Corner Bakery Cafe, the fast-casual bakery cafe known for its freshly made breakfast scramblers, signature grilled panini, sweets and hand-roasted coffees, has signed a franchise agreement to open its first restaurants in the Northwest beginning in 2013.

Northwest Bakery Cafe, LP, a group of veteran restaurant operators who also own 95 Jack in the Box locations, plans to open 18 restaurants in and around Seattle over the next 7 years.

“Choosing to partner with an established fast-casual concept like Corner Bakery Cafe was an easy decision for us,” says Zee Rajput, co-operator and owner of Northwest Bakery Cafe. “We are excited about the opportunity to introduce the Seattle community to Corner Bakery Cafe and confident that everything from the locally-inspired décor to the freshly-prepared menu will make our cafes a welcome addition in neighborhoods across the city.”

With two locations expected to open in the next 24 months, Corner Bakery Cafe is currently reviewing sites for its first restaurants, which will likely include cafes in Bellevue, Washington and Seattle.

“Seattle is the perfect market in which to launch our expansion into the Northwest,” says Jonathan Benjamin, vice president of franchise sales for Corner Bakery Cafe. “Neighborhoods are an important part of the Seattle community and we are confident that our cafes will quickly become a local favorite in each market.”

This is the sixth new development agreement, totaling 81 new restaurants that Corner Bakery Cafe has awarded so far this year. Overall, 22 agreements have been signed representing more than 279 new restaurants. Corner Bakery Cafe plans to double its footprint in the U.S. in the next four years through franchise and company-owned cafes.

Founded in downtown Chicago in 1991, Corner Bakery Cafe began franchising in 2008. Today the Dallas-based company has more than 140 restaurants open in 15 states.