The way of franchising has changed over the years. One of our quick-service restaurant (QSR) clients, after years of signing up franchisees and letting them control the build-out process, realized they have the power to set guidelines for franchisees. We know, mind-blowing!
For the first few years, our client wrangled a vast group of random millwork shops that then pieced together individual builds. The franchisor offered some general specs and plans that franchisees were 'encouraged' to follow, but there was no good way to make sure everything that they wanted to see in the stores would actually materialize.
Like a lot of our clients, this QSR franchisor found themselves at a point in their growth where they realized they can’t keep operating with the same methods that worked when they were a smaller business.
Randal worked with the franchisor to create a turn-key fixture program, so the counters and cabinets all come from one shop and are shipped nationally to whichever market they’re opening. Because they’re still small in the sense of how many employees they have on their construction team, these guys are able to focus on other areas of the business and become more efficient with their franchising program.
Growing franchisors tell us they need their franchisees to focus on hiring, marketing and training prior to the store opening, not construction management. So when opening day comes, they’re ready to handle the business and serve their customers. Having a fixture program in place allows them to do this since we take all those responsibilities off their plate (no pun intended!)
Impress your friends with these fun QSR facts!