The Franchise King®

Should You Buy a Food Franchise?

lobster

I wish that I was able to somehow collect $100 every time I heard someone at one of my presentations on franchise ownership say the following;

I’m thinking of buying a food franchise because people have to eat.

And, if I was able to grab that $100 over and over again, my lobster intake would increase, for sure…

Seriously; I hear that statement a lot, so it must be important, right?

 

Working In The Food Business

My first job as an acne-encrusted teen was at Lyndhurst, Ohio’s Golden Dragon Restaurant. I was hired on as a Dish Sanitizing Technician. (Dishwasher)

It was the grossest job I ever had. And, in hindsight, it was a really poor choice for that particular job. I wasn’t thinking, I guess. I forgot that Chinese food was multi-course. Every damn customer had soup, appetizers, tea, beverages, a main course, and sherbet or ice cream to top things off at the end of their meal. Lots of dishes were used. Lots of dirty dishes came back into my area. Lots. More than any other type of restaurant, actually.

The Golden Dragon was located towards the back of a nice office building. A nice office building with a very famous parking lot.

While this restaurant wasn’t a food franchise, it was a food business. I learned a lot, even as a teen. The most important thing I learned was preparation; food businesses need to be highly organized to work right. Management has to always be prepared to be busy.

  • Employees need to be trained properly
  • Inventory needs to be right
  • Cleanliness has to be job #1
  • Cost controls need to be tight

 

Should You Buy a Food Franchise?

People do have to eat, for sure. I’m not sure if that’s the right reason for future franchise owners to pursue a food franchise, but who am I to say?

Of course, talking about, looking at, and buying a food franchise are all so different. So. Different.

If you’re seriously considering food franchise ownership as your path, please make sure you know-or kind of know what you’re getting into. Being the owner of a business that serves food to the public has many, many, challenges. As far as I’m concerned, the food business is the toughest business in the world to own and operate. The amount of things that can go wrong are mind-boggling.

You don’t have to believe me. (Even though I’m one of only a handful of franchise consultants-advisors that have actually been in the food business.)

 

Food Franchises Can Be Lucrative

There are lots of very successful food franchise owners, and they aren’t all owners of one of these, either. You’ll find them if you’re looking at the great ones. While it’s true that the work is really hard, and the challenges, especially having to do with staffing are huge, if you’re focused on bringing a quality experience to the table, (so to speak) you could end up a winner.

Just don’t buy a food franchise because people have to eat. You need to also.

 

Work with me to find some of the great ones. My franchise consulting-advisory services are guaranteed.

Please Share This Article!
5Shares

About the Author
The Franchise King®, Joel Libava, is a leading franchise expert, author of "Become a Franchise Owner!" and "The Definitive Guide to Franchise Research." Featured in outlets like The New York Times, CNBC, and Franchise Direct, Joel’s no-nonsense approach as a trusted Franchise Ownership Advisor helps aspiring franchisees make smart, informed decisions in their journey to franchise ownership. He owns and operates this franchise blog.

Note: When you buy through links on this website, we may earn an affiliate commission.
headshot the franchise king joel libava

I'm The Franchise King®, Joel Libava. For 24+ years, I've helped thousands of people avoid bank account emptying mistakes.
If you want to make a smart, informed decision on franchises to own, I can help you, too! Note:
I'm NOT a franchise broker/consultant/coach.
See how I'm different.

Recommended Reading
Introduction To Franchising
How Much Is A Franchise?
List of SBA Preferred Lenders
What Is The Franchise Fee? How To Buy A Franchise
Best Franchises To Own

Featured Franchises!
Top 33 Business Ideas
Starbucks Coffee Franchises
10 Best Franchise Websites
About Franchise Consultants
How To Read A FDD
Questions To Ask Franchisors
Questions To Ask Franchisees Franchise Discovery Day Franchise Reviews

Free Franchise Tools
Franchise Compatibility Quiz
Net Worth Calculator

"Joel is my go to resource for all things about franchises. Many people need help deciding the best franchise opportunity for them, and Joel is an invaluable expert. I recommend him highly"
- Melinda Emerson, MBA
Fixed Image Link Best franchise blog
franchise evaluation
top franchise blog posts 2020
Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.