Southwest Fast Casual Chain Opens First Illinois Location

If you're a fast food connoisseur like me, or the great Matt Youmans of VSiN, you might've heard about a southern fast casual chain that's steadily grown a large following with nearly 1,000 locations as of 2025. Now, the chain has moved into Illinois, so folks in the Midwest can get a taste of it.

The restaurant is Zaxbys, with a menu of "Chicken Fingerz," but also serves "Zalads" and wings. No chicken joint is complete without sauces, and Zaxbys appears to have a ton of them, including mild, the moderate "Zax Sauce," and the intense option "Nuclear."

READ MORE: Jack in the Box is Officially Back in Illinois with Seven More Locations Planned

Where to Find Zaxbys in Illinois:

The first Zaxbys in Illinois can be found at 13429 Illinois Rte 59 in Plainfield, IL. It officially opened on January 19th. It's owned and operated by a Chicago native who also runs four locations in the Kansas City metro. A ribbon cutting is already scheduled for February.

It's the first of what seems like many Zaxbys restaurants to be opening in the Midwest in the near future. Per WGN, Zaxbys has stated that the Midwest is a "key area for expansion" in 2025, with additional store openings planned for Indiana.

What Does the Expert Say About Zaxbys?:

I name-dropped Matt Youmans for a reason. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the popular sports betting analyst has published an annual ranking of the top 50 fast food restaurants. He almost exclusively eats out 3-5 times a day. The kicker? He claims to have never taken a sick day at work in over 30 years.

If you haven't seen his 2025 rankings, you can find the column on VSiN's website, or watch it on VSiN's YouTube channel. Here's Youmans, one of the authorities on fast food, said about Zaxbys, which ranked #45/50 on his 2025 list:

The recent arrival of Zaxby’s in Las Vegas has gone mostly unnoticed for a reason. It’s not great and it’s not bad. You don’t brag to friends about it. Famous for its Chicken Fingerz, Zaxby’s does offer a Zax Sauce that is a good bet. Like the Raiders in the AFC West, it sits at the bottom of a chicken fingers division led by Huey Magoo’s, Raising Cane’s and Bojangles - per Matt Youmans' 2025 fast food rankings on VSiN's website

That milquetoast assessment aside, I do plan on trying Zaxbys at one point, as the Plainfield location is relatively near where I grew up. Read more about Zaxbys opening an Illinois location on WGN's website.