Bojangles Launches EV Charging at Its Restaurants, Starting With Savannah

Bojangles Takes a Step Beyond the Drive-Thru

Bojangles has opened its first electric vehicle charging station at its location on Ogeechee Road in Savannah, Georgia marking the brand's entry into a space that's becoming increasingly relevant for restaurant operators as EV adoption grows across the country. The move positions Bojangles at what the company describes as the intersection of mobility and hospitality, offering drivers a place to charge their vehicles while sitting down for a meal rather than standing around a charging station with nothing to do. The Savannah location is framed as the first step in a broader national rollout, not a one-off pilot. Bojangles is signaling that EV infrastructure will become a feature across its restaurant system over time.

The Charge-and-Dine Concept

The idea behind the initiative is straightforward - charging an electric vehicle takexs time, and that time is currently underutilized for most drivers. Bojangles is positioning its restaurants as the place where that wait becomes a meal break instead of dead time. Richard Del Valle, Bojangles' Chief Information Officer, described the thinking behind the move as a recognition that driving habits are changing and that customer expectations are evolving alongside them. The goal, he said, is to turn a necessary stop into something that feels worthwhile a chance to eat, relax, and recharge in more ways than one. The concept has a practical logic to it. Restaurants already draw people who need a break from the road. Adding charging infrastructure gives EV drivers a specific reason to choose Bojangles over a standalone charging station or a competitor without that amenity.

The Infrastructure Behind It

The Savannah charging hub was developed in partnership with XLR8 America, a company focused on EV charging and sustainable infrastructure, alongside Energy and Environmental Design Services, which serves as the exclusive installer and maintenance partner for the chargers. The stations will offer both Level 2 and Level 3 charging covering medium and high-speed options with the infrastructure designed to maintain over 97% uptime. That reliability piece matters, because EV drivers who pull off a highway expecting a working charger and find one that's out of service are unlikely to return. Frank O'Connor, CEO of XLR8 America, summarized the partnership's philosophy as charging where you park, rather than parking where you charge. The distinction is subtle but meaningful it puts the restaurant experience first and frames charging as something that happens naturally during a stop the driver was already going to make.

A National Rollout in the Works

The Savannah opening is explicitly described as the first milestone in a larger initiative to bring EV charging to Bojangles locations across key markets nationwide. While the company hasn't detailed specific timelines or a target number of locations, the framing makes clear this isn't being treated as an isolated experiment. For a Southern regional chain with a strong roadside and highway presence, the strategic fit is apparent. Bojangles locations are frequently situated along travel corridors where EV drivers are actively looking for charging stops. Combining that geography with a sit-down dining experience creates a natural proposition for road-trippers who need both.

Meeting a Shift in Consumer Expectations

The EV charging move reflects a broader shift in what consumers are starting to expect from the businesses they stop at. Efficiency and sustainability are increasingly factoring into where people choose to spend their time and money, and quick-service restaurants that can address those priorities while still delivering on food and hospitality are likely to stand out. Bojangles is leaning into its existing strengths food quality and Southern hospitality while adding a layer of infrastructure that addresses a practical need many of its customers will increasingly have. It's less about reinventing the brand and more about making the existing experience more relevant to where drivers are headed.

What This Means for the Quick-Service Industry

Bojangles isn't the first restaurant brand to explore EV charging, but its commitment to a national rollout puts it among the more serious movers in the space. As more chains evaluate how to stay relevant to an evolving customer base, pairing physical infrastructure with the dining experience is likely to become a more common conversation. For other operators watching this space, the Bojangles model offers a useful template - partner with established charging infrastructure companies, prioritize uptime and reliability, and position the restaurant itself as the reason to stop not just the charger.

Bojangles Takes a Step Beyond the Drive-Thru

The Charge-and-Dine Concept

The Infrastructure Behind It

A National Rollout in the Works

Meeting a Shift in Consumer Expectations

What This Means for the Quick-Service Industry