Franchise FAQ

how franchising a restaurant works

by Domingo Mueller Published 2 years ago Updated 1 year ago
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When you franchise your restaurant, you allow an independent investor to buy into your business, selling the license to use your brand name, operations, products, and knowledge. The independent owner provides the initial investment and signs the restaurant lease agreement and various service contracts.

Full Answer

What is a franchise?

A franchise is a business where the owners grant third-party operators the rights to use the business’s name, branding, and model in exchange for fees or royalties and ongoing support in the form of advisement or marketing. For the most popular fast food franchises, start-up costs range from $10,000 to well over $1 million, and monthly fees, which are typically calculated as a percentage of gross sales, generally hover around the 5 percent mark, but can be as much as 50 percent. As part of the agreement, each franchisee provides the same goods and services for which the business is known. In the case of restaurants, franchisees serve the same menu (with occasional regional differences), feature the same advertisements, and use the same branding across the board.

Why is it important to own a franchise?

Compared to other types of small business ownership, there are significant advantages to operating a franchise. Most franchisees automatically benefit from the name recognition of the brand they operate. Signing on to extend the reach of a company or concept that already has a loyal following can allow a franchisee to capitalize on the recognition factor and ride the same wave of success.

What is franchising license?

The franchisor grants licenses for franchisees to operate their own businesses. Franchisee: A business owner who pays a fee to a franchisor to license a parent company’s trademarked concept at one or multiple locations. Gross sales: Overall sales, before any taxes or operating expenses have been deducted.

How much capital do you need to franchise Halal Guys?

Anyone interested in franchising New York City’s world-famous Halal Guys concept, for example, must prove they have $2 million in net worth and $1 million in capital to be considered. Franchisees also must commit to opening five Halal Guys locations and need to demonstrate substantial business experience.

What is a partnership in a restaurant?

Partnerships: Existing companies and brands can connect franchisees with suppliers to source products for the restaurants. The parent company can also provide guidelines or specifications for equipment needed to run the operation. Subway, for example, presents franchisees with an equipment leasing option and offers to facilitate financing for new franchisees.

How much does it cost to start a Chick Fil A franchise?

Fees: For most franchises, there are associated start-up fees. For someone franchising a Chick-fil-A for example, there is an initial $ 6,250 to $37,500 fee. The company fronts the money for start-up costs including land, construction, and restaurant equipment.

Why do franchises have multiple units?

Additionally, individuals who operate multiple units of a franchised restaurant can see higher profits, as they are able to spread their fixed costs across multiple units, according to the Franchise Business Review. Multi-unit ownership can also allow franchisees to secure financing, retain staff, and leverage greater influence with the overall brand.

What is franchise operations manual?

It is in the franchise operations manual document that you will be responsible for inserting your recipes, food preparation, presentation and service standards, forms (such as inventory forms) and of course all your operational checklists.

Is franchising a part of the restaurant industry?

Franchising really grew up through the restaurant industry. While there are many other industries that also have leveraged franchising, restaurants remain a popular category. Do you own a restaurant and have often thought about franchising? Maybe you have some doubts.

What is Franchising?

Imagine that you're opening your own McDonald's. To do this, you have to buy a McDonald's franchise. In order to qualify for a conventional franchise, you have to have $250,000 (not borrowed). Your total costs to open the restaurant, however, will be anywhere from $685,750 to $1,504,000, which goes to paying for the building, equipment, etc. Forty percent of this cost has to be from your own (non-borrowed) funds.

What is franchising business?

Think of franchising as paying someone for his or her business strategy, marketing strategy, operations strategy, and the use of his or her name. That's pretty much what franchising is -- you are establishing a relationship with a successful business so you can use its systems and capitalize on its existing brand awareness in order to get a quicker return on your own investment. You are using its proven system and name, and running it by its rules.

What is the FTC rule for franchising?

The Franchise Rule deals with the franchising contract and requires that the franchisor give full disclosure of earnings, company history, litigation, and key-officer experience levels. It also requires that contact information be provided for existing franchised units. The rule does not, however, cover anything that happens after the contract is signed, such as problems with product availability, site selection, and placement of other units within the same geographical market.

Why do franchisors have to protect their proprietary information?

In order to do this, they establish restrictive covenants for their franchisees. These covenants govern the things a franchisee can do.

How to negotiate a franchise agreement?

There are many elements of the franchise agreement, as well as the franchise deal itself, that can benefit from the advice of an attorney. These can include: 1 Reviewing the franchisor's offering circular (the UFOC) and evaluating the opportunity 2 Negotiating points of the final contract 3 Limiting your personal liability by establishing the correct business structure 4 Dealing with trade secrets and other proprietary issues 5 Establishing your own trade name 6 Dealing with state statutes

Why is franchising important?

This is because franchises typically get up and running faster, and are profitable more quickly. This can be a result of better management as well as a well-known name.

When was the franchise act introduced?

National fair franchising legislation was also introduced. HR 3308, also known as the Small Business Franchise Act, was introduced in 1999 by representatives Howard Coble, R-NC, and John Conyers, D-MI. The legislation would provide franchisees with a right of action in federal court in the event that the corporate franchise violates any provision of HR 3308. It was sent to the House Subcommittee on November 17, 1999. It was tabled during the 106th Congress, but is slated for reintroduction in the 107th Congress. There is bipartisan opposition to the bill in the Congress; however, organizations such as the American Franchisee Association highly support it. Opposition states that the bill tries to establish a "one size fits all" model to franchising, and that simply won't work with the many differences in franchise businesses and systems.

What happens when a franchise opens?

Simply stated, even before a franchise business opens in an area, several things are set in motion that contribute to the local economy. And once someone signs a franchise agreement and opens the business, some of the benefits to the local area remain in place.

What happens if you own a food franchise?

If you own a food franchise, and you purchase let’s say, milk, you will have purchasing power. The power that comes with being part of a network. A franchise network. Independent businesses in your area won’t be able to touch the price you pay for milk. That’s because they’re buying a case of milk a month, while you ( the franchise network) is buying 100 cases. Big difference. It’s a powerful advantage of franchise ownership.

How much does a Chil Fil franchise cost?

The franchise fee for one Chil fil A franchise is only $10,000. That’s unheard of in franchising. The average franchise fee hovers around $30,000 these days-which is not a lot of money for what you get. ( See above)

What is franchising world?

Franchising is a world full of ideas, determination, grand plans and big dreams. On the flip side, it’s also a world that includes disappointments and failures ( unfortunately ). Simultaneously, franchising it’s a world of fresh starts. A forward-looking world where people fire their bosses in order to be the boss.

How does franchising affect the economy?

Franchising: Economic Impact. Franchising-as an industry, makes a huge impact on the U.S. economy. ( Other countries like England, The Philippines, South Africa, New Zealand, and even the continent of Australia, benefit tremendously, economically, from franchising.) From The International Franchise Association:

What to expect when buying into a franchise?

Another thing you’re getting when you buy into a franchise system is their business experience. That’s a huge thing to have behind you as you start your business. The franchisor has already ( hopefully) made the mistakes. They’re the mistakes you don’t ever have to make. It’s a nice way to get into business. Making no mistakes-or at least less mistakes-because they’ve been made already, saves a lot of time and a lot of money. It’s why a lot of people who want to be the boss look into investing in a franchise.

What is the largest sector in franchising?

The food sector is the largest sector in the world of franchising. If you have worked in food-service, it’s a sector worth investigating if you’re looking to buy a franchise. That’s because you kind of know what you’re in for.

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