Huddle House opens first restaurant inside a Walmart in Athens, Tennessee

Huddle House has opened its first restaurant inside a Walmart, debuting a nontraditional format at 1815 Decatur Pike in Athens, Tennessee. The move expands the breakfast chain’s franchise growth strategy and gives shoppers a new way to grab homestyle meals during everyday errands.

Why it matters: - Huddle House is testing a new location format built around convenience, giving the chain another way to reach customers outside a traditional standalone restaurant. - The Athens opening adds a new franchise development path for Ascent Hospitality Management’s Huddle House brand. - The store puts breakfast and other homestyle menu items directly into a Walmart shopping trip, which could broaden customer access and traffic.

What happened: - Huddle House opened its first restaurant inside a Walmart at 1815 Decatur Pike in Athens, Tennessee. - The location is the brand’s first nontraditional format. - The restaurant introduces Huddle House’s newly launched express menu. - The Athens restaurant is owned and operated by Brooke and Tyler Goodner. - The Goodners are entering the restaurant business through a three-unit Huddle House development agreement.

The details: - Customers can order at the counter, eat on-site or take food to go. - The menu includes breakfast all day and burgers. - New items include the Breakfast Burrito, MVP Waffle Stacker and MVP Chicken Biscuit Sandwich. - Huddle House says the express menu is designed for customers who want a hot, freshly made meal that travels easily. - The brand says the new footprint is meant to fit customers’ everyday routines and emphasize convenience. - Huddle House has nearly 300 locations open or in development. - The brand has served freshly prepared home-style food since 1964. - Huddle House is part of Ascent Hospitality Management. - The brand has been named one of the Top 200+ Franchises by Franchise Times, ranked on Thrillist’s list of “Regional Breakfast Chains that Should Be Everywhere,” and named a Top 500 Chain Restaurant by Restaurant Business. - More information is available at Huddle House. - Franchise opportunities are listed at Huddle House franchising.

Between the lines: - The opening signals Huddle House is leaning harder into nontraditional real estate, a common play for restaurant brands looking for lower-friction access to shoppers and travelers. - Brooke Goodner said the format gives the brand a way to fit naturally into the community and into customers’ daily routines. - Peter Ortiz, chief development officer for Ascent Hospitality Management, said the Goodners’ three-unit commitment shows confidence in the brand and its growth potential.

What's next: - Huddle House plans to keep pursuing nontraditional growth opportunities. - The Goodners’ three-unit agreement suggests the Athens location may be the first of multiple new openings for the franchisees. - The company is positioning the format as another path for franchise expansion while introducing the brand to customers in new settings.