There’s no denying that there are still some great opportunities to get in on a QSR franchise. And the U.S.A. is one of the hottest markets right now anywhere in the world. From traditional QSR offerings to some new and unique franchises, we’re going to take a look at three that caught our attention.
Wingstop
The Dallas, TX franchise, has just made 13 years of same-store sales growth. Even more, Wingstop has some of the highest sales-per-square-foot figures around.
From menu to operations, Wingstop CEO Charlie Morrison says keeping things simple feeds the chain’s ongoing success—though don’t mistake simplicity for apathy.
Wingstop’s advanced mobile, social, and online e-commerce operations help franchisees stay competitive in the increasingly tech-driven restaurant industry. Digital sales now comprise nearly 20 percent of total sales, and the brand will continue to develop its digital and social ordering capabilities. These capabilities includes voice-activated ordering with menu-item customization through Amazon Alexa and social ordering on Facebook Messenger and Twitter, as well as on the Wingstop app and website.
Zoup! Fresh Soups.
The nearly 20-year-old fast casual attracts prospective franchisees with a simple menu, its leadership in a niche category, and “lifestyle hours” of operation. Expect big things from Zoup! after years of relatively slow, organic growth.
In the near future, the 77-unit chain headquartered in Southfield, Michigan, will be rolling out a new POS system to give franchisees real-time data, as well as a proprietary labor management system and a new inventory management system designed to help franchisees better manage costs and more easily identify bottom-line-boosting efforts.
Smoothie King
From 2011 to 2016, Smoothie King’s average annual per-store sales increased 51 percent, an impressive number that has driven franchising interest in the New Orleans–based concept.
Last year, in fact, the company signed 111 franchise and development agreements that will add 172 stores to its system and push total unit count toward 1,000.
Just as important, chief development officer Kevin King says, is the fact that Smoothie King has a core product that is increasingly in demand year-round.
Smoothie King has a simple business model with a low initial investment, labor, and food costs, and they make great-tasting smoothies for people who want to live a healthy and active lifestyle. This is important as smoothies are becoming a year-round health item as opposed to a summertime treat.
Got a hot franchise you want us to know about? Leave a comment and tell us why you think it’s a winner.