Survey of new franchisees shows a passion for the brand, a focus on community and a commitment to a positive return on investment.
By Sharon Powills
1851 Franchise
Franchisees of multiple brands, including – Wendy’s, Denny’s, Long John Silver’s, Dunkin Donuts, Five Guys, Taco Bell and Wing Stop – have recently decided to develop McAlister’s Deli alongside their current portfolio of brands. As experienced multi-unit operators, they all shared a desire to grow their respective brand portfolios and came to the same conclusion – adding McAlister’s Deli to their portfolio would be a smart investment decision.
With so many restaurant franchise investment options to choose from, we asked each of them why they chose McAlister’s Deli and what they like about being a McAlister’s Deli franchisee. Following is a summary of their responses:
- They believe McAlister’s Deli is the right size system to attract seasoned multi-unit operators. Operators have the opportunity to grow, and the concept runs well because of the nearly 30 year history of operating success.
- They listed the most rewarding features of being McAlister’s Deli franchise owners as room for growth, unit level economics, sense of community in each location, high quality food, guests’ love for the brand and creating opportunities for employees to grow in their food service careers.
- They were attracted to McAlister’s Deli because of its unique fast casual concept, decor and atmosphere, hospitality and culture, vision for the brand, healthy diverse menu, the sales to investment ratio, and location availability.
- They report that the McAlister’s Deli support staff lived up to their commitment that was presented with the franchise opportunity. An area of support highlighted includes the use of a customer analytics and real estate modeling tool that helps determine appropriate McAlister’s locations. They also appreciate that grand opening support is thorough and believe the projections/benchmarks are helpful while they are trying to get started. They like the tools made available to them that help monitor their restaurants remotely, which is critical when operating multiple units. With the level of support that McAlister’s offers, it’s clear to them that the company has actively adjusted their support program to offer what franchisees need. This is why it was important for them to invest in a well-established concept.
- McAlister’s Deli culture was described as highly hospitable, friendly, genuine, community oriented and fun, with a focus on guests coming first.
- They believe their customers love McAlister’s Deli because of its quality food, famous sweet tea, variety, competitive pricing, upscale yet comfortable environment, family friendly nature and hospitality.
With all of these accolades, it should come as no surprise that they all would recommend a McAlister’s Deli franchise to someone considering the opportunity.
