Co-Founder Brittany Tolliferreo Forecasts The Future Of Her Fast-Food Chain — 'Chick-A-Boom Is Going To Be Bigger Than McDonald’s'

“I lived in a food desert before where there was nothing really good to eat,” Tolliferreo told AfroTech. “It was like a small county in Pennsylvania so I was just tired of going super far to get something good in quality. I saw a vacant store in the neighborhood and I was like, ‘You know what? I’m just going to open it up, try it, do it.’ And, it worked for me.”

She notes that her first entry point into entrepreneurship within the food industry was so successful that six months later, she was allowed to open up her first drive-thru location.

Tolliferreo credits support from the community as the recipe for Chick-A-Boom’s success.

“I would say the quality of the food, the branding, and the pure support of the community and the people coming and loving the product and coming back, that’s what I attest to our growth,” she expressed.

What’s more, thanks to an ad ran via Instagram, Chick-A-Boom caught the attention of retired NFL player and living legend Randy Moss.

From there, his love for the brand quickly morphed into an authentic partnership to help Tolliferreo and her team live out their dreams of further expansion.

“When Randy first saw the sponsored ad on Instagram, and he liked it, I was very excited,” Tolliferreo recalled. “And then, he saw another one and he liked that post as well. When I reached out to him in direct messages and he responded, I was very excited and very honored just to be able to let him know where I started, my vision, where I’m going.”

She continued: “And for him to share that same vision and to believe in me, I was just very grateful and honored.”

When it comes to partnership, which Tolliferreo hopes is a continuous theme in the near future, she says it’s all about good energy.

“It’s energy for me because it’s not about the money,” Tolliferreo said. “It’s not about who’s the biggest celebrity, it’s about the energy and who will be available, not in a needy way, but, can I call you? Can I run ideas past you? Can I just get in contact with you? But, ultimately, it’s really just the energy for me.”

The biggest success with partnering alongside Moss for Tolliferreo is that he is a man of his word.

Despite the whirlwind success behind Chick-A-Boom thus far, Tolliferreo did admit that there have been hurdles she’s faced as a Black business owner.

“When you deal with certain companies and realtors, they’re looking at Chick-A-Boom as like a young, fresh company,” she explained. “So, when you want to go and get a vacant Taco Bell or a vacant McDonald’s building, they kind of discriminate, thinking, ‘Well can you afford it?’”

Tolliferreo continued: “I’ve faced a lot when it comes to financial institutions and not being properly funded. That’s why I’m so grateful for Randy coming on board. There are some adversities that I’ve faced, but you know, it’s not going to stop me. Chick-A-Boom is going to be bigger than McDonald’s, so you better watch out.”

With a new drive-thru location under her belt and plans to expand to Moss’ hometown of West Virginia, Tolliferreo says continued, intentional growth is one of the main priorities for Chick-A-Boom moving forward.