The Opening
Ford's Garage cut the ribbon on its Chattanooga unit this month, bringing the Ford Motor Company-licensed, automotive-themed casual-dining concept to Tennessee for the first time and lifting its system count to 36 locations across nine states. The 8,000-square-foot restaurant at 2102 Hamilton Place Blvd. seats approximately 250 guests and occupies a high-traffic retail corridor off I-75 near I-24 — a node that also pulls tourism traffic from Lookout Mountain and Rock City.
Franchisee Profile
The unit is owned and operated by TN Legends, a partnership of native Tennesseans that collectively claims more than a century of restaurant and hospitality experience. Managing partner Ted Moats — a U.S. Navy veteran, Vanderbilt University graduate, and co-founder of Logan's Roadhouse — leads the group alongside James Blaylock, Scott Estes, and Swade Elliott, an 11-year Ford's Garage veteran who joins as Garage Partner. "Chattanooga's rich automotive history and strong sense of community make it a natural fit," Moats said, citing the region's manufacturing base and visitor draw as key underwriting factors for the area development bet.
Segment Context
Ford's Garage competes in the better-burger and elevated casual-dining daypart, where operators have leaned into experiential design to justify check averages above fast-casual norms. The brand's menu centers on half-pound Certified Angus Beef burgers — including signature builds like the Estate Burger with smoked Gouda, truffle bacon aioli, and onion marmalade on brioche — alongside premium entrees, shareable appetizers, and an extensive local craft-beer and cocktail program. That full-bar, high-design model positions Ford's Garage closer to Yard House or Twin Peaks on the segment spectrum than to better-burger pure-plays.
Founded in 2012 in Fort Myers, Fla. — steps from Henry Ford's winter estate — the brand has expanded steadily through franchise agreements targeting the South, Midwest, and Northeast. A Chattanooga debut, anchored by operators with deep regional ties and multi-unit hospitality backgrounds, reflects the area development agreement structure the chain relies on to seed new states: lead with a well-capitalized local franchisee, establish brand awareness in an automotive-heritage market, and build toward additional units within the territory. The TN Legends group's Logan's Roadhouse lineage signals the kind of scaled-operations competency Ford's Garage typically requires before awarding a first-in-state franchise.
The Chattanooga unit is open for dine-in and pickup service, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday — hours consistent with casual-dining peers optimizing for lunch, dinner, and late-night bar revenue. For unit-growth and franchise development coverage, see our reporting on casual-dining expansion trends and franchise development deals in the Southeast.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
