Leading fast-casual restaurant concept Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers announced today the opening of the brand’s first Major League Baseball (MLB) location within Busch Stadium, home of the 11-time World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals. Owned and operated by Delaware North Sportservice, the new restaurant will open when the Cardinals open their season against the Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday, March 30. In addition to its latest MLB stadium restaurant opening, the rapidly growing franchise concept currently operates in other non-traditional venues such as airports, casinos and college campuses.
“At Freddy’s, non-traditional locations continue to be an integral part of our franchise offering, and we strongly believe that being able to put our brand in high-traffic locations like that of Busch Stadium not only gives us an opportunity to attract new audiences but also capture sales,” said Andrew Thengvall, Chief Development Officer at Freddy’s. “Freddy’s is honored to be able to add a concession in Busch Stadium. This new location is a testament to the unmatched power of The Freddy’s Way among any demographic, market or location.”
Located within the ballpark’s Budweiser Terrace right field, the Wichita-born concept’s non-traditional location will serve a handful of the brand’s fan-favorite menu items, including Freddy’s Original Double and Bacon Double, as well as Freddy’s famous shoestring fries and cheese curds. With the ability to exist in unique spaces such as ballparks and airports, Freddy’s will offer new and returning guests the opportunity to experience the brand in a convenient setting with its smaller unit design.
“We’re thrilled to partner with Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers in bringing quality, craveable food we know our fans will enjoy,” said Vicki Bryant, Cardinals Vice President, Event Services & Merchandising. “With several locations in the St. Louis area, Freddy’s has established a dedicated following in our community, making the brand a natural fit for Busch Stadium.”
Along with the chain’s 2022 growth in traditional-formatted locations, Freddy’s opened its second casino location in Friant, California’s Table Mountain Casino. Freddy’s wide variety of traditional and non-traditional restaurants has consistently earned the brand recognition as a leading fast-casual concept and franchise system. Most recently, the brand ranked #70 on Entrepreneur Magazine’s highly competitive Franchise 500 ranking of the top franchise brands, QSR Magazine’s esteemed QSR 50 list at #46, as well as being awarded North America’s Best New National Brand Concept by Airports Council International for the opening of Freddy’s first airport location in 2021 in Oklahoma City’s Will Rogers World Airport.
Building off its recent success, this announcement kick starts another year of development growth with a robust pipeline of nearly 20 units slated to open in the first quarter. The brand is also projected to open over 60 total locations in more than 15 states, including Louisiana, Virginia, California, and Wyoming, among others. The brand’s exceptional commitment to franchisees, team members, and one-of-a-kind Freddy’s guest experience help support the greater development goal of bringing the Freddy’s footprint to more than 800 units by 2026.
Franchise opportunities remain in nine of Canada’s provinces, excluding Quebec, and in the U.S., including the Northeast, Upper Midwest, California, Florida, Oregon, and Washington, and large metro areas such as Pittsburgh.
Mick Lite served for 12 years in the military and is now an entrepreneur and photographer. Has worked as the official scorer and social media manager for the River City Rascals, Statistician for the Missouri Monsters and St. Louis Attack arena football teams, and as the Team Photographer and social media consultant for the St. Charles Chill, SLU Hockey, St. Louis Slam, and Gateway Grizzlies.
