One of the West Coast’s most talked-about fast-casual concepts is heading to the Keystone State. Mr. Fries Man, the viral loaded fries franchise out of Gardena, California, will open its first-ever Pennsylvania location this Friday, April 24, 2026, at 2313 Frankford Avenue in Philadelphia’s Fishtown neighborhood. Named “the most unique fries in South Bay,” Mr. Fries Man will bring a full menu of unique loaded fries, including buffalo ranch chicken fries, honey garlic shrimp and steak fries, chicken bacon parm fries, lemon garlic crab and shrimp fries, and more. The menu will also include build your own fries, vegetarian options, wings with over a dozen sauce options and loaded baked potatoes.
To celebrate the grand opening, Mr. Fries Man Philly will give away complimentary Jr. loaded fries to the first 150 guests at both 11:00am and 5:00pm, on April 24, first come, first served. Additional cash prizes will be distributed throughout the day in partnership with Texathon. Texathon also sponsored the fry giveaway as a way to support the community. Mr. Fries Man starting hours will be 11:00am to 9:00pm, seven days a week, with late night service available down the road. Follow @mrfriesman_philly on Instagram for more info.
Mr. Fries Man is a fast-casual fry franchise founded in Gardena, California, known for its bold, generously loaded fry creations and viral social media following. The Philadelphia location marks the brand’s first expansion into Pennsylvania.
The Philadelphia outpost is led by two well-known and beloved stars in our local fast-casual food scene. Mr. Fries Man Philly will be owned and operated by local entrepreneur and Gelato artist Galen Thomas, the force behind neighboring Cloud Cups Gelato and Philly Cheesecake Lady, alongside Chef Donte Fassett of Mason Meals. The duo are bringing the brand’s signature over-the-top loaded fry creations to one of the city’s most vibrant dining corridors in Fishtown.
For foodies, Mr. Fries Man is the much-anticipated final element to what has shaped up to be a new food hub in Fishtown, that now houses a brick-and-mortar location for Cloud Cups and Philly Cheesecake Lady. All three will also team up and be available for the ultimate delivery order – and for catering for your next event.
“Philadelphia is the perfect first home for Mr. Fries Man in Philadelphia,” said Thomas. “We’re bringing everything that made this brand a phenomenon on the West Coast – and then we’re going to Philly it up. I fell in love with the concept and the food during a trip to California – and immediately said I want to bring this food and energy back to my city.”
For the Philadelphia location, standout menu items include buffalo ranch chicken fries and honey garlic shrimp and steak fries. A Philly-exclusive cheesesteak fries option is also in the works and expected to roll out shortly after opening.
* Loaded Fries – Customer Favorites
BBQ Bacon Ranch Chicken
BBQ & ranch sauce, cheddar cheese with an option of fried or grilled chicken
Hello Shrimp & Chicken
Hello sauce, cheddar cheese, and shrimp with an option of fried or grilled chicken
Chicken Bacon Parmesan
Lemon garlic sauce, parmesan cheese, bacon with an option of fried or grilled chicken
Buffalo Ranch Chicken
Buffalo & ranch, cheddar cheese with an option of fried or grilled chicken
Honey Garlic Shrimp Steak
Honey garlic sauce, cheddar cheese, shrimp & steak
Lemon Garlic Crab & Shrimp
Lemon garlic sauce, cheddar cheese, shrimp & blue crab
Chili Cheese
Chili & cheddar cheese
Fry Box
Set Combination of: BBQ Bacon Ranch Chicken , Buffalo Chicken , Lemon Garlic Shrimp, & Honey Garlic Shrimp and Steak NO Protein Substitutions, Protein Add-ons Available
Breakfast Fries
Hello sauce, cheddar cheese, eggs & bacon Add-ons available
* Build Your Own Loaded Fries
Choose 1 Topping
Chicken
Shrimp
Steak
Shrimp & Chicken
Shrimp & Steak
Shrimp & Crab
Beyond Meat “Plant-Based Meat”
Choose 1 sauce:
BBQ (sweet)
Buffalo (mild)
Mango Habanero (sweet & spicy)
Honey Garlic (sweet & mild)
Lemon Garlic (creamy & tangy)
Ranch (creamy)
Jalapeño Ranch (creamy & mild)
Hello (sweet & tangy)
Smack (sweet & spicy)
Choose Add-Ons
Bacon
Chili
Chicken
Steak
Shrimp
Crab
Sauce
Mild Cheddar
Parmesan Cheese
Nacho Cheese
* Wings
5 Wings, Sauce, Dip
10 Wings, 2 Sauces, 2 Dips
15 Wings, 2 Sauces, 2 Dips
Wing Sauces:
Lemon Cajun
Lemon Peppa
Lemon Garlic Parm
Buffalo Lemon Peppa
BBQ (sweet)
Buffalo (mild)
Mango Habanero (sweet & spicy)
Honey Garlic (sweet & mild)
Lemon Garlic (creamy & tangy)
Ranch (creamy)
Jalapeño Ranch (creamy & mild)
Hello (sweet & tangy)
Smack (sweet & spicy)
* Dollar Wings Special
Get 10 for $10 or 20 for $20 bone-in wings, tossed in your favorite sauce.
* Delivery
Look for Mr. Fries Man Philly on UberEats to start.
SPACE
Mr. Fries Man is counter service to order, with dining tables in the shared space with Cloud CUps and Philly Cheesecake Lady. Mr. Fries Man Philly features wall to wall, floor to ceiling custom Philly and Fry inspired murals by well-known muralist and artist Taqiy Muhammad.
GRAND OPENING
Come out on Friday, April 24th for complimentary orders of Jr. Loaded Fries at 11:00am and 5:00pm for the first 150 people at each time courtesy of Texathon. Look for prizes, giveaways and activations from Texathon, to support this new Black-owned business coming to Philly! Texathon is the ultimate text typing app. Vibe to music by DJ Greg Nitty all day!
NEW FOOD HUB
Come for the new Mr. Fries Man but stay for Cloud Cups and Philly Cheesecake Lady sweet treats – all now in one location. Follow Cloud Cups at @CloudCupsGelato and follow Philly Cheesecake Lady @PhillyCheesecakeLady.
ABOUT GALEN THOMAS
Galen Thomas is one of the most award-winning and celebrated Black gelato artists in the country – and his gelato was named one of the best in the nation by the Today Show. He has also been named one of the top 11 gelato makers on the East Coast by Gelato Masters.
Thomas attended Frozen Dessert University in North Carolina and The Carpigiani Gelato University in Illinois. He founded the business officially in 2018 – and has continued to grow and expand first with mobile sales, his mobile gelato cart, a scoop shop in Fishtown, and now a full cafe, shop and production facility in Juniata/ Kensington. He will continue to sell at festivals, fairs, catering and through special order.
ABOUT CLOUD CUPS
Cloud Cups Gelato is a Philadelphia-based artisan gelato + sorbet company. In small batches, we handcraft over 150 unique flavors with the perfect cloud-like texture — soft, fluffy and creamy. Cloud Cups is known in the city for some of the most creative, delicious desserts and we are truly passionate about providing our community with amazing quality and fun experiences.
In 2021, Cloud Cups was named one of the 41 best gelatos in the country by the Today Show. Cloud Cups was recently named Best of Philly Winner by Philadelpiha Magazine.
Cloud Cups operates two curent locations, plus operates carts and catering for private events, weddings and festivals.
Cloud Cups Gelato Bakery
2311 Frankford Ave., Philadelphia PA 19125
Cloud Cups Flagship
3525 I Street, Philadelphia PA 19134
ABOUT DONTE FASSETT
Donte Fassett, widely known as Chef Fassett, is a dedicated culinary professional and accomplished business leader. A graduate of Le Cordon Bleu, he combines classical training with a passion for creativity in the kitchen. As a CEO and Executive Chef, Fassett brings both strategic vision and hands-on expertise to his work. He is also the owner of Mason Melas Inc., where his professionalism and commitment to excellence define his brand. Driven by a deep love for cooking, Chef Fassett continues to make his mark through innovation, leadership, and refined culinary skill.
ABOUT MR. FRIES MAN AND FOUNDERS
Meet the original founders Craig and Dorothy Batiste. Mr. Fries Man is a family-owned restaurant part of a revolutionary underground foodie frenzy in Los Angeles.
In 2016, Craig Batiste, co-owner along with his wife Dorothy, is one of several urban chefs in LA that have worked their way up from a home kitchen to a restaurant in Gardena, CA. Their strong social media presence captivated their audience, which resulted in a remarkable following.
On February 4, 2017, their success in the kitchen led to the grand opening of their brick and mortar space of the very first location in Gardena California.
After a very successful three years with one location, in 2020 the owners behind Mr. Fries Man embarked on an opportunity to franchise. Since their first signing in June 2020, they have sold franchises for 21 locations within the first 7 months.
As one of the most popular restaurants in the South Bay, we take pride in our quality and exceptional ingredients in order to provide the best food experience for our community.