Own a
Jack in the Box Franchise
in Tennessee
Jack in the Box is open in Tennessee, and our development team is actively awarding markets across the state. We operate restaurants in the Nashville metro today, a new restaurant is in the works in Knoxville, and we are looking for operators to help us grow from Memphis to the Tri-Cities.
Tennessee added more new residents last year than all but seven states. If you have multi-unit or quick-service experience, there is room to build here.
A Fast-Growing State
Tennessee added 68,785 residents between July 2024 and July 2025, the eighth largest gain of any state, according to Census Bureau estimates analyzed by the Tennessee State Data Center.
People Keep Moving In
Only three states gained more residents from domestic migration than Tennessee in 2025. Net inflow: 42,389 people, behind only the Carolinas and Texas.
A Brand Already Here
Jack in the Box is open and operating in Tennessee today, with restaurants in the Nashville metro and a new location coming to the Knoxville market.
Our development team is evaluating metro areas across the entire state, with priority on Nashville, Knoxville, Memphis, and Chattanooga. We review each market for population growth, traffic patterns, and site availability before we award territory. The markets below are the ones we are actively looking at right now.
Nashville
The state capital and our home base in Tennessee. Jack in the Box restaurants are open here today, and the metro remains a priority for continued development. See our Nashville franchise page.
Knoxville
Home to the University of Tennessee's flagship campus and the anchor of East Tennessee. A new Jack in the Box is on the way here, and we are looking to add more.
Memphis
A national logistics hub on the Mississippi River with a major international cargo airport and round-the-clock shift work built into the local economy.
Chattanooga
A manufacturing and outdoor tourism center where Interstates 24, 59, and 75 meet, within a short drive of three other states.
Clarksville
A young, military-anchored market next to Fort Campbell on the Kentucky line and one of the state's larger cities.
Kingsport-Bristol
The Tri-Cities manufacturing corridor along Interstate 81 in the state's northeast corner.
Murfreesboro
A large university city in the Nashville metro's growth path, southeast of downtown along Interstate 24.
Johnson City
A Tri-Cities anchor with a university and a regional healthcare base serving northeast Tennessee and southwest Virginia.
Jackson
The hub of West Tennessee on the Interstate 40 corridor between Memphis and Nashville.
Not in Tennessee? See every open state on our Available Markets page.
Is Jack in the Box Actually Growing in Tennessee Right Now?
Yes, and I can point to it. I lead franchise development and marketing at Jack in the Box, and Tennessee is one of the markets my team works on directly. We already operate in the Nashville metro, we have a restaurant in the works in Knoxville, and we are actively awarding territory across the state.
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Jack in the Box restaurants are open today in the Nashville metro, including locations on Charlotte Pike and Dickerson Pike.
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In December 2022 we signed Cedar Tree Restaurant Group to a multi-unit development agreement, and the Nashville market was part of that deal. It was our largest franchise agreement since we relaunched franchising in 2021.
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A new restaurant is in the works in the Knoxville market right now. I have watched that one move through site review myself.
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We evaluate every market before we award it, and we talk with operators one market at a time. Here is how our process works.
Why Is Tennessee a Strong State for a Restaurant Franchise?
Tennessee pairs steady population growth with a large restaurant economy and no state income tax on wages. The state added 68,785 residents last year, its leisure and hospitality sector employed 374,800 people as of December 2025, and accommodation and food service businesses recorded $24.0 billion in sales in the most recent Economic Census.
The broader numbers hold up too. Tennessee's real GDP reached $449.4 billion in 2025, up 2.1 percent from the year before, and median household income was $69,595 in the latest Census figures. Those are the baseline conditions. What we review next is specific to each trade area: traffic counts, site availability, and the operator. Most Tennessee guests will order through a drive-thru, which is exactly what our current store models are built around.
Frequently Asked Questions About Franchising in Tennessee
Ready to Talk About Tennessee?
Cities and locations are awarded market by market. Tell us where you want to build.