Opening A Franchise, Your Low-Risk Restaurant Experience

Say that you are thinking of opening a restaurant as a business, but aren’t quite confident enough in your own culinary and promotional skills to start up one of your own design. You have some great recipes, but you know how fiercely competitive the marketplace is, and want to avoid a costly failure. Still, you need to do something, your days of being the burger flipper are done and you are ready to be the boss!

Fortunately, there is a middle road you can take called the franchise. With a reasonable investment and some training, you could open a dessert restaurant franchise for example, a very popular kind of venue in malls and shopping centres. Basically you would have an out-of-the-box ready to go restaurant with an established brand, a proven clientele, a tried and true menu, and all you have to do is run it! Think of it like a college class in restaurant operation, except you are getting paid to learn! Once you have franchise experience under your belt you might be ready to open the restaurant of your dreams!

Let’s consider some of the issues need to think about before you begin your franchise journey!

Choose The Right One – there are a lot of franchises available, from burger joints to ice cream parlours, even ethnic places, so you are sure to find one that tickles your fancy. It’s not just whether or not you like the franchise’s food or atmosphere, you have to look at it from a business standpoint. Do they have a proven track record of profits, a strong, well-known brand, successful marketing strategies, and a diligent outlet support system in place? What fees and royalties do they charge you for using their name? Check out their legal history, do they have a good reputation, or are they often embroiled in legal disputes with customers and franchise operators? Make sure to listen to your gut, it does more than just take in those burgers you had for lunch, trust it to help you choose the right one!

The Right Location – This is so vital that the popular trend is to say it three times- location, location, location! Sorry, we couldn’t help ourselves, but it really is that important! You need to look at a variety of factors like the potential location’s demographics, the amount of foot traffic, parking, and accessibility. Is it a spot where there is going to be a high demand for the brand? Noisy pizza places featuring cartoon mascots and video games might not be the right choice for the posh art gallery district, but a high-end coffee shop or bistro would thrive there. You have to think carefully about who is going to be in the area, and what they might like to eat! Another franchise perk is that they have probably already done the area research for you, and can help you find that perfect location, plus assist with the lease term negotiations!

So, if you want to get some real, hands-on experience owning and running a restaurant without taking a lot of risks, hooking up with a franchise is a great option!