Experienced Operators Expand the Burger Franchise in Arizona and California
- Mesa, Ariz., opening in August brings Farmer Boys burger franchise to six Arizona restaurants since its first in Gilbert in 2021.
- Cathedral City, Calif., opening in April is the first new Coachella Valley location in more than 20 years.
- Both new stores are run by experienced franchisees expanding their footprints with the fast-casual brand.
The Farmer Boys burger franchise is growing the way many franchisors would like: through experienced operators who already know the fast-casual brand and want a bigger piece of it. Recent restaurant openings in Arizona and California by multi-unit Farmer Boys franchisees prove the point, expanding the 45-year-old brand’s footprint in both states.
Founded in 1981 in Southern California by five brothers, Farmer Boys began franchising in 1995 and has grown to more than 100 restaurant locations in California, Arizona and Nevada.
The most recent openings bring the total number of Farmer Boys restaurants in Arizona to six, while a new store in Cathedral City, Calif., is the first opened in the Coachella Valley in more than two decades.
Expansion in Arizona
Omar Mawas, a longtime franchisee who opened his first Farmer Boys location in 2007 in California, brought the burger franchise to Arizona in 2021 with the opening of a location in Gilbert. Mawas launched his most recent restaurant in August in Mesa, Ariz., and now has nine Farmer Boys burger franchise locations open and four more in development. In addition to Arizona, he has restaurants in Los Angeles and San Diego.
“It’s been incredibly rewarding to be part of Farmer Boys’ growth from a single Arizona restaurant to a presence in communities across the state. Having been part of that journey from the beginning, I’ve seen firsthand how strongly guests embrace the brand’s commitment to fresh ingredients, made-to-order meals and genuine hospitality,” Mawas says.
John Lucas, vice president of franchise development for Farmer Boys, praises Mawas’ commitment to the brand. “Omar has been instrumental in helping establish Farmer Boys throughout Arizona and serving as a strong ambassador for the brand,” Lucas says.
Farmer Boys Growth in California
Like Mawas, Dilip Bhavnani has been a longtime Farmer Boys franchise owner. A restaurant industry veteran for more than 30 years, Bhavnani joined the franchise in 2003 with his first location in Pomona, Calif., and opened the Cathedral City location in April. He also owns stores in Chino and Huntington Beach.
“This is my fourth Farmer Boys franchise, and I’m thrilled to bring the brand to Cathedral City, a market that has been ready for another Farmer Boys location for years,” says Bhavnani.
Lucas congratulated Bhavnani on the recent opening. “Dilip has been an outstanding partner in bringing our farm-fresh food and welcoming hospitality to new communities, and we’re excited to have him lead Farmer Boys’ debut in Cathedral City,” Lucas says. “The Coachella Valley has long been an important region for Farmer Boys, and this opening marks an exciting step in expanding our presence in the region. We see strong opportunity for continued growth in this market and are actively seeking sites throughout the area.”
The OG Farmer Boys
Naming their restaurant concept was easy for the founder brothers. As real-life farmer boys, the brothers grew up working the soil and tending crops on their family farm on the island of Cyprus. They also worked in the family’s restaurant. After immigrating to the U.S., the brothers bought a restaurant in 1979 in Torrance, Calif., and opened their first Farmer Boys location in 1981 in Perris, Calif.
Their farm-to-table, fast-casual concept focuses on burgers made from never-frozen beef, hand-chopped salads with produce delivered fresh daily, all-day breakfast with cage-free eggs, and hand-breaded zucchini sticks and onion rings. Restaurants offer dine-in, drive-thru and online ordering, and the Very Important Farmer (VIF) app handles offers and rewards.
Farmer Boys remains a family business, with the second generation of farmer boys – and girls – helping drive the brand forward, working alongside the restaurant support team and the founders with a focus on future trends, while maintaining a deep understanding of and an appreciation for the past.
Focus on Freshness
Farmer Boys has earned numerous awards, including rankings in USA Today’s Readers’ Choice Awards for best fast-food breakfast (No. 2), best fast-food fries (No. 2), and best regional fast food (No. 4). Farmer Boys also was ranked No. 10 by Fast Casual among the 2025 Top 100 Movers & Shakers.
The brand’s emphasis on freshness, including sourcing ingredients locally whenever possible, has contributed to its popularity with customers.
That popularity reflects consumers’ increased interest in food quality, environmental sustainability and direct support for their local communities. Growth in the global farm-to-table market was estimated at $14.5 billion in 2026 and expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate topping 10% to reach $28.4 billion by 2033, according to Future Data Stats.
To learn more about franchising opportunities, visit Farmer Boys.
