The chain's sales are "way stronger" in Texas, Arizona and Florida than in midwestern states such as Indiana and Wisconsin, according to Osanloo. For more mature companies such as McDonald's , it means accelerating new restaurant growth in areas where it's now underrepresented. It isn't just restaurants looking to the Sun Belt for sales growth. In addition to well-known chains, Greider has also seen restaurants with chef-driven name recognition traveling south from New York and Chicago. The chain's sales are growing again, according to Brix Holdings CEO Sherif Mityas, making it an opportune time to expand Friendly's footprint.

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Persons: Portillo's, Michael Osanloo, you've, Justin Greider, Macy's, Phillips, Manu Steijaert, Greider, they've, that's, Carbone, Friendly's, Sherif Mityas, Mityas, we're, Christine Barone Organizations: Beef, CNBC, Northeast, Sun, Airlines, Dallas, Phillips Edison & Company, JPMorgan, Grill, Major Food Group, Brix Holdings, Brix, Bros Locations: Kissimmee , Florida, Chicago, Texas, Texas , Arizona, Florida, Indiana, Wisconsin, U.S, Midwest, Charlotte, Phoenix, Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth, Atlanta, Florida , Texas , Arizona, Georgia, North Carolina, New York, Miami, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Minneapolis, Southern California, California, Virginia