‘Bar Rescue’ star intends to vastly disrupt the greater casual dining segment by creating a high-volume, hoodless/ventless restaurant format with untapped potential to franchise across the nation
Jon Taffer, award-winning hospitality expert, world-renowned business consultant and celebrity entrepreneur, today announced the launch of his own, innovative restaurant concept Taffer’s Tavern, a high-volume, small footprint format that uses the latest technologies to produce high-quality food and beverage offerings without the need for a traditional commercial kitchen. Taffer is partnering with Fransmart, the industry-leading franchise development company behind the explosive growth of powerhouse brands like The Halal Guys, Five Guys Burgers & Fries, and QDOBA Mexican Grill, as the exclusive franchise development partner to facilitate growth for the emerging brand.
Building on Taffer’s more than three decades of hands-on consulting experience specializing in nightclubs and pubs, Taffer’s Tavern is designed to unite a best-in-class beverage program and the most interesting, delicious bar fare with a streamlined kitchen and the latest advancements in food preparation technology, requiring far less space and far fewer employees than traditional casual dining restaurants. Together with Fransmart, he is seeking out experienced franchisees to bring the Taffer’s Tavern concept to the 50 largest media markets throughout North America, with a priority focus in Las Vegas, Washington D.C. and similar trade areas.
“Taffer’s Tavern is a smart, new casual concept poised to address the multiple pain points that I see frequently across the industry,” Taffer said. “Our vision is to create exciting, first-rate menu items in a setting that doesn’t require a traditional range hood and ventilation system, which allows for tremendous versatility in scouting preferred locations and streamlining restaurant operations. I came to Fransmart because I knew they would understand and embrace my vision, and I look forward to working together to find franchise partners who are as passionate as I am to bring Taffer’s Tavern across the continent.”
Just as fast casual and QSR concepts blurred the lines between casual dining and fast-food chains to become today’s restaurant industry darlings, Taffer plans to apply his extensive experience and business acumen to define a “new casual” dining experience and franchise offering with Taffer’s Tavern. In addition to the investment opportunity of a unique, high-volume concept with low price conversions, reduced staffing requirements and broad real estate appeal, Taffer’s Tavern franchise partners will also benefit from the combined expertise that Taffer and Fransmart bring to the table, from innovative menu design and creative marketing, to employee training programs and customer service strategies.
“Every large franchise group I’ve spoken to is interested in this type of concept,” said Fransmart Founder and CEO Dan Rowe. “The idea of doing more volume in smaller spaces, lower capex and with fewer employees is right on the money. There are several high-quality locations with tired, irrelevant casual dining restaurant concepts that we are targeting to convert to Taffer’s Tavern.”
Taffer takes a no-excuses approach to counseling family-run businesses as the host and executive producer of docu-reality series Bar Rescue on Paramount Network, where he offers his professional expertise, plus renovations and equipment upgrades, to desperately failing bars in order to save them from closing. Paramount Network recently announced the show’s renewal for a seventh season, and revealed a new, original spinoff called Marriage Rescue, in which Taffer uses unconventional methods to help married couples rebuild their relationships.
Prospective Taffer’s Tavern partners must meet the minimum requirements to be considered as a franchisee. For more information about franchise opportunities, visit www.fransmart.com/Taffers-Tavern.
Jon Taffer is a highly-reputed Entertainer, Entrepreneur, Consultant, and Thought Leader with more than 35 years of success in the entertainment, hospitality, and nightlife industries. Leveraging extensive global experience with powerhouse brands and award-winning ventures, Jon is a valuable asset for companies seeking guidance on transformation, training programs, and “reaction management strategy.” His broad areas of expertise include product and brand recognition, merchandising promotions, customer acquisition, product marketing, go-to-market strategy, television, and public speaking. Starring as the host and Executive Producer of Bar Rescue on Paramount Network, the high rated show is currently in its seventh season. Bar Rescue is a non-scripted reality show that spotlights Jon as he saves failing bars from looming closure, utilizing his four decades of unprecedented industry experience and trademarked Reaction Management strategy to consult on everything from menu design to cost management; the show is on track to exceed 170 episodes in 2018. Concurrently, Jon runs Taffer Virtual Teaching, his digital teaching platform, and Taffer Dynamics, his business consulting firm. Over the years, he has consulted for a range of well-known brands, including the NFL Network, Ritz-Carlton Hotels, Hyatt Hotels, Marriott Hotels, Holiday Inn Hotels, Sheraton Hotels, Intercontinental Hotels, Peninsula Hotels, TGI Fridays, Buffalo Wild Wings, Famous Dave’s Barbecue, Wolfgang Puck Express, Anheuser-Bush and the N9NE Steakhouse at Palms Casino Resort. Jon has been featured in numerous international publications such as Forbes Magazine, Entrepreneur, Rolling Stone, and The New York Times, among other prominent media outlets. He has appeared as a guest on shows ranging from Rachael Ray to Jimmy Kimmel Live to Good Morning America and continues regular appearances on Varney & Co. on the Fox Business News, and as a guest on many other major news networks. For more information, visit www.jontaffer.com.
As the leading franchise development firm in the country, Fransmart turns emerging restaurant concepts into successful national and global brands. Founded by Dan Rowe, the man who identified and grew brands such as Five Guys Burgers & Fries and Qdoba Mexican Grill from single unit businesses to the powerhouse chains they are today, Fransmart’s formula for success is finding emerging brands ripe for expansion and building successful multi-unit franchise businesses across the U.S. and globally. Fransmart’s current and past franchise development portfolio brands have opened more than 5,000 restaurants worldwide, and facilitated franchise investments that have cumulatively generated 1-billion in revenues to date. For more information, visit www.fransmart.com.
