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Federal Donuts is expanding to Las Vegas. It’s also changing its name.

The eatery, embarking on a new period of growth, will open its first franchise location outside the Philadelphia area at the Red Rock Casino Resort & Spa in Las Vegas early next year.

Federal Donuts has made its bones on the combination of doughnuts, chicken, and coffee.
Federal Donuts has made its bones on the combination of doughnuts, chicken, and coffee.Read moreEarl Hopkins / Staff

Las Vegas’ nickname is Sin City. How about Cinnamon City?

Federal Donuts, the chicken-coffee-and-doughnut chain whose founders include chefs Michael Solomonov and Steve Cook, is headed to Las Vegas. The first franchise location, opening early next year, will be in the food court of Red Rock Casino Resort & Spa, owned by Station Casinos.

Also, effective in 2024, the chain’s name will be tweaked to Federal Donuts & Chicken as it embarks on a new phase of growth through franchising. Last year, investors including a Radnor-based private-equity firm, NewSpring Franchise, bought into Federal Donuts to expand the brand nationally. At the time, 150 new locations were hinted.

Federal Donuts did not provide information about forthcoming franchise locations in the Philadelphia area at this time. Marlton Square shopping center’s website has listed a “coming soon” location since last spring.

Federal Donuts, founded in 2011 at Second and Manton Streets in South Philadelphia (a block south of Federal Street), now has 11 locations in the region, including stands at Citizens Bank Park and Wells Fargo Center. From 2016 to 2018, there was a company-owned location in Miami.

The chain launched with a menu of creatively seasoned cake doughnuts, fried chicken, and coffee inspired by Bodhi coffee, owned by the two founders. After some shuffling of the chicken menu, it adapted fried, boneless chicken breast sandwiches as well as wings. Last year, Federal Donuts added hand-battered, twice-fried tenders. Coffee offerings now include the Donut Latte, made with steamed milk steeped with doughnuts and warm spices.

FedNuts, as fans call the brand, is overseen by chief executive Jeff Benjamin, Marc Vetri’s business partner in restaurants such as Vetri Cucina, Fiorella, and Pizzeria Salvy in Philadelphia, and a Vetri Cucina in Las Vegas’ Palms Casino Resort. (Not coincidentally, Vetri soon will open a Fiorella location at a new Station Casinos property in Las Vegas, Durango Casino & Resort.)