Binghamton’s Downtown added to its late-night food offerings with the introduction of Nanu’s Nashville Hot Chicken on Jan. 26.

Originally from Philadelphia, the location — whose menu features chicken tenders and wings, fries, shrimp, vegan options and several flavors of milkshakes — is the fourth restaurant in the family-owned halal franchise. At the grand opening last week, the restaurant offered free food, with over 700 orders taken throughout the night. The franchise has a variety of unique spice blends for their chicken, ranging from no spice to reaper.

Nanu’s is one of the first new restaurants to open in the Greater Binghamton area in 2024. Another, South City Pub and Grill, will be opening in February, while a Panera Bread is expected to arrive on campus in 2025.

Saad Ahmad, the owner of the downtown eatery, moved to Johnson City from Brooklyn two years ago and selected the location to “bring … something different to the area.” He noted a lack of quality late-night food options.

“The secret to running a successful franchise is to keep the menu small, so there’s more control and [to] ensure the best quality while making sure the employees are happy as well,” Ahmad said.

Nanu’s was named in honor of Ahmad’s younger brother, Adnad, who has Down Syndrome. To help financially support his family, Ahmad is in the process of creating a nonprofit with a portion of proceeds from all of the franchises going toward raising awareness about Down Syndrome.

The grand opening saw long lines of students for the giveaway. Kate Halpin, a sophomore majoring in geology, praised the value and flexibility of the menu options.

“I think it’s really good for the price, and I like how customizable it is with the spice options,” Halpin said. “I was pleasantly surprised.”

Ahmad elaborated on selecting the restaurant’s location. On the weekends, the nightlife in Downtown Binghamton draws large crowds of students, which Ahmad mentioned positively.

“On a scale of one to 10, I have to say a five to a six at this point because parking is an issue,” Ahmad said. “Otherwise, the area is awesome. It has a bit of everything and on the weekends there’s a lot of hustle and bustle. Parking is an issue at this location because Water Street is full and people tend to park close to the restaurant during the winter.”

Nanu’s opens at 11 a.m. every day of the week, closing at 1 a.m. on Sunday and Monday, 2 a.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday and 3 a.m. on Thursday through Saturday. It will compete with existing options Binghamton Hots and D.P. Dough — a favorite of students. Ahmad said he’s open to expansion in the future but plans to stay at four locations for now.

“[I] waited three hours in line,” Jordan Landeros, a freshman majoring in cinema, said. “The chicken overall was very good. I really liked how customizable it is with the spice options, and the fries are also really crisp.”