Defying a pandemic, this fresh Asian grill franchise chopped, wok’ed, and innovated its way out of 2020 and into the list of the industry’s most forward-thinking fast-casual restaurants.
Teriyaki Madness, the 100+ unit franchised purveyor of Seattle-style teriyaki bowls, announced it has been named among Fast Casual’s Top 100 Movers & Shakers for 2021, a prestigious list that recognizes brands that are succeeding by disrupting the fast-casual segment with fresh thinking.
Denver-based Teriyaki Madness offers made-to-order bowls prepared with fresh, all-natural ingredients served quickly and at a reasonable price that guests can make as healthy as they’d like, along with apps and sides.
Each year, restaurant trade publication Fast Casual names 75 brands and 25 people to the list, which honors the brands and executives leading the fast-casual restaurant industry.
“We’re proud to be among the brands that Fast Casual has recognized as Movers & Shakers in 2021,” said CEO Michael Haith. “We believe that the drive to succeed and the drive to keep innovating are very much one and the same. Last year was scary, but Teriyaki Madness still grew tremendously. I think that was due in part to a culture where constant improvement is encouraged, allowing you to be ready for whatever comes your way.”
A Year of Crazy-Big Numbers for Teriyaki Madness
While a pandemic made things difficult for most restaurants, 2020 turned out to be a stellar year for Teriyaki Madness. Not only did it open 30 new shops (25 of them during the pandemic), the brand also triumphed in many areas of systemwide growth:
- 48% Increased revenue for franchise system compared to 2019
- 45% Increased sales for pre-pandemic grand openings in 2020 vs 2019
- 39% Increased sales for post-pandemic grand openings in 2020
- 18% Increased YOY Q3 same-store sales
- 50% Increase in corporate staff, bringing on 27 new hires to support system growth
- 78% Portion of current franchisees pursuing additional locations
Building on a Culture of Caring, Kindness and Kickin’ A**
Last year, while the pandemic was changing the way America interacted with its favorite restaurants, Teriyaki Madness showed it was ready by:
- Incorporating drive-thrus and curbside pickup for customer safety
- Upgrading the app with an “I’m Here” button allowing shop employees to meet customers at their cars the instant they arrive
- Getting generous with customers by creating incentives like iPhone giveaways for loyalty guests, which resulted in a 16% to 19% ticket increase per order than non-loyalty members and an 88% increase in the number of loyalty members.
- Giving back to the community with two programs to team up with customers to provide 6,000 free meals for healthcare workers and teachers
“Prior to shutdowns, we were already averaging about 70% of our sales off-premise,” Haith said. “We had a lot of technology already in place so, unlike other brands, we didn’t have to pivot much once the pandemic hit. We just had to crank it up. To 11. And the results paid off for our guests, our franchisees and our team.”
Helping Franchisees Scale the Heights of Success
Teriyaki Madness’s culture of innovation extends to how franchisees think about their investment.
In 2020, it launched Restaurant Sherpas, an Absolutely Absentee ownership option that provides day-to-day support in areas like real estate and site selection, construction, recruiting, marketing and operations, allowing investor franchisees to focus more on developing multiple shops and growing more rapidly to meet their growth goals.
“We succeed when our franchise partners succeed,” said Haith. “So from increasing our corporate support staff to developing outside-the-box thinking like Restaurant Sherpas, fresh ideas are where that success begins.”
For more information, visit www.franchise.teriyakimadness.com.
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