America’s largest premium QSR Italian chain signs four area development agreements in September to open locations in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Dakota
Committed to driving aggressive nationwide expansion, Fazoli’s is bringing more of its craveable, premium Italian dishes to fans across the country with its latest development agreements.
President and CEO Carl Howard announced today that the iconic Italian brand signed four franchise agreements with three new franchisees and one existing franchisee. The new deals will result in 10 locations throughout Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Dakota. Fazoli’s will open locations in major markets like Orlando, and south Atlanta, along with Greenville and Wilmington, North Carolina. The brand continues to expand its footprint westward, with an existing franchisee signed on to add a second location in South Dakota. With the four latest agreements, Fazoli’s now sits at 11 franchise signings for 29 locations.
Fueled by its historic sales success, continual culinary innovation, and technology and equipment enhancements, the latest franchise deals serve as another achievement in Fazoli’s monumental development performance in 2021. The brand saw unprecedented sales success, despite the pandemic, and has kept their foot on the gas with comparable system sales of +20% over the last year, among the highest in the industry. Fazoli’s ended its fiscal year in March, with a record 20 new franchise agreements to develop 50 locations, exceeding the most agreements Fazoli’s had signed in a single year in its 33-year history. The brand just opened its ninth location and is on track to close out FY22 with 15 openings.
AUVs have never been higher, and potential franchisees are taking notice, driving leads up over 45% for the quarter. Nearly 75% of all candidates who take part in a discovery day sign on to join the Fazoli’s Franchise Family. Since the launch of its conversion incentive last June, 20 new franchisees have signed with the brand to take advantage of the incredible opportunity. Offering the industry’s leading conversion incentive, the program encourages challenged quick-service or fast-casual restaurant operators to convert their existing shells into a Fazoli’s. With the aggressive incentive strategy, franchisees can sign a short five-year term, versus the typical 15-year commitment, with zero down payment, zero franchise fees and zero royalty fees in the first year. Fazoli’s also relaxed many of its conversion requirements so operators can get a 2,000- to 3,500-square-foot restaurant open for under $350,000.
Fazoli’s record-setting success has not gone unnoticed, with the brand receiving the industry’s top honors, including being named a “Top Franchise Deal in 2021” by QSR Magazine, one of the “Top 50 Global Fast Casual Innovators in 2021” by Foodable and a “Top 200 Franchises in 2021” and “Most Profitable Franchises in 2021” by Franchise Business Review.
“Fazoli’s record-breaking sales and one-of-a-kind conversion incentive have been the driving force behind our historical growth,” Howard said. “With zero franchise fee and zero royalty fee in year one, our conversion incentive is unmatched. The incredible fact is many of the conversions are being done for under $350,000 and some for under $300,000, and they can be open in 90 days. When you add up our exceptional sales numbers and unmatched conversion strategy, we have a winning growth formula.”
For more information about franchise opportunities, visit ownafazolis.com or contact Senior Director of Franchise Sales Steve Bailey at steve.bailey@fazolis.com or Director of Franchise Sales David Boatright at david.boatright@fazolis.com.
Fazoli’s: Fast. Fresh. Italian.
Founded in 1988 in Lexington, Ky., Fazoli’s owns and operates nearly 220 restaurants in 27 states, making it the largest premium QSR Italian chain in America. Fazoli’s prides itself on serving premium quality Italian food, fast, fresh and friendly. Menu offerings include freshly prepared pasta entrees, Submarinos sandwiches, salads, pizza and desserts – along with its unlimited signature breadsticks. Fazoli’s is a winner of FastCasual and Steritech’s 2020 Excellence in Food Safety Award and was named a “Top Franchise Deal in 2021” by QSR Magazine, one of the “Top 50 Global Fast Casual Innovators in 2021” by Foodable, a “Top 200 Franchises in 2021” by Franchise Business Review, a FastCasual “Brand of the Year,” and an Entrepreneur 2018 “Franchise 500.” CEO Carl Howard was named among the most influential restaurant CEOs in the country in 2020 by Nation’s Restaurant News, was recognized as one of the top 25 industry leaders on FastCasual’s 2020 Top 100 Movers and Shakers list, and he and his team were recipients of the 2021 American Business Awards Gold Stevie Awards in Food & Beverage for Company of the Year and Achievement in Management.
- More from Fazoli’s
