Company bringing Smalls Sliders, Guthrie’s to Warner Robins is looking at Macon, Perry, too

A Georgia restaurant franchise company that’s bringing two new restaurant brands to Warner Robins expects to expand its footprint in Middle Georgia.

Smalls Sliders, known for its cheeseburger sliders, and Guthrie’s, known for its hand-breaded chicken tenders, are to be built side by side on Watson Boulevard near the intersection with Carl Vinson Parkway.

“We’re super excited about both of those concepts,” said Rocky C. Moore, co-founder of Norcross-based PAR Concepts.

The company plans to bring two additional Smalls Sliders to Middle Georgia, with Macon and Perry in the running.

“I think for the second one, I love Macon,” Moore said. “It’s more than likely going to be Macon for that second location, and then for the third, we certainly haven’t ruled out Perry. “

PAR Concepts also is looking at Bibb and Houston counties for two additional Guthrie’s restaurants, but other areas outside of Middle Georgia also may be considered.

“If we can find a site where we can fit both concepts, like we did on Watson Boulevard, it can replicate that,” Moore said. “That’s an ideal situation but it’s not determinate upon that. The two concepts can live on their own.”

PAR Concepts also plans to develop six other Smalls Sliders in the Northwest Atlanta area. The company currently has two Guthrie’s restaurants: one in Grayson and one in Cumming.

Smalls Sliders

Brandon Landry, co-founder of Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux, opened the first Smalls Sliders in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in October 2019. The drive-thru and carry-out restaurant now has 19 locations. Most are in Louisiana as well as in Arkansas, Florida and Mississippi, with about 350 more on the way in Alabama, Missouri, South Carolina and Texas in addition to Georgia, according to Moore. Smalls Sliders moved its headquarters to Atlanta in late 2022.

“I really, truly, deep in my core, believe it’s going to be a disruptive concept brand with the cheeseburger sliders,” Moore said. “Everything’s fresh to order.

“I’ve tried and tested the product myself. It’s absolutely phenomenal, craveable.”

The menu is simple: made-to-order cheeseburger sliders, crispy waffle fries and three creamy shake flavors of vanilla, chocolate and cookies & cream. Add-ons include an extra patty, bacon and the brand’s signature “smauce” and queso.

“One of the things that really attracted myself to it was the fact that it’s a unique modular design building,” Moore said. “You can have a lot of flexibility on the real estate side.

“You can fit on really small half-acre sites, and it vastly cuts back on the development construction time frame. You can get one of these things open, soup to nuts, from the time you put a shovel in the ground in about three months, which is phenomenal,” he said.

The restaurants are made from 800-square-foot repurposed shipping containers called “cans” that are literally dropped on site.

The Smalls Sliders at 2691 Watson Blvd. will have a drive-thru, a walk-up window and covered patio seating for about 12 to 15 people. There is no inside dining.

Construction is expected to start in early to mid-February, with the opening targeted for late April or May.

Guthrie’s

“What attracted us to Guthrie’s is also very akin and similar to that of Smalls: a simplified menu,” Moore said. “They were the original golden fried chicken finger group.”

The menu includes golden fried chicken fingers, crispy fries, creamy coleslaw, buttery Texas toast, a signature sauce, Guthrie’s own tea and Coke products.

Everything is made fresh to order.

“It’s just absolutely mouthwatering phenomenal … I think they’re the absolute best,” Moore said.

Headquartered in Auburn, Alabama, the family-owned restaurant chain bills itself as “America’s original chicken finger restaurant.”

Hal Guthrie opened the first Guthrie’s in Haleyville, Alabama, with a full-service Southern food menu in 1965. But he simplified the menu to chicken fingers in 1978.

Guthrie’s now has nearly 70 locations across the U.S., including in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Kentucky, Nevada, Mississippi, Ohio, Tennessee and West Virginia, according to its website.

The Guthrie’s at 2689 Watson Blvd. will have dine-in and patio seating as well as drive-thru. Because it’s a regular brick-and-mortar project, construction will take longer with the new restaurant targeted to open in the third quarter of 2025, Moore said.

More coming

The new restaurants will be near the new Dutch Bros Coffee going up at 2695 Watson Blvd. next to a Domino’s housed in the same building as Circle K convenience store and gas station.

A new Valvoline Instant Oil Change is expected to be built at 2693 Watson Blvd., between the future homes of Dutch Bros Coffee and Smalls Sliders, according to site plans.

Smalls Sliders, Guthrie’s and Dutch Bros Coffee are all new brands to Middle Georgia. The three join a host of new restaurants, coffee and dessert shops coming to Houston County in 2025.