It’s been ten years since fast casual chicken restaurant Koo Koo Roo closed its final location in Santa Monica. That’s why L.A.-based entrepreneur Daniel Farasat knows you’re eager for the brand’s rebirth, now that the revival of Koo Koo Roo has been finally revealed via social media. But Farasat, who acquired the dormant eatery’s intellectual property in 2022, wants to do it right — and that means meticulously planning the rebirth of the ‘Roo. (Do we call it a ‘Roo’-boot?)
“There’s been almost a reluctance on my end to come out with the brand,” said Farasat, who finally announced in August his plans to revive Koo Koo Roo. “I feel like I’m a custodian of a brand. The response has been enormous since people found out. So, we’re really focused on how to bring it back. What items are returning? We want to bring back actual brick-and-mortar locations. But that takes time to build out and make happen. And people are very eager to have Koo Koo Roo back sooner than then.”
Farasat said he has identified a location for the first new physical Koo Koo Roo restaurant, but doesn’t expect to open it until late 2025. So, that’s where this weekend’s ChainFest event comes in. The gourmet chain food festival, which takes place in downtown L.A. on Oct. 5, will feature the first opportunity for fans to taste the return of Koo Koo Roo — but it’s still baby steps. Rather than serve up the restaurant’s famed skinless chicken, the Koo Koo Roo stand will be passing out tastes of two of its signature sides: Garlic roasted potatoes and macaroni and cheese.
“We think it’s just a fun way to show that, yes, Koo Koo Roo is coming back, and here’s a little sneak peek of a few of the things are going to be on the menu,” said Chain co-founder and chief creative officer Nicky Kraft. “I like to think of ChainFest as a Comic-Con for pop cuisine. And the idea that this is the first time in ten years that people can get a bite of Koo Koo Roo, is very exciting thing.”
Farasat is a founder and managing partner of Tiger West Capital and has focused most of his efforts in real estate; Koo Koo Roo is outside of that, but his previous restaurant experience includes serving as an early investor in Sweetgreen.
Farasat was a fan of Koo Koo Roo during its heyday of the 1990s and 2000s, when the chain grew to as many as 40 locations in California, Nevada and Florida. But even back then, Koo Koo Roo — which had been founded in 1988 by brothers Mike and Ray Badalian — went through a series of bad investments, several ownership changes and bankruptcies, weakening the company. When Texas-based Luby’s (which had acquired Koo Koo Roo in 2010) announced plans to liquidate its assets in late 2020, Farasat sprang into action.
“It was hard to get in touch with them and get them to focus on selling something that they didn’t really understand why someone wanted it,” he said. “It took a little while, but it worked out.”
Included in the sale were the original recipes, as well as the trademarks, domain name and business manuals. “There has been a lot of brand discovery and research since then,” Farasat said. The owner has brought in former Koo Koo Roo executives, and even chefs, to consult. Farasat’s wife Hila is helping with operations, while his brother Raphael has a hand in the rebrand.
Farasat plans to hone in on Koo Koo Roo’s Los Angeles roots, as well as 1990s/2000s nostalgia. “People have a real connection to it,” he said. “We’re ‘born in LA,’ and we even trademarked putting that on some of our merch.” (Full disclosure: A Koo Koo Roo was located on Wilshire Blvd. right across the street from Variety ‘s offices in the late 1990s and early 2000s, making it a regular lunchtime stop.)
“You bring it up, and some people are just shocked that it’s not around, because they just expect they’ll be here,” Farasat said. “But the first thing most people do is they share which one was their Koo Koo Roo location. Those kind of memories comes back with it.” As do everyone’s favorite dish from that time. (Farasat said he was partial to Koo Koo Roo’s original chicken sandwich.)
After ChainFest, Farasat hopes to hold other pop-up events and collabs with chefs to keep the momentum going as he slowly builds out that first physical location. “We’re now working on some other ways that we can get the Koo Koo Roo out there, partnerships and events that we’ll do in the interim until a location opens up to help kind of satiate that desire that people have to have it immediately,” he said.
Besides Koo Koo Roo, highlights at Saturday’s Chain Fest include an appearance by White Castle (which doesn’t have locations in Southern California); a Domino’s pizza topped with smoked salmon and caviar; a butter poached lobster biscuit inspired by Red Lobster’s Cheddar Bay biscuits; a spicy dish from Panda Express; a take on Red Robin burgers; and more. All of the items — including the Koo Koo Roo sides — are spins on those chains’ traditional fare, reimagined by chef (and Chain partner) Tim Hollingsworth.
“The Office” actor/writer B.J. Novak is also behind Chain, along with Kraft, Jack Davis, Byron Ashley and Abe Burns.
“It’s weird, because chains are the least personal thing in the world, and yet our memories are so personal,” Kraft said. “It’s not like it’s a hole-in-the-wall ma and pa joint that only you discovered. But food is so emotional. These places are so tied to family. I think a lot of these brands realize it’s an opportunity to do something they could never do. Why would Domino’s be introducing smoked salmon and caviar pizza? I’m also just more and more excited about the culture of chain restaurants. It’s even more than just the food. People get really excited about this stuff.”
ChainFest, which is produced by Medium Rare (“Guy Fieri’s Flavortown Tailgate,” “Travis Kelce’s Kelce Jam”) takes place this Saturday, Oct. 5, at Skylight Row DTLA.
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