WHY FRANCHISE RESTAURANTS ARE ON THE RISE
Franchise restaurants are a popular business choice for a reason – everyone has to eat. But now more than ever, eating out is a popular way to get out of the house and reconnect, after isolation from COVID-19 and with the continued rise in work-from-home. As the International Franchise Associationnotes:
84% of consumers prefer going out to eat with friends and family over cooking and cleaning up at home. With a rise in customers working from home, many look to … restaurants as a way to get out of the house. Similarly, the aftermath of COVID-19 has allowed restaurants to become a community meeting space for their customers. This is illustrated by the rise in “eatertainment,” or food being served alongside a form of entertainment.
This is where Barrel House shines – as a center for community connection, with plenty of events like music bingo and trivia to help turn first-time visitors into regulars.
But it’s more than just a guest-preferred business model. Franchising is growing year-over-year because it’s a business model that makes sense – from the financial benefits, to the systems and technology, to the security of franchising, and of course, the lifestyle that comes along with owning a franchise restaurant.
Financial Benefits of Franchising
The financial benefits of opening franchise restaurants are hard to overstate. Franchises have predictable upfront costs, lower operating expenses, a proven track record, and an unparalleled opportunity for successful franchisees to capitalize on their skills and grow their new business.
How Much Does Opening a Restaurant Cost?
With franchise restaurants like Barrel House, you’re working with a team that has opened many restaurants just like yours. The costs – from land, to construction, to hiring, and operating expenses moving forward – aren’t coming down to guesswork.
You’ll be able to predict what spending will look like from the outset, giving you a level of insight and financial security that an independent concept simply can’t match.
Initial costs are easier to estimate, but you’ll also have a better idea of what day-to-day operating expenses are going to look like – and those expenses will benefit from the economy of scale.
As a Barrel House franchisee, you’ll be part of a more robust supply chain, and benefit from the better pricing and smoother workflow that comes with being part of a larger brand.
With a parent brand to negotiate discounts and handle the hassle of sourcing supplies and optimizing delivery schedules, the owners of franchise restaurants like Barrel House are free to focus on higher priorities.
Open a Successful Restaurant with Franchising
Franchise restaurants come with another benefit no independent concept can boast: a proven track record of success. We know, with certainty, that guests love Barrel House, and we can call up any number of regulars from around the region to attest to that.
71% of franchise location owners rate their potential for future growth as ‘strong’ or ‘very strong.’ And for good reason – brands offer franchise deals when there’s mass appeal and demand, and Barrel House is no exception.
Investing in franchise restaurants is, put simply, a safer bet than risking something new, and any savvy investor knows that a few safe bets help you build a stable foundation.
How to Grow a Restaurant Business
And when it comes to multiple safe bets, opening franchise restaurants offers you a clear path forward to growth. After all, 95% of franchise location owners enjoy being part of their brand, so why wouldn’t they want to expand that presence? Once you’ve perfected your workflow as a Barrel House owner, opening that next location is even easier.
We always look forward to the opportunity to work with one of our existing franchise partners to open a new Barrel House location!
Restaurant Franchise Systems & Technology
When you buy into an existing franchise like Barrel House, you’re getting so much more than just a brand and a concept. The new owners of franchise restaurants stand to benefit from our fire-tested systems and technological infrastructure.
With a new restaurant concept, you start from square one. But with a franchise plan, you get a huge lead on other competitors.
Each new Barrel House opens with a wide variety of systems and technology already in place. Our comprehensive training for new franchise owners helps you streamline every part of your new restaurant venture from the jump.
Technology Benefits of Franchising
Signing on with Barrel House means inheriting a technology plan that’s tested and proven to be effective. You’ll have access to branded advertising and social media content, a loyalty app, and a full suite of restaurant-running technology that those outside the industry wouldn’t even notice – and those inside it can’t live without, all field-tested and ready to work for you.
How Do You Know What Works Best in a Restaurant?
Well, if you’re striking out on your own for the first time, you may not know! Even with a lot of upfront research, on some level, introducing a new technology or system in a restaurant is a matter of trial and error. But technology is critical to growing a franchise location.
At Barrel House, we take the brunt of these experiments. We pioneer new tech and new systems in our corporate-owned restaurants, fine-tuning them for maximum success. Once we’re happy with a new innovation, then we’re able to give the best version of it to all our franchise locations.
Training Benefits of a Franchise Restaurant
That’s why our training for franchisees is so comprehensive – we’ve tried a lot of strategies over the years, and have developed systems for everything from staff training, to marketing, to kitchen layout, and more.
We perfect each and every system in every Barrel House restaurant in our corporate locations, and all our franchise restaurants can reap the benefits.
What Does a Restaurant Need to Succeed?
Take our app, for example. The Barrel House app is a huge selling point for all our locations, making it easy for guests to order, browse the menu, and have their loyalty rewarded with discounts and promotions.
By starting this process in-house, we were able to hone in on the best possible version of the Barrel House app before rolling it out to all our locations. But the app itself is just one example of how being part of a franchise can benefit your restaurant’s access to the tech that saves you time and money.
Franchising Gives You Better Access to Restaurant Technology
Launching a loyalty app was a big investment – not just in terms of capital, but in research, testing, and time.
But a single-location restaurant would have struggled to spare that time for an app – after all, a single location can rarely afford a dedicated marketing or growth manager, much less a team.
But as a franchise, we’re able to invest in high-level, time consuming technologies and systems that benefit all our franchisees – giving them time to focus on their business, and tools to help it grow, all at once.
Franchise Restaurants are a Safer Bet
Restaurants are an alluring business plan – we talk to a lot of folks who dream of owning one! But the realities of restaurant ownership are often intimidating. That’s why we love the franchise models for restaurants in particular.
From the financial commitments to the systems and technology, franchising makes restaurant ownership a realistic goal for all kinds of investors, even those without restaurant experience!
What Makes Barrel House Successful?
Each Barrel House restaurant is unique, but they’re all proven winners. Step into any of our corporate or franchise locations, and you’ll find a dining room full of happy customers who are already loyal to the Barrel House brand.
This proven concept and pre-existing brand loyalty give our new franchise owners a great head-start on success.
The Benefits of a Franchise Network
Likewise, you won’t be starting out alone, or even just with a partner – you’ll be joining a network of professionals all dedicated to helping your restaurant succeed. Our franchise team is always excited to work with a new franchisee, and take each new location from dream to reality.
But the support doesn’t stop when your doors have opened. Our ongoing support for our franchise restaurants is a huge commitment, and one we’re proud of! We ensure that all our locations have the resources and training they need to succeed in a quickly-evolving industry.
Networking with Other Franchisees
And, of course, you won’t just be connected to the brand – you’ll be connected to all the other Barrel House owners throughout the region. We’re consistently amazed by the ideas and innovation of our franchisees, and it’s a real point of pride to see the way each new Barrel House owner contributes to the network.
The Franchise Owner Lifestyle
For all the financial, systemic, and certainty benefits of franchising, we’ve found that the biggest reason folks get into this kind of business is for the lifestyle.
It’s no secret that owning a restaurant is seen as a more ‘fun’ investment than others, and for good reason! There’s no feeling that compares to stopping by your own restaurant to chat with the staff and regulars who have helped make your dream a reality.
What is Owning a Franchise Restaurant Like?
That’s why we weren’t surprised to hear that 92% of franchise owners enjoy the day-to-day work of operating their franchise locations. We’re all looking for work that fulfills us, and opening a franchise location is a great way to achieve that goal.
Our franchisees enjoy their work, and aren’t afraid to work hard! But they also work smart. By leveraging the benefits of a franchise location, they’re able to achieve goals that go beyond restaurant success.
Lifestyle Benefits of Opening a Restaurant Franchise
71% of franchise owners chose to franchise for the lifestyle benefits over the money, and we understand why! Once staff is trained and the restaurant is running well, many of our franchisees find they have the time and financial freedom they’ve been searching for throughout their careers.
Opening a franchise restaurant like Barrel House is an opportunity to invest in yourself, and reap the rewards that come with successful business ownership, like the freedom to create new things, travel, and give back to the community.
Why Franchise Restaurants is Growing in 2024
We all have similar goals in life – financial security and the freedom to enjoy it. Put simply, franchising is on the rise because it’s the most sensible way to achieve those goals.
By investing in a financially sound and well-proven brand like Barrel House, your money works harder for you. You’ll benefit from our experience, technology, network, and systems in ways an independent concept could never dream of. You’ll join a community of like-minded investors with similar goals and diverse backgrounds, all supported by a dedicated franchise team whose job is to help you succeed.
If you’re looking to take the next step with franchise ownership, reach out to our team today. We’ll be happy to help you determine whether Barrel House is the best fit for your goals.