About Haymaker US

Welcome to Haymaker US. We are a dedicated restaurant group focused on providing genuine, everyday comfort. We aren't aiming to be a once-a-year special occasion destination; rather, we strive to be your dependable neighborhood gathering place—perfect for a Tuesday night burger or a Saturday morning breakfast with the family, delivering high-quality food consistently.

Haymaker’s story begins when Founder Joe Lucidi grew up working in his family’s restaurant — learning firsthand how food creates connection. At the Hamburger Factory in Poway, California, he started serving tables by age 14 and was managing the restaurant by 17.
In 2013, Joe decided to open a new concept in Peoria, Arizona. He named the restaurant "Haymaker" because it was his final shot—a knockout swing at building a truly great restaurant. He took that leap with a clear vision: to pair the warm, welcoming atmosphere of a local family diner with the structure, technology, and discipline of a national brand.

While many restaurants claim to serve "comfort food," our operational standards are what truly set us apart. Unlike large corporate chains that rely heavily on massive freezers and pre-packaged ingredients, we prioritize fresh, scratch-made cooking. Approximately 80 to 95% of our menu is prepared entirely in-house. Our kitchens feature expansive 20-foot walk-in refrigerators because our teams dedicate 8 to 10 hours a day to prep work—from hand-battering our fish to slow-cooking our pork overnight. We believe that true hospitality means executing every detail consistently, proving that local dining never has to mean amateur execution.

Our commitment extends far beyond the menu; it is deeply rooted in our community. We operate heavily on the "Luke 3:11" philosophy: giving the shirt off your back and supporting those around us. Our management teams are empowered to simply do the right thing, whether it's supporting a busy single parent or a neighbor having a challenging week. When a restaurant actively supports its community, guests don't just visit; they take ownership of the experience, making it their Haymaker.

Over the past 13 years, our dedication to these core values has allowed us to grow Westside Concepts into a robust portfolio of 6 distinct brands across 10 current locations. Through this growth, Joe refined our operations, allowing leadership to focus on long-term vision rather than day-to-day troubleshooting. We have successfully built a highly efficient system that allows us to scale without losing our scratch-made soul.

Today, we are proud to offer franchising opportunities for Haymaker, partnering with individuals who understand that faith and community inspire our culture, not just qualifications. With proven systems, advanced predictive technology, and strong all-day dining margins, we are inviting the right partners to carry this vision forward. At the end of the day, we aren't just building restaurants; we're building legacies.