Restaurants Opening Across US In 2026

By Suzanne Blake

Reporter, Consumer & Social Trends

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Several restaurant chains have already announced their new store openings slated for 2026, and fans of everything from fried chicken and pizza to health foods will likely have something to look forward to in the new year.

Newsweek compiled a list of restaurant openings already set for 2026.

Why It Matters

While many restaurants have been forced to shutter locations due to consumers reeling in spending and reduced foot traffic, other restaurant brands are moving full force ahead and already have new locations in the works for 2026.

This could signify their larger appeal even within a cramped restaurant market.

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What To Know

Layne’s Chicken

Fried chicken lovers will likely be happy to know that Layne’s Chicken has secured a deal to open 44 locations across West Texas, courtesy of a deal with Lubbock's C5 Restaurants group.

"The food’s fantastic, and they’re building an incredible business," said Eli Cohen, C5 CEO, as reported by the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. "The menu is simple, and the quality’s so high. If we didn’t feel that way, I think it would be hard to go into the chicken space. It’s crowded, but we believe this is a premium product, and it’s going to shine through.”

Layne’s Chicken originally opened in College Station in 1994 and is known for its chicken tenders, sauces and shakes.

The new locations will be across the Corpus Christi area, Del Rio, Eagle Pass, Lubbock, Midland, Odessa, San Angelo, San Antonio and Uvalde.

Paris Baguette

Paris Baguette is slowly sweeping across the country. In August, the chain announced 18 consecutive quarters of sales growth and 250 locations nationwide.

In 2026, Paris Baguette said it will have more than 500 units in development and aims to operate more than 1,000 locations in America by 2030.

Sweetgreen

Sweetgreen has emerged as a top contender in the salad health food fast casual sector.

The chain announced it would open up to 40 new locations by the end of 2025 and 15 to 20 more in 2026. That includes new markets entirely, like Salt Lake City.

“These brands benefit from robust capital structures: whether through private markets that can raise funds quickly or public markets that provide efficient access to capital,” Kevin Thompson, the CEO of 9i Capital Group and the host of the 9innings podcast, told Newsweek.

“As a result, they can better absorb higher costs, scale rapidly, and maintain pricing power. Going into 2026, I expect to see more of this consolidation trend: fewer independent openings, more expansion from well-funded chains, and a dining landscape increasingly shaped by large players who can weather inflation.”

Via 313

Via 313 is also unveiling some new store locations in 2026.

The pizza chain scored $32.5 million in investment money this year to help double its footprint in three years.

As part of that trajectory, Via 313 will open four to five new stores in 2026, expanding roughly 20 percent.

What People Are Saying

Alex Beene, a financial literacy instructor for the University of Tennessee at Martin, told Newsweek: “While most of the headlines over the past year from the food industry have been about sluggish sales and business closures, some chains are actually enjoying success and expanding. Businesses like Via 313 and Layne's Chicken are steadily expanding into new markets, as demand for their offerings surges.”

Kevin Thompson, the CEO of 9i Capital Group and the host of the 9innings podcast, told Newsweek: “The industry remains highly competitive, a testament to the original construct of capitalism. But looking closer, it’s clear that the recent surge in openings isn’t being driven by mom-and-pop shops. Instead, it’s dominated by larger, well-capitalized brands such as Via 313 (private equity–backed) and Sweetgreen (publicly traded). This trend underscores how rising input costs and tighter margins are pushing smaller operators out of the market.”

What Happens Next

While these chains have their expansions in the work, they are still up against the odds of increasing costs on both resources and labor, Beene said.

“It's important to understand many of the complications major chains are facing are due to their massive footprint combined with rising costs of resources and labor,” Beene said. “Smaller chains who have tighter, more efficient ways of managing costs are more readily able to widen their reach at a time when others are scaling back. The result will be more options for many Americans in certain cities starting in 2026.”

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