TheAgencyHack Wins Newks Eatery Creative Account

TheAgencyHack picked up Newks Eatery as a new client, the agency announced February 28.

Newks operates 120 locations across the Southeast, competing in the fast-casual segment with brands like Panera and Zoes Kitchen. The Jackson, Mississippi-based chain posted $180M in system-wide sales in 2024.

TheAgencyHack runs as a distributed agency model: no central office, talent pulls from multiple markets. The shop launched in 2019 and counts regional restaurant brands in its book of business. Newks marks its largest quick-service client by unit count.

The account includes creative duties. Media responsibilities weren't disclosed in the announcement.

Newks has cycled through three agencies in the past five years. The brand worked with a Nashville shop from 2021-2023, then moved in-house before this latest move. The chain is privately held by Sentinel Capital Partners, which acquired majority ownership in 2019.

Fast-casual brands have pushed creative assignments to smaller shops over the past 18 months. Sweetgreen moved to a 22-person independent in March 2025. Cava consolidated creative with a 35-person agency in August 2025. The pattern: brands with 100-200 locations choosing sub-50-person agencies over holding company networks.

TheAgencyHack didn't disclose headcount in its announcement. The agency's LinkedIn shows 28 employees as of February 2026.

Newks operates in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas. The brand's most recent expansion added 12 locations in 2024, concentrated in Florida and North Carolina markets.