Twisted Egg Shack has signed an exclusive Area Development Agreement with Joey Eguia and Collins Orr, through their company 1836 Brands, to develop more than 60 restaurants across Texas as the fast-growing breakfast, brunch and lunch concept accelerates its franchise expansion.
Under the agreement, 1836 Brands will oversee the development of the brand throughout Texas, with the first locations planned in the Houston metropolitan area, including the League City and Cypress trade areas. The deal represents one of the largest area development commitments in Twisted Egg Shack’s young franchise history.
Eguia brings more than three decades of restaurant industry experience to the partnership. He currently serves as COO of Fajita Pete’s and has previously held leadership roles with Wings N More and BreWingz, while also founding Bayou City Wings. Orr adds experience across restaurant operations, franchise growth, marketing and real estate.
“We have been looking for something exciting and different in the breakfast and lunch category. Twisted Egg Shack checks off all of the boxes with virtually no competition. There is huge runway for growth,” Eguia said. “With our connections, we are looking forward to making this the hands-down category leader.”
Orr said the partnership is particularly significant because the team has longstanding relationships with Twisted Egg Shack’s founders, Chris Milton and Clay Carson. Milton is also a co-founder of Toasted Yolk Café, while Carson brings extensive franchise development experience to the new concept.
“We couldn’t be more excited to welcome Joey, Collins, and the entire 1836 Brands team to the Twisted Egg Shack family,” Milton said. “They understand every aspect of growing restaurant brands. Their experience gives us an incredible advantage as we continue expanding throughout Texas.”
Carson said 1836 Brands provides the operational and real estate expertise needed to accelerate the brand’s growth. “1836 brings decades of hands-on restaurant operations experience and deep knowledge of restaurant marketing and real estate. It’s the one-two punch we’ve been looking for to fast-track growth with the brand,” he said.
The first Texas developments under the new agreement are already progressing. Twisted Egg Shack has been included among the tenants at The Market at Meridiana, a 27,000-square-foot neighborhood shopping center in Manvel, Texas, where construction began in 2026. The project was reported as 54% preleased, with Twisted Egg Shack among the announced tenants.
Twisted Egg Shack was founded in 2024 by Milton, Bret Baumgartner, James Gray and Carson. The fast-casual concept was designed around fresh, made-to-order breakfast, brunch and lunch served through a primarily drive-thru-focused model. Its first drive-thru restaurant opened in Beaumont, Texas, in September 2024.
The menu includes breakfast tacos, French toast sticks, stacked sandwiches, salads, bowls, chicken offerings, premium coffee and signature beverages. The concept has emphasized second-generation drive-thru locations and a relatively streamlined operating model as it builds its franchise network.
The company began actively expanding through franchising in 2025, signing franchise agreements covering markets including Tampa Bay, Port Arthur–Orange and the Manvel–Pearland area of the Houston metropolitan region. At the time, Carson said the business was targeting an investment ideally below $400,000 by using second-generation drive-thru sites.
The Texas development agreement follows that strategy while giving the brand an experienced multi-unit development partner capable of building a substantial regional network. Twisted Egg Shack is also pursuing growth outside Texas, with franchise expansion previously announced for Florida and other markets.
The latest agreement positions Texas as a major growth market for Twisted Egg Shack and gives 1836 Brands responsibility for potentially more than 60 restaurants across the state, significantly expanding the footprint of a brand that opened its first location only in 2024.
