Black Bear Diner announced it has signed a multi-unit development agreement with its existing franchise partners, Karan Gogri and Sanjiv Patel of National Restaurant Inc.  This new agreement will bring an additional 19 units over a six-year period to both new and existing markets.

The agreement will bring new Black Bear Diner locations to the San Diego and Marin areas of California, as well as expand upon the brand’s upcoming entrance into Texas. The team will bring the brand to Austin and San Antonio, Texas for the first time, executing on the brand’s vision to expand eastward over the next several years. Gogri and his family currently own two Black Bear Diner locations in the San Francisco Bay Area.

“Karan and Sanjiv have been very strong partners to Black Bear Diner and their commitment, enthusiasm and proven ability to execute make them exceptional partners to grow the brand in these new and existing markets,” says Bruce Dean, co-founder and CEO of Black Bear Diner.  “As we execute upon our plans to expand eastward, we will continue to seek out well qualified, committed multi-unit franchise partners who share our core beliefs and values.”

Gogri adds: “As the son of restaurant franchise owners, I have grown up in this industry and have long valued the opportunities that come from identifying the right brand to partner with. Sanjiv and I have found this in Black Bear Diner, a brand that serves up exceptional food and strong values, and as a result has provided tremendous opportunity for us, along with several of our classmates from U.C. Santa Barbara who are now devoting their professional lives to growing this great brand as a part of our franchise group.”

Gogri and his college classmates will be instrumental in driving the day to day operations under this new development agreement. In 2018, the group is expecting to open one location in Marin County and two in San Diego, California.