Meritage sells Twisted Rooster restaurant concept

Meritage opened the first Twisted Rooster on Beltline Avenue NE in 2010 and later added locations in metro Detroit. Courtesy Meritage Hospitality Group

A local restaurant group sold one of its flagship concepts.

Grand Rapids Township-based Meritage Hospitality Group said Thursday, March 24, it sold its Twisted Rooster concept for $500,000 to a longtime manager at Meritage. The name was not disclosed.

Meritage opened the first Twisted Rooster at the former O’Charley’s restaurant at 1600 E. Beltline Ave. NE in 2010 and later added locations in metro Detroit.

The company then converted the original Twisted Rooster location to a Morning Belle brunch eatery in 2019. Meritage said in 2019 it planned to spend $70 million to add 35 Morning Belle locations by the end of 2025.

Meritage said the sale of the Twisted Rooster concept is “consistent with the company’s strategic growth plans to accelerate multiunit franchise restaurant development,” particularly its Wendy’s and Taco John’s franchises.

Meritage plans to invest approximately $200 million in the development of Wendy’s and Taco John’s restaurants through a combination of cash on hand and development credit facilities. To date in 2022, the company has opened four of its planned 25 newly built Wendy’s restaurants.

“New restaurant development is an important component of our business model and has followed our Wendy’s acquisitions across 16 states,” said Meritage CEO Robert Schermer Jr.

“The company remains a leader of new restaurant development within the Wendy’s system and currently is on pace for a record number of new Wendy’s openings in 2022. New restaurants have historically provided us with a strong return on investment, as guests reward us for new designs and updated customer enhancements.”