Retro Fitness Signs Multi-Brand QSR Franchisee

Retro Fitness has signed a multi-unit development agreement with Laddi Singh, a franchisee who built his career operating Popeyes, Burger King and Arby's restaurants across New York, Connecticut and Pennsylvania. Singh earned Popeyes Franchisee of the Year in 2020 and the brand's Gold Plate Award in 2024, and he is now putting that operating experience behind a fitness club instead of a drive-thru. His first Retro Fitness location opens on Long Island this year, with more planned across the New York market.

Why a QSR Operator Bets on Gyms

Singh said he wanted to diversify beyond quick-service restaurants, and Retro Fitness's high-value, low-price model gave him a category with different margin and labor dynamics than fast food. The brand's turnkey support platform, covering site selection, construction and marketing, mirrors the kind of infrastructure Singh relied on to complete more than 30 ground-up QSR builds.

What It Signals for Multi-Brand Operators

Retro Fitness CEO Andrew Alfano framed the deal as validation from a sophisticated operator rather than a first-time franchise buyer, a distinction that matters for multi-unit development. When experienced multi-brand franchisees move capital from restaurants into fitness, it tells other operators that low-price fitness clubs can deliver comparable returns without restaurant-level labor and food costs.

The Long Island Test

The first club will need to prove out Retro Fitness's model in a competitive New York fitness market before Singh commits further capital to additional locations. For Retro Fitness, landing an operator with Singh's development track record and access to capital is a stronger growth signal than a single-unit deal from a first-time buyer.