If you also want to be an owner of Waffle House franchise. This article I will help you with will cover different aspects about opening a Waffle House franchise. Like
- Investment required to open Waffle House franchise.
- How to get a Waffle House franchise in your area.
- Other important aspects related to the Waffle House franchise.
Let’s dive in
What Is a Waffle House?
Waffle House was originally started by Joseph W. Rogers and Tom Forkner (co-founder) in 1955 in America.
Waffle House is a chain of restaurants which currently operates more than 21000 locations across 25 different states in the United States.
The company has a good reputation among its customers. Those who order food have claimed that they receive their food within 10 minutes.
People also claimed to work out of restaurants happily with only spending a few dollars.
The company offered yummy and flavoured waffles and so it goes beyond serving breakfast like omelet, biscuits, coffee etc. Now also serving delicious foods to their customers.
Waffle House was so good with its services that their customer base started increasing soon they became the number one restaurant in the City.
Within 2 years 1957 two more units were opened and in 1961 there were four restaurants.
Besides their good food and breakfast services the stores are always open 24 by 7 almost 365 days of the year which makes people say that “Waffle House has no lockers”.
Current its headquarter is in Norcross, Georgia, in the Atlanta metropolitan area.
About Waffle House Franchise?
After its opening the company started offering franchises for interested entrepreneurs.
In order to open and become an owner of Waffle House franchise you should have to follow many rules. The company is very strict with its rules.
If you want to have your own Waffle House you have to apply for a job there first. The company only gives to the prospective entrepreneurs that want to franchise with them.
This might seem discouraging and it also discourages most prospects. This is because the company wants to maintain their standards in this restaurant chain business in terms of giving the best service delivery.
According to their Vice President Thornton Bert ” There are so many people who want to get into business with us; we are just very pronounced and outstanding”.
All the company is doing is creating opportunities for existing and successful franchises.
This means that you can only get additional franchises if you already have an existing franchise with Waffle House. The success in your existing franchise will play an important role.
But this all only applies if you are already a franchisee in Waffle House. If you are going as a fresh entrepreneur these terms will not apply to you.
As per the current situation, the company is not taking in new people. However there are some other things which you might consider as a beginner.
How much investment is required to open a Waffle House franchise?
The initial investment required is around $ 200,000 to $ 300,000 not including other capital cost you will have which includes location you choose and the value of real estate location.
The overall cost if you include every minor thing you will require as a beginner will be around $600,000 to $1,000,000.
How can you get Waffle House Franchise?
Waffle House is modest about it’s franchise disclosure because it has not been public yet. However there are some important procedures for opening a Waffle House franchise.
Location Requirements:
As it is obvious now that the company is very strict with its terms and conditions. So, there are some rules with the area too.
The company will not allow opening a Waffle House directly next to another company’s restaurant. So you have to submit your chosen location to the company so they can review it.
Location also plays an important part in total capital investment anyone will do. The area which is highly crowded and populated will cost more as per monthly payments.
Especially if you are planning to buy a place in a crowded area.
However this will also give you an advantage since the more the crowd the more the sales goes.
How Much Capital You Need?
If you are planning to join this franchise then you must consider to have a good amount of capital in your hand.
Running a franchise with them is a big deal, so you need to have a good amount of money. Companies have very strict standards.
Other important aspects needed to consider before starting :
- Licencing
License is one of the most important. You cannot open a large restaurant and expect a good return from it. You need to have a licence in order to open and run a restaurant.
- Designing And Furniture
As a fast food restaurant with a big name as Waffle House you need to set up table chairs with proper billing counters.
The design of both interior and exterior are also important because it attracts customers and also this is an important aspect for the company because the company always wants to maintain their standards. This will not cost much.
- Online Orders
As you know the company also offers home delivery. As per you will be a part of that big name you should have to be prepared for this service around your area.
- Menu Options
Waffle House once only used to sell waffles but now it offers a more variety of products. You have to provide everything you can in order to attract more and more customers. You can take help by observing the local market around you.
- Staffs
As it is obvious that you need to hire some staff in order to run a restaurant. In those staff you need to hire at least two cooks, a server, a cashier, two home delivery guys. The cook will charge around $250 per month, the server will be around $150 and the other two will be around $200.
- Marketing
With such a big name you still need to do marketing because people need to know that you are opening a restaurant near them. Try to do a grand opening to attract more people and make sure the local newspaper should cover it as well advertise it online throughout your area.
Waffle House Franchise In India?
First launched in 2013 at Chennai by Ravi Kiran and Chandra Lekha. This Indian branch also serves the same perspective as well as the same menu like the others do.
The company is also seeking to expand its business throughout the country. There are two types of franchise which you can open in India.
- Unit Franchise
The initial cost for opening a unit franchise will cost around INR 10lakh – 20lakh including a brand fee of INR 5 Lakhs and 7% of a royalty fee. 300 – 500 square feet will be required.
- Master franchise
As its name is, it is bigger than the old one so the investment will be bigger. It will cost around INR 30 – 40 lakh with 7 lakh as brand fee and again 7% as a loyalty fee. Area required is around 1,000 – 1,400 square feet.
Frequently asked questions about Waffle house franchise:
Yes Waffle houses do offer franchises however they are now limited to their existing franchisees. They are now not taking the new franchisees in order to get a new franchise you need to have already a part of it also your old franchise report will matter a lot.
As per a new you can contact someone who already owned a Waffle House franchise you can convince them to open a new one which will run under you however this is very dependable on that person if he/she wants to have a new franchise or not.
Yes you can, but as I mentioned above the company is not taking new people and I also mentioned a method to get one. So, if you get it, you need to be very serious about it because the company is very serious about it’s franchise.
The service is so good that it will make you feel like home. They are best at their services. Their food is top notch and they provide services 24/7 of a week 365 days of the year.
Conclusion:
Waffle House is a great option to go into the restaurant business. Especially in these days when the younger growing and working population are spending more on fast foods. Furthermore, a large portion of GDP is captured by this department.