tender sandwiches, Reubens, fried fish (tilapia, whiting, catfish), shrimp, salads, sides, and beverages — and is sold via dine-in, takeout, direct online ordering, and delivery through DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub. Revenue is generated through two primary streams: direct food sales at corporate and franchise locations, and franchise fees and ongoing royalties from the 200+ unit network. Customer segmentation is horizontal, targeting individual consumers and groups seeking value-priced combo meals.

The technology stack is intentionally minimal. The company operates a Squarespace-hosted consumer website for online ordering, a dedicated franchise sales site (americandelifranchise.com), and integrations with the three major U.S. third-party delivery aggregators. There is no proprietary mobile app, no public API, no AI/ML capability disclosed, and no patents or trademarks in the source data. Ownership is private, with founders Chang Lim and Cheol Kim identified as founder and owner, and no institutional, private equity, or venture capital ownership evidenced.

Name

American Deli

Legal name

American Deli International, Inc.

Website

https://americandeli.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

American Deli is a private quick-service restaurant franchise founded in 1989 in Atlanta, operating 200+ locations across 10 U.S. states. Revenue comes from franchise royalties, fees, and food sales centered on signature Lemon Pepper Wet wings and a diverse American, Southern, and Caribbean-influenced menu.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Quick-Service Restaurant

NAICS

Full-Service Restaurants (722511)

SIC

Retail-Eating Places (5812)

akta.pro primary industry

Delis & Sandwich Specialty Stores (CRAHAGAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Farm-to-Table & Contemporary American Restaurants (THAFACAF)

Keywords

• Quick service restaurant
• Chicken wings restaurant
• Franchise restaurant chain
• Lemon pepper wings
• Fried rice menu

Headquarters

HQ city

Atlanta

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Restaurant Food Sales: American Deli generates revenue through direct food sales at franchise and corporate locations. Customers order through dine-in, takeout, or delivery channels including DoorDash, Uber Eats, Grubhub, and direct online ordering.
2. Franchise Fees and Royalties: The company operates a franchise model with over 200 locations. Revenue likely includes initial franchise fees and ongoing royalty payments from franchisees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

American Deli is a quick-service restaurant chain that prepares and sells made-fresh-to-order American and Southern-inspired food, anchored by its signature Original Lemon Pepper Wet wings. The company operates more than 200 franchised and corporate locations across ten U.S. states, with a diversified menu spanning wings, fried rice, deli subs, gyros, philly cheesesteaks, burgers, chicken tenders, seafood, salads, sides, and beverages. It generates revenue from direct food sales to consumers and from franchise fees and royalties paid by independent franchisees.

Product overview

American Deli operates as a restaurant chain offering a diverse menu of made-fresh-to-order American and Caribbean-influenced dishes. The core product portfolio includes signature Lemon Pepper Wet wings (the brand's famous original offering), various wing flavors and boneless wings, sandwiches (subs, gyros, phillies, burgers, chicken tender sandwiches, reubens), fried rice dishes, fried fish (tilapia, whiting, catfish), shrimp, chicken tenders, salads, sides (fries, onion rings), and beverages. The company also offers combo meal bundles for added value and operates a franchising program. All sauces are handmade in small batches in-house. Online ordering is available through DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub delivery platforms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Wings (signature Lemon Pepper Wet and additional flavors) Signature chicken wings offered in quantities from 6pc to 100pc with multiple flavor options including the famous Lemon Pepper Wet, Hot, Medium, Mild, Garlic Parmesan, Sweet Chili, Teriyaki, BBQ, and more; targeted at individual consumers, families, and groups.
• Boneless Wings Boneless chicken pieces in 6pc, 10pc, 15pc, or 20pc servings offered with the same wing flavor options as traditional wings, targeted at consumers preferring a boneless alternative.
• Subs (deli sandwiches) Deli-style sandwiches served on toasted hoagie rolls with protein options including Ham, Turkey, and Ham & Turkey combinations, for individual consumers seeking a classic deli sandwich.
• Gyros Greek-style wraps featuring grilled meats (Gyro Meat, Beef, or Chicken) with fresh greens, tomatoes, onions, and cucumber tzatziki sauce in warm pita bread.
• Philly Cheesesteaks Toasted hoagie sandwiches with grilled beef or chicken, sauteed green peppers, onions, mushrooms, and melted cheese.
• Burgers 8oz seasoned beef patty topped with cheese, fresh lettuce, tomatoes, onions, pickles, ketchup, mayo, and mustard on a toasted bun; also offered in Turkey and Salmon varieties.
• Chicken Tender Sandwich Whole white meat seasoned chicken tenders fried to a crispy golden brown, served with honey mustard dressing on a toasted bun.
• Reuben Classic deli sandwich with pastrami, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, and Thousand Island dressing on rye bread.
• Salads Fresh greens topped with tomatoes, onions, peppers, cucumbers, and cheese, available in Garden, Chef, Grilled Chicken, and Fried Chicken varieties, with optional combo upgrades.
• Fried Rice Stir-fried rice dishes with vegetables in American Deli's signature rice sauce, available in Vegetable, Chicken, Beef, Shrimp, and House (combination) varieties.
• Fried Fish (Tilapia, Whiting, Catfish) Hand-breaded fish fillets fried to crispy perfection, including Tilapia, Whiting, and Catfish, served with tartar sauce.
• Shrimp Lightly breaded buttery shrimp fried to golden perfection, served with cocktail sauce.
• Chicken Tenders 100% whole white meat seasoned chicken tenders fried to a crispy golden brown, served with honey mustard dressing, available in 4-piece servings.
• Sides (Crispy Fries and Onion Rings) Complementary side items including Crispy Fries (Small and Large) and Onion Rings.
• Drinks Beverage offerings including soft drinks (Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite, Fanta varieties, Hi-C, Mr. Pibb, Barqs Root Beer, Mello Yellow) and Gold Peak teas (Peach and Lemonade flavors).
• American Deli Franchising Program Franchise opportunity program enabling independent franchisees to open and operate American Deli restaurant locations; targeted at prospective multi-unit restaurant operators and entrepreneurs, and is the source of initial franchise fees and ongoing royalty revenue.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 200 locations across ten states demonstrating franchise scalability
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• DoorDashcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDoorDash serves as a delivery partner for American Deli, enabling customers to order online for delivery through the DoorDash platform, extending the restaurant's reach to customers who prefer delivery aggregation services.
• Uber EatscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUber Eats provides delivery services for American Deli locations, allowing online ordering and delivery fulfillment through the Uber Eats platform. NBA player Jalen Johnson specifically promoted the BOGO deal available exclusively on Uber Eats.
• GrubhubcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGrubhub serves as a delivery partner enabling online ordering and delivery services for American Deli, complementing other delivery aggregators to maximize customer accessibility.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Wingstop: Public, ~2,000+ unit wings-focused QSR franchise chain. Direct competitor in the chicken-wing category with overlapping customer base (delivery, dine-in, takeout) and similar flavor-and-combo menu economics.
• Buffalo Wild Wings: National sports-bar wing chain owned by Inspire Brands. Direct competitor on chicken wings with broader sports-casual dining positioning, comparable menu structure, and overlapping third-party delivery footprint.
• Zaxby's: Southeast-focused chicken finger and wings QSR franchise with ~900+ locations. Comparable regional density, franchise-led growth model, and chicken-centric menu architecture.
• Bojangles: Carolinas-anchored QSR franchise known for fried chicken and Cajun-pinned sides. Comparable Southeast regional footprint, franchise-led growth, and Southern-food identity.
• Raising Cane's: Single-protein (chicken fingers) focused QSR with rapid national expansion and cult-brand status. Comparable quick-service, fresh-made, hand-prepared positioning and cultural-cachet brand building.
• PDQ: Chicken-focused QSR concept based in Tampa, FL with locations across the Southeast. Similar chicken-centric menu, franchise-style growth, and regional-Sun-Belt positioning.
• Church's Chicken: National chicken QSR chain with strong Southern U.S. presence and heritage brand. Comparable quick-service fried-chicken menu and franchise distribution model.
• Golden Krust Caribbean Bakery & Grill: Caribbean-influenced QSR chain with menu items like jerk chicken, fried rice, and patties that closely overlap American Deli's Caribbean-leaning dishes (fried rice, gyro-style wraps, multi-ethnic menu).
• Pollo Tropical: Latin/Caribbean-influenced QSR with diverse menu (rice bowls, wraps, sandwiches). Comparable multi-ethnic QSR architecture and flavor profile versus American Deli's broader Caribbean-influenced menu.
• Checkers / Rally's: Drive-thru QSR franchise chain with ~900+ locations across the U.S. Comparable value-oriented combo-meal architecture, franchise-led unit growth, and delivery / aggregator partnerships.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCwZ3g
• Facebookfacebook.com/AmericanDeli
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/american-deli
• Instagraminstagram.com/americandeli
• Xx.com/americandeli_89

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about American Deli