Initial Consultation 

If you are interested in starting a franchise food service concept and don’t know where to start, Franchise Food Consultants can be the last ingredient to make your recipe a reality. 

Current Business Evaluation

Have you established your business, but don’t think it is meeting expectations or potential? FFC can help you step back, look objectively at your business and evaluate how to get more out of your current operations. We have personal experience of taking over existing businesses and turning them around. While every franchise has resources that can help, FFC can provide you with the experience of enhancing results at the store level. We have been operating for years, and we have seen the ups and downs of the industry. Franchise Food Consultants can combine time tested theories of business operations along with “boots on the ground” experience to help you create and implement strategies in your own business that can have real impact.

Enhancing Current Business Results

Are you working hard and not seeing results that are commiserate with your effort? Franchise Food Consultants can take a comprehensive look at your operations, bookkeeping, staffing, etc., and help you identify the opportunities that can increase sales and profit.

Picking the Right Franchise or Starting Your Own Brand

You need to know what franchise food concept best fits your style or if you are better off launching your own concept that may develop into a franchise. FFC has been on both sides of that equation.  We have been franchisees of multiple concepts for years, and we have guided a National Franchise concept.  We can help you navigate the choices and focus in on what is best for you and your team.

Forming a Business and Developing a Business Plan

LLC? Corporation? What is best for your short-term and long-term plans. FFC can help you make the determination that is going to give you the protection you need and the tax planning you will want.

Business Plan Should Include:

• Competitive and market research
• Restaurant concept and type
• Value proposition – what makes you unique or gives you a competitive advantage
• Website domain and social channels
• Preliminary projections of revenue and expenses
• Marketing plan

Choosing a location 

We have chosen numerous locations for our franchise business, and it is a combination of data and feel. FFC can assist in balancing cost and exposure to make sure you pick the right location.

• Evaluate foot and vehicle traffic
• Secure a lease or buy an existing building/restaurant
• Determine parking needs
• Understand pick-up window needs for guest convenience

Financing

In order to make sure you can get your project off the ground, you will need to know what type of personal and bank financing you have available and what can be obtained

• Explore all financial options
  • Personal Savings
  • Secure a loan – conventional or SBA
  • Seek Investors
• Set up business bank accounts
• Acquire a business credit card

Design & Construction

Architectural Drawings, Interior Design, Building Permits, Health Permits, CO – it can be daunting. At FCC we have done this process dozens of times – experience that can save you time and energy.  If you are a franchisee, a good deal of this work will be done, but there are still challenges to navigate.  Regardless of starting from scratch or using a franchise plan, FCC can ease the process.

Design

• Determine your layout
  • Where will everything best accommodate guests and operational efficiencies
  • Design inside and outside seating
• Menu and Suppliers
  • Determine your menu
  • Choose the main components with expansion in mind
  • Research and chose suppliers
• Create a brand identity and marketing elements
  • Design a logo
  • Design brand elements
    • Signs
    • Menu
    • Website
    • Social Media Channels

Start the Building Process

• Interview and Hire a GC and or Sub-Contractors
• File for construction permits
• Acquire sign permits
• Apply for business licenses
  • Sales Tax License
  • Alcohol License
• File for health permits

Equipment and Technology

• Locate multiple equipment suppliers to get multiple quotes
  • Kitchen equipment
  • Millwork (tables, chairs, trash cans, etc.)
• Determine Restaurant Technology
  • This is a very critical piece of the puzzle
  • Evaluate existing technology that will suit your needs.
    • Point of Sale
    • Phone
    • CC Processing
    • Digital Signage
    • Internet and IT needs
    • TV and Radio options

Staffing

Franchise concepts are only as strong as the people they employ. We have experience hiring small and large staffs across different food service concepts. FCC can help navigate this critical process.

• Hire the right GM
• Let that GM help hire your staff

Getting Open

The final push to open the doors can be an exhausting process. FCC has the focus to assist you in getting over that final hump. 

• Test, test, and test again
• Make sure the staff is comfortable and understands the food and the brand
• Host your Family and Friends event
  • Get feedback from people you can trust
  • Use it to make the minor adjustments you need
• Plan your soft opening
  • Open quietly to get acclimated
  • Continue to refine the process

Grand Opening

You only get one chance to make a first impression. At FCC, we don’t really believe in “soft” openings. Running a Franchise restaurant is tough, so the opening will be challenging, but we can help.

• Plan and have adequate staff and product to WOW first time guests
• Interact with the guests to create a community atmosphere

Ongoing Support 

Need FCC to keep coming back to ensure you stay focused on the right things? That is no problem. Our goal is to have you Start, Strive, Stretch, Sustain, and Succeed. Your success is our success.

• Analyze and Adapt
  • FCC can help you look at the data and adjust
  • Make labor, menu, inventory and operational adjustments as necessary