In his search for a fast-food franchise to open next to his existing gas station in Jonesboro, Nitin Shah looked for a fast-growing company that could offer a successful partnership. He also asked those who matter -- his customers -- and found that Church's Chicken was their favorite choice, especially with new products and its affordability. The Atlanta-based company has about 50 stores in the metro area, and there's room for another 15 to 20 stores (six are in the pipeline at this point), said Doug Pendergast, executive vice president and chief franchise officer.