Which franchise would you choose? Having watched people choose franchises, I am always impressed at the power of the moment to overwhelm good business sense. Especially in fast food, where fads are plentiful. Starting and maintaining a food franchise that is successful over the long term is no small feat. Even a brand as established as Krispy Kreme, with roots dating back almost 70 years, has hits some speed bumps lately.
My hunch -- completely uninformed by data -- is that food franchises with a full menu (the various burger restaurants, for example) are more likely to have staying power than food franchises with a specialty product (pastries, juices, ice cream, etc.). It's also pretty clear that the oldest food franchises, like McDonald's, have lost a lot of their appeal. They still get a lot of business, but I wonder if purchasing such a franchise is still a great value proposition.
Which leads me to Gandolfo's Deli. Yesterday, while perusing a BYU sports board, I found an entry with the heading, "GANDOLFO'S COMING TO VEGAS!!!" This was followed by a response: "GANDOLPHO'S TO NORTH CAROLINA TOO." The caps belong to the writers. I had never heard of Gandolfo's, but that sort of excitement catches my eye. From the website (linked immediately above), this appears to be a company in heavy growth mode. The front page proclaims: "Start your own franchise and experience success." The focus here is on potential franchisees, not customers.
My initial response is to wonder whether the world needs another deli. Actually, Madison could use one, but still. Is this likely to be a long-term success? The nice thing about delis is that their menus have some room for play. And sandwiches are not going out of style anytime soon. This is a franchise that might be worth exploring.
Speaking of good franchises, a burger place that I still like is Culver's. They are now celebrating their 25th anniversary, so this is not a flash in the pan. They have a broad menu (considering the format) and high-quality food. Everything there is better than anything at McDonald's.
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1. Posted by Justin on June 30, 2004 @ 1:28 | Permalink
I would choose Pluto's, this restaurant from the Bay Area.
Here is a link:
http://www.plutosfreshfood.com/
It is just plain good food, and healthy. They actually have different types of lettuce to put in your salad! And it has the same sort of phenomena that has carried Krispy Kreme, Qdoba, and Chipotle to popularity: you get to watch the kitchen staff prepare your meal. Finally, it also would succeed in the current "Atkins Diet" world, combining fresh vegetables, with meat.
I personally think it would work great in a State Street type atmosphere. I just wish I had the capital to start one myself... Hopefully, with due time.
2. Posted by Ryan on June 30, 2004 @ 5:03 | Permalink
A lot of people would kill for a In-N-Out franchise, but they are not for sale. Eric Schosser (Fast Food Nation) gave an interview on C-Span once and this was one of the only fast food joints he actually patronizes. The company is privately held and has no plans to go public or franchise any units.
3. Posted by Gordon Smith on June 30, 2004 @ 7:50 | Permalink
Ryan, In-N-Out is legendary. I went there often in the summer after my first year of law school, when I lived in Newport Beach. They probably manage to stay that way because they don't franchise. The quality control in franchising is nightmarish.
Justin, I have never eaten at Pluto's, but they have a cool website. Are they franchising? I couldn't find any information about it. Maybe you should write them and inquire ...
4. Posted by Justin on July 1, 2004 @ 11:32 | Permalink
I just did. I will let you know what they say.
5. Posted by Justin on July 16, 2004 @ 7:33 | Permalink
No dice. Pluto's stated that they are not franchising but are expanding. Madison, WI is on their list of cities. Did I just give away my golden idea? D'oh!
6. Posted by Gordon Smith on July 16, 2004 @ 7:49 | Permalink
Justin, Despite its appeal to those of us who love to eat, starting a restaurant is rarely a golden idea. There will be a lot more golden ideas before you are done.
7. Posted by tanveer on June 20, 2005 @ 3:30 | Permalink
If you wanted to be a franchisee ...
8. Posted by Brett Morton-torquay pubs on September 14, 2011 @ 6:04 | Permalink
This website is very interesting. I like this website a lot. Thanks for Sharing!
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