Federal Donuts is taking the next step with its previously announced plans to grow beyond Philadelphia, revealing on Wednesday that new franchise locations will soon open in Radnor, Willow Grove and Conshohocken. Beyond those stores, the company has its sights set on multiplying in Pennsylvania and growing a national footprint.
Founded in 2011, Federal Donuts began as a passion project of culinary partners Michael Solomonov and Steve Cook, whose CookNSolo family of restaurants, headlined by Zahav, has earned the pair national acclaim. The trifecta of donuts, fried chicken and coffee at Federal Donuts grew to be a staple in Philadelphia, which has 10 stores scattered around the city and stands at the Wells Fargo Center and Citizens Bank Park.
Opening dates for the stores in Radnor, Willow Grove and Conshohocken haven’t yet been announced, but the company shared the planned locations. A 1,550-square-foot store in Radnor will open at 200 Radnor Chester Road; a 1,250-square-foot-store in Willow Grove will open at 4021 Welsh Road; and a 1,700-square-foot store is opening in Conshohocken’s Plymouth Square at 200 Ridge Pike.
Two years ago, Federal Donuts announced it had received a growth equity investment from Radnor-based NewSpring Franchise, which has helped finance the expansion of other brands like Duck Donuts, Blo Blow Dry Bar and brunch spot Turning Point.
Federal Donuts is a sister company to CookNSolo that operates separately under CEO Jeff Benjamin, a longtime partner of restaurateur Marc Vetri. Solomonov and Cook originally created the concept together with Felicia D’Ambrosio, Bob Logue and former Federal Donuts CEO Tom Henneman, who had been leading the company when the planned expansion was announced in 2022.
Since then, only one Federal Donuts location has opened outside the Philly area, a store that debuted in March at the Red Rock Casino in Las Vegas. The company also rebranded last year to the full name Federal Donuts and Chicken.
On Wednesday, Federal Donuts said it has partnered with three local entrepreneurs to open a series of stores in the Philly suburbs. The company said Pennsylvania will see “an influx of store openings,” adding that Federal Donuts is now poised for both regional and national franchises.
“I am thrilled to now lead the expansion as CEO and allow Federal Donuts to reach its full potential,” Benjamin said.
The company is seeking potential franchisees for multi-unit and single locations.
In January, Federal Donuts closed its original South Philly store to open its largest location yet last month at a former warehouse nearby. Another store in University City also closed to allow the company to pursue a bigger space that’s planned in that neighborhood.
This isn’t the first time Federal Donuts has attempted to venture beyond Philadelphia. In 2017, Federal Donuts and CookNSolo’s Israeli restaurant Dizengoff opened in Miami, but both locations closed within a year. Laser Wolf, the Israeli grill house in South Kensington, expanded to Brooklyn in 2022.
Federal Donuts has lately been growing its menu, adding fried chicken sandwiches, chicken tenders and a breakfast sandwich called the Early Bird. It also announced a chicken Caesar sandwich this week and plans to soon introduce a three-piece chicken dinner meal, in addition to its rotating cast of donut flavors.
Michael Tanenbaum
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