A Southern California chicken sandwich restaurant's nationwide expansion plans run through Houston. Daddy's Chicken Shack will open its first franchised location in a former dry cleaners at the corner of 11th Street and N. Shepherd Drive.

Founded by Chef Pace Webb and her husband Chris Georgalas, Daddy's blends classic Southern flavors with Asian touches, a nod to Georgalas being half-Japanese.

Daddy's Chicken makes its sandwiches with birds that are hormone-free, antibiotic-free, and free range, according to a release. Spice levels range from mild to Nashville-style hot with Buffalo and sambal also available.

In addition to sandwiches, Daddy's Chicken offers chicken and waffles, breakfast sandwiches, nuggets, and salads. The restaurant's vegan option, coconut curry-brined cauliflower, distinguishes it from other chicken sandwich concepts.

Daddy's Chicken also sets itself apart with its use of technology. Customers have a dozen ways to order for dine-in, pick-up, or delivery.

“It’s all about quality, convenience, speed and accuracy —whether dining in, ordering on the app and picking up, or getting delivery —we’ve built our systems to execute the highest quality product no matter how the customer chooses to order,” Georgalas said in a statement. That convenience drew the attention of Dave Liniger, the founder and chairman of real estate firm RE/MAX, who has invested in the brand's nationwide expansion through franchising.

Houston will serve as a flagship location and training facility for Daddy's Chicken. It will feature design elements the brand hopes to replicate elsewhere, such as self-ordering kiosks and a dedicated pickup lane for both customers and delivery drivers.

“We’ve worked with hundreds of local and national brands and after meeting Chris, we were very excited about the opportunity for Daddy’s Chicken to enter the market in one of our projects," said Dan Braun, president of Braun Enterprises, which owns the property Daddy's Chicken leased. "With their focus on quality ingredients and consistency, Daddy’s will shine in the Heights, and we are pleased to be part of it.”

See renderings of the future location as well as clips from Webb's TV appearances in the video below.