Tri-Arc Food Systems

What Tri-Arc Food Systems does

Tri-Arc Food Systems, Inc. is a privately held franchisee of Bojangles' Restaurants, Inc., operating 51 Bojangles' branded quick-service restaurants across the Triangle region of North Carolina (Raleigh, Durham, Cary, Garner, Wake Forest, Henderson, Selma, Sanford, Cameron, Clayton, Fuquay-Varina) and Southern Virginia (Danville, South Boston, South Hill). Founded by Jack Fulk, Sr. in 1979 and opening its first location in Selma, NC in January 1980, the company has grown into one of the largest Bojangles' franchisees in the system, employing between 1,001 and 5,000 people and headquartered at 4905 Waters Edge Drive, Raleigh, NC. Tri-Arc markets itself on 45 years of operating heritage, Cajun-spiced fried chicken, made-from-scratch buttermilk biscuits, and Southern hospitality, with menu categories spanning chicken dinners and boxes, boneless chicken (Supremes and Bo Bites), biscuits and sandwiches, beverages (including the signature Legendary Iced Tea), family meals, salads, sides (Fixin's), kids' meals, and sweets.

The company's core technology is the Bojangles' proprietary operating platform, recipes, and supply chain accessed via its franchise/license agreement, supplemented by a Bojangles-branded mobile application on iOS and Android for order-ahead functionality and a corporate website (bojanglesrdu.com). Tri-Arc's revenue model is direct-to-consumer unit economics: walk-in, drive-thru, and carry-out food and beverage sales priced per item (e.g., 6pc Bo Bites Combo at $8.75, 2 Smoked Sausage Biscuits at $5.00), supplemented by a catering channel for bulk event orders and a small Bo Stuff merchandise sub-brand. Go-to-market is locally driven through the 51 physical locations, the mobile app, social media, community sponsorships, and customer feedback programs. There is no disclosed revenue figure, no funding rounds, no M&A activity, and no public listing, consistent with a privately held, multi-unit franchise operator in a mature steady-state posture.

Name

Tri-Arc Food Systems

Legal name

Tri-Arc Food Systems, Inc.

Website

https://bojanglesrdu.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Tri-Arc Food Systems, Inc. is a privately held Bojangles' franchisee operating 51 quick-service restaurants across North Carolina's Triangle region and Southern Virginia, serving Cajun-spiced fried chicken, made-from-scratch biscuits, and related menu items to individual consumers and catering customers since 1979.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Raleigh

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Restaurant Food and Beverage Sales: Tri-Arc Food Systems generates revenue through operating Bojangles' franchise restaurants, selling Cajun-spiced fried chicken, made-from-scratch biscuits, and related food and beverages to walk-in customers, drive-thru, and dine-in patrons across 51 locations.
2. Catering and Bulk Orders: The company provides catering services for events including tailgating, graduation parties, office events, community gatherings, and outdoor festivals, offering bulk orders of menu items such as 50pc Supremes Platter and 100pc Bo Bites Platter.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Tri-Arc Food Systems operates one of the largest Bojangles' franchise networks in North Carolina and Southern Virginia, running 51 quick-service restaurant locations that serve Cajun-spiced fried chicken, made-from-scratch buttermilk biscuits, signature iced tea, family meals, sides, salads, kids' meals, and desserts via dine-in, drive-thru, carry-out, mobile app ordering, and catering for events.

Product overview

Tri-Arc Food Systems operates a franchise network of 51 Bojangles restaurant locations in North Carolina and Southern Virginia. The product portfolio centers on Cajun-spiced fried chicken and made-from-scratch buttermilk biscuits, organized into menu categories including Chicken Dinners & Boxes (whole-piece fried chicken in various configurations), Boneless Chicken (Supremes and Bo Bites in dinner, snack, and tailgate sizes), Biscuits & Sandwiches (breakfast and all-day biscuit sandwiches), Beverages (including the signature Legendary Iced Tea), Family Meals (bulk orders for groups), Salads (light options with chicken protein), Fixin's (Southern-style sides like Dirty Rice and Seasoned Fries), Kids' Meals (smaller portions for children), and Sweets (dessert biscuits and pies). Added services include catering (bulk platter orders) and a mobile Order Ahead App for iOS and Android enabling customers to skip the line.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Bojangles: Bojangles' Famous Chicken & Biscuits — the primary restaurant brand operated by Tri-Arc Food Systems, offering Cajun spiced chicken, homemade buttermilk biscuits, and legendary iced tea.
• Bo Stuff

Products and services

• Chicken Dinners & Boxes Cajun-spiced fried chicken dinners and boxes available in 2, 3, 4, 8, 12, and 20 piece combinations, with wing options, accompanied by biscuits and fixins. Sold to consumers at Tri-Arc's Bojangles' restaurants across NC and VA.
• Boneless Chicken (Supremes & Bo Bites) Boneless chicken menu items including Supremes (3, 4, 12 piece) and Bo Bites (6, 9 piece) offered in dinner, snack, and tailgate configurations. Sold to consumers at Tri-Arc's Bojangles' restaurants across NC and VA.
• Biscuits & Sandwiches Breakfast and all-day biscuit sandwich offerings including Cajun Filet Biscuit, Sausage Biscuit, country ham, bacon egg & cheese, steak biscuit, and various chicken and grilled chicken sandwiches. Sold to consumers at Tri-Arc's Bojangles' restaurants.
• Beverages Beverages including signature Legendary Iced Tea (sweet and unsweet), Pepsi products, Cheerwine, Mountain Dew, Dr. Pepper, Starry, Tropicana Lemonade, milk, bottled water, Simply Orange juice, and Bo'Town Roasters coffee.
• Family Meals Bulk chicken family meals including Bo Bites Boxes (25pc, 50pc), Tailgate specials (8, 12, 20 pieces), Wing Feasts (12pc), and Family Variety Feast for group dining.
• Salads Light menu options including Grilled Chicken Salad, Chicken Supremes Salad, Bo Bites Salad, and Garden Salad.
• Fixin's (Sides) Southern-style sides including Bo-tato Rounds, Grits, Dirty Rice, Cajun Pintos, Cole Slaw, Cajun Gravy, Mashed Potatoes N' Gravy, Seasoned Fries, and Mac 'n Cheese.
• Kids' Meals Child-friendly portions including Chicken Supremes Kid's Meal, Chicken Leg Kid's Meal, Mac N' Cheese Kid's Meal, and 4pc Kid's Bo Bites Meal.
• Sweets & Desserts Dessert items including Bo-berry Biscuits, Cinnamon Twist, Sweet Potato Pie, and Dessert Platters.
• Catering Services Catering bulk orders for events including tailgating, graduation parties, office events, community gatherings, parks, and outdoor festivals. Offers platters such as the 50pc Supremes Platter and 100pc Bo Bites Platter. Orders placed through local Tri-Arc restaurants.
• Order Ahead Mobile App Mobile application enabling customers to place orders ahead of time and skip the line at Tri-Arc Bojangles' restaurants. Available on iOS via the App Store and Android via Google Play.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Bojangles' Restaurants, Inc.coreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerTri-Arc Food Systems, Inc. is a licensee of Bojangles' Restaurants, Inc. and one of the largest franchises in the Bojangles' system. The company operates Bojangles' locations under a franchise/license agreement, using the Bojangles' brand, recipes, operational systems, and proprietary methods.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Hardee's: Franchise-heavy QSR chain operating in the same NC/VA geographies. Shares the multi-unit franchise operator model and breakfast/daypart competition with Tri-Arc.
• Chick-fil-A: The dominant chicken QSR chain in the U.S. Competes head-to-head with Tri-Arc's Bojangles locations for breakfast, lunch, and dinner occasions, particularly in the NC Triangle market.
• Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen: Louisiana/Cajun-inspired chicken QSR that overlaps with Bojangles' Cajun flavor positioning. Direct competitor for fried chicken occasions across NC and VA.
• Captain D's: QSR chain focused on seafood and chicken. Comparable in segment positioning (limited-service, single-cuisine QSR) and franchise-heavy operating model, particularly in the Southeast.
• Raising Cane's: Fast-growing chicken-focused QSR chain with expanding NC Triangle presence. Competes for chicken tender occasions and share of stomach in the same geographies.
• KFC (Yum! Brands): Largest fried chicken QSR globally, present throughout NC and VA. Competes with Tri-Arc on core chicken-and-sides occasions and group/family meal occasions.
• Bojangles Franchisee (other large operators): Other large Bojangles franchisees operating multi-unit territories in NC, SC, and VA. Most directly comparable peers based on identical brand, menu, and operating model, though individual franchisee names are not widely disclosed publicly.

Regional players

• Cook Out: North Carolina-headquartered QSR chain known for burgers, BBQ, and milkshakes. Strong regional Triangle presence, directly competes with Tri-Arc Bojangles for late-night and value-driven fast-food occasions.

Broad incumbents

• Bojangles' Restaurants, Inc. The franchisor of the Bojangles brand. Tri-Arc is a direct licensee of Bojangles', making the franchisor the most directly comparable company in terms of menu, brand, and operating model — albeit at a corporate level with broader geographic reach.
• Flynn Restaurant Group: Largest franchise operator in the U.S. (Taco Bell, Wendy's, Arby's, Pizza Hut, Panera). Comparable as a large multi-unit franchisee organization, though diversified across brands rather than single-concept like Tri-Arc.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/BojanglesRaleighDurham
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tri-arc-food-systems-inc.

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Tri-Arc Food Systems