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A familiar chicken chain is making its way to Kaufman.
Zaxby’s is preparing a new restaurant at 2204 S Washington Street, near Highway 175.
But the company won’t be building from the ground up.
The new Zaxby’s will take over a former Dairy Queen, transforming the existing drive-thru restaurant into a new home for chicken fingers, wings and plenty of Zax Sauce. The property was previously marketed as a move-in-ready second-generation restaurant after Dairy Queen left the location.
From Blizzards to Chicken Fingerz
The existing restaurant was built in 2016 and already includes something particularly valuable to a fast-food operator: a drive-thru.
That makes the property a natural candidate for conversion.
Instead of demolishing the building, plans call for Zaxby’s to remodel approximately 3,254 square feet of existing restaurant space.
Work will focus on the kitchen, cashier counters and ceiling system as the former Dairy Queen is transformed for its new tenant.
And the transformation is already moving forward.
Zaxby’s is currently advertising for a general manager in Kaufman, another indication that the company is preparing for its arrival in the community.
What Is Zaxby’s?
Zaxby’s got its start in 1990 and built its reputation around chicken fingers, wings and its signature sauces.
Today, the menu includes Chicken Fingerz, traditional and boneless wings, sandwiches, loaded fries and the chain’s unusually named Zalads.
Then there’s Zax Sauce.
The company’s signature dipping sauce has become so closely associated with the brand that Zaxby’s still describes the recipe as top secret.
The chain has continued growing its Texas presence, with restaurants operating across several parts of the state.
Now Kaufman is getting one of its own.
A New Life for an Existing Restaurant
The location gives Zaxby’s a spot along one of Kaufman’s major commercial corridors.
The former Dairy Queen sits near Highway 175 and South Washington Street, with existing restaurant infrastructure and drive-thru access already in place. The property was marketed specifically for its highway visibility and surrounding residential growth.
Rather than another vacant restaurant building sitting along the corridor, the property is getting another shot.
And this isn’t the first time Zaxby’s has used that strategy in Texas.
The company has converted other former fast-food restaurants into Zaxby’s locations, including a former Burger King in Fort Worth that underwent its own interior renovation before reopening under the chicken chain.
Construction Moving Forward in Kaufman
The Kaufman renovation carries an estimated construction cost of $175,000.
Work is listed as beginning in July 2026, with completion targeted for November. The project has progressed through state review.
An official opening date hasn’t surfaced yet.
But for anyone who’s driven past the former Dairy Queen wondering what might eventually take its place, we finally have an answer.
The Blizzards may be gone.
But the chicken fingers are coming.