GULF SHORES, Ala.  — Construction is underway on Gulf Shores’ first Zaxby’s restaurant, a Southeast favorite for chicken fingers and wings. The Sandefur family, who owns the three current Baldwin County Zaxby’s locations, plan to open the new quick-casual restaurant late this summer. Located at 1800 Gulf Shores Parkway, in front of Winn-Dixie, the new restaurant will create an additional 30 to 40 jobs for the area.

“We’ve always wanted to bring a Zaxby’s to Gulf Shores,” said Hudson Sandefur. “We realized that this area is the perfect fit for the family atmosphere Zaxby’s represents. We’re looking forward to providing the same quality food and service that area residents have come to expect from our restaurants.”

The new location will be the fourth for Baldwin County, and the 69th for the Yellowhammer State. Zaxby’s currently operates more than 575 locations in 13 states — Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.

The new 3,500-square-foot location will seat 72 in Zaxby’s unique design — a bright, open interior décor complemented by custom vintage prints and school memorabilia. Zaxby’s also offers drive-thru services to meet the needs of customers on the go.

           “The key to success at Zaxby’s is the way in which we take care of our guests,” said Leslie Sandefur. “Our wonderful menu along with the encore experiences we create for our guests and team members is what sets us apart. Smiling faces and Zaxby’s go hand in hand.” Candidates interested in employment can visit any Baldwin County location or email zaxjobs@gmail.com to apply.

An alternative to fast food, Zaxby’s offers prepared-at-order chicken fingers, wings, sandwiches and salads. Zaxby’s most popular items are its hand-breaded Chicken Fingerz and Traditional or Boneless Wings, smothered in a choice of nine sauces with names like Wimpy, Tongue Torch, Nuclear and Insane. The menu also offers innovative Zappetizers like Tater Chips, Spicy Fried Mushrooms and Fried White Cheddar Bites, as well as a variety of Party Platterz perfect for any family gathering or special occasion.

Zaxby’s also offers three salads, or Zalads: The House, The Blue and The Caesar. All of Zaxby’s Zalads offer more chicken, unique ingredients, such as French-fried onions, fresh veggies and juicy tomatoes, and are larger than most salads offered elsewhere. Each is prepared with chicken, three kinds of lettuce and a variety of toppings. Zalads are assembled at the time the order is placed, versus being pre-made and stored in a cooler.

About Zaxby’s

An alternative to fast food, Zaxby’s offers its guests prepared-at-order Chicken Fingerz, Traditional or Boneless Wings, sandwiches, Zalads and Zappetizers, along with a variety of nine sauces ranging from Wimpy and Tongue Torch to Nuclear and Insane. Childhood friends Zach McLeroy and Tony Townley hatched the Athens, Ga.-based chain in 1990 to provide a fun, relaxing atmosphere that would keep guests coming back for more. The company ranked number seven in the 2012 Top 10 Excellent Large Fast-Food Chains With 500 Or More U.S. Units Quick-Track study published by Sandelman & Associates. The chain also ranked number five in the nation for total sales and number one in the chicken segment in the 2012 Top 150 Fast-Casual Chain Restaurant Report published by Technomic.

You can visit Zaxby's on the web at zaxbys.com