Phoenix restaurant group to expand Slim Chickens locations, plans to hire 500 new workers in Arizona

Barnett Management Co. said it plans to hire about 500 restaurant employees in Arizona over the next few months as the family-owned, Phoenix-based business ramps up to open three new Slim Chickens restaurants.

The first location will open about mid-June near 35th Avenue and Happy Valley Road in Glendale, followed by another Glendale restaurant opening during the summer near Loop 101 and Northern Avenue. A third restaurant will open later this year in Yuma at Fourth Avenue and 16th Street. Each location will feature about 4,200 square feet of restaurant space including patios, seating for about 90 customers, and will employ about 100 people.

Slim Chickens restaurants sell chicken tenders, wings and sandwiches.

Barnett already operates a Slim Chickens restaurant in Maricopa, with plans to have 32 locations open in the state in about a decade. The company is the exclusive Slim Chickens franchise operator in Arizona.

Barnett, founded in 1979, also operates roughly 55 Burger King franchises in Arizona.

Prospective applicants may visit AZSlims.com to learn more about the company and job opportunities. Open positions include shift leaders, assistant general managers and general managers.

Arkansas-based Slim Chickens has opened more than 265 restaurants since the company’s founding in 2003.

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Reach the writer at russ.wiles@arizonarepublic.com.