Mooyah is tweaking its still-new restaurant prototype design to reflect the post-COVID-19 reality of smaller dining rooms and more space for off-premises curbside and delivery orders. That's one of many quick shifts as the burger franchise executes an ongoing five-year plan that includes a more mature logo that's less “Yahoo!” and more “this is a burger establishment.”
At the beginning of the stay-at-home order in my home state of Minnesota, I called some of my professional network of friends, colleagues and customers just to see how they were doing.
It's not the typical midlife crisis for restaurateurs—to earn a master's degree in architecture from Georgia Tech with a focus on the future of retail. But that has been Steven Chan's unusual path for the last few years.
Before getting Raw Juce off the ground, Barry Rabkin wasn't one of those juice fanatics running around drinking wheatgrass. He was a hedge fund guy, flying from his home in Florida to New York and attending his fair share of steak-centric client dinners.
Burgerim, the mini burger-focused concept that originated in Israel and was brought to the United States in 2014 by Oren Loni, sold more than 1,000 franchises within five years. Hundreds of franchisees paid the $50,000 franchise fee, built and opened stores, but didn't come close to the 23 percent operating profits Loni promised, says franchisee Robert Jameson.
Zero franchised stores are open despite nearly five years of work. Licenses to sell cannabis cost from $2 million to, in one case, $70 million, even before buying a $1.1-million franchise. Oh, and their product is illegal. Why the founders of Unity Rd. want to be first to franchise marijuana stores anyway.
Suppose you could buy up brands in four segments of the experience entertainment category—pedal pubs, escape rooms, ax-throwing spaces and emerging brands (also known as whatever people come up with next)—and franchise them. Sound like a fun business?
Like many millennials at 25 years old, Wingstop is now maturing. The company got its own place, is focused on self-improvement and is becoming more globally minded.
Providing an inside look at their brand's development plans, C-level execs presented to investors, lenders and operators at the Franchise Investment Conference in March. We sat down with leaders at Gold's Gym, Pedal Pub, Wingstop and Mutts Canine Cantina to learn more.
Imagine yourself sitting outside in a beer garden on a sunny day. Puppies are running around and you're sipping a Barkarita during Yappy Hour, chatting with some friends. A few Bark Rangers are even patrolling the area, filling up water bowls and cleaning up after your dog.