1851

<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-hewlett-24384bb0?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=a-day-in-the-life-of-aw-franchisee-stephanie-hewlett-2719874" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Stephanie Hewlett</a> grew up with&nbsp;<a href="https://awfranchising.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=a-day-in-the-life-of-aw-franchisee-stephanie-hewlett-2719874" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">A&amp;W Restaurants</a>,&nbsp;the iconic restaurant franchise with 500-plus units across the country. When her father established the family’s unit in Rockwood, Michigan, Hewlett spent much of her time there. Over the years, she has developed a special affinity for the brand.To her,&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/awrestaurants">A&amp;W</a> is more than a career. It’s part of her family’s legacy.“Unofficially, I’ve been with this brand since I was 10 when my dad started it,” she said. “I worked at the restaurant through college, and with only a short break after college, I’ve stuck with the brand all these years. Eventually, I took over completely.”Hewlett chooses to be a hands-on owner by directly involving herself in the restaurant’s daily operations and personally organizing her staff for a successful shift. Though she feels comfortable stepping back occasionally, she strongly prefers to have a hand in the day-to-day business of the restaurant.“I get here each morning a couple of hours before we open and clean the fryers and ice cream machine,” said Hewlett. “I check that we have enough root beer and inspect the restaurant to be sure everything is as it should be. It’s important to me that everything is in order, so my staff is set up for success. Once the staff arrives, I talk them through the day’s priorities. From there, I may assist with the store’s operations or work in my office. It’s helpful for us to have a routine.”Hewlett has also personalized her restaurant’s local marketing campaign by introducing a “Community Share Night” for the schools in the area, offering an opportunity for students to share what they’ve learned at school.“There are tons of schools in this area, and at one point, an elementary school approached me and asked if they could have a Share Night,” she said. “I was happy to invite them. From there, the word spread, and now I have at least 10 schools that hold Community Share Nights at our restaurant. They bring in a ton of business, and it feels great to create a community space for locals.”A&amp;W differentiates itself from others in the QSR segment by creating a sense of community and encouraging these types of events, said Hewlett. The restaurant also stands out by offering higher-quality food, resembling that of a diner, while still providing the swift service one would expect from a restaurant in the QSR industry.For those considering becoming franchise owners at A&amp;W, Hewlett recommends taking a personal interest in the restaurant’s operations.“I recommend that owners learn how to do everything in the store themselves,” she said. “They might not need to work a fryer every day, but being personally involved and understanding the store inside and out will make you a better owner and leader for your staff.”A&amp;W currently seeks qualified franchisees for development opportunities in Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois, Wisconsin, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida and Nevada.&nbsp;The total investment necessary to begin operation, not including rent or land costs, is $871,000 to $1,454,750 for a Freestanding Restaurant; $401,000 to $1,013,750 for an Inline Restaurant; and $276,000 to $704,000 for a Captive Restaurant, including a $15,000-$30,000 franchise fee. To learn more about franchise opportunities with A&amp;W Restaurants, please visit&nbsp;<a href="https://franchising.awrestaurants.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=a-day-in-the-life-of-aw-franchisee-stephanie-hewlett-2719874" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">https://franchising.awrestaurants.com/</a>.

A Day in the Life of A&W Franchisee Stephanie Hewlett

1851 Franchise

As a second-generation owner, Hewlett grew up with the brand and is passionate about its iconic history and family values.

This brand page has been paid for by 1851. Content within this page that is paid will showcase a Sponsored icon. This means the brand has engaged 1851 FRANCHISE to write the content. Content without the Sponsored Icon is aggregated media placements the brand earned. Questions can be sent to editorial@1851franchise.com

a-day-in-the-life-of-aw-franchisee-stephanie-hewlett

HomeTeam Inspection Service

Good Day Columbus: Home Insurance Expert Reveals Why Central Ohio Premiums Are Rising and How to Combat Costs

rising-home-insurance-costs-ohio

CapitalSpring

Primetime Fitness Expands Crunch Portfolio With CapitalSpring’s Backing

primetime-fitness-expands-crunch-portfolio-with-capitalsprings-backing

Children's Lighthouse

How Children’s Lighthouse Franchisees Scale to Multiple Locations

how-childrens-lighthouse-franchisees-scale-to-multiple-locations

Express Employment Professionals

Betting on Himself: How Chris Brown Built an Express Employment Professionals Franchise From the Ground Up

betting-on-himself-how-chris-brown-built-an-express-employment-professionals-franchise-from-the-ground-up

Comfort Keepers

Comfort Keepers® Named One of America’s Best Home-Care Providers

comfort-keepers-named-one-of-americas-best-home-care-providers

Buying a Franchise Masterclass

 Franchise Opportunities

Get Support Buying a Franchise

How to Buy a Franchise White Paper

How to Buy a Franchise

How to Sell Franchises

How to Grow a Franchise

Find a Franchise Supplier

1851 Franchise Opportunities

Franchisor News

Franchisor Power Rankings

FranCamp Mastermind Summit

Franchise Development Website Builder

Franchise Resources

What ALEC-Laffer's Report Means for Franchising

Website Awards

Power Rankings

About 1851

Advertise on 1851

Contact 1851 Editorial

Terms of Use

1851 Login

GROWTH CLUB LOGIN

facebook

instagram

twitter

linkedin

youtube

Potbelly to be Acquired by RaceTrac in $566 Million Deal 

racetrac-acquires-potbelly-in-566-million-deal

Health Care Hiring Slowdown Highlights In-Home Care Franchise Opportunities - 1851 Franchise Agg

Health Care Hiring Slowdown Highlights In-Home Care Franchise Opportunities 

health-care-hiring-slowdown-in-home-care-franchise-opportunities

Caribou Coffee Names Scott Kennedy CEO, Eyes Continued Growth

caribou-coffee-names-scott-kennedy-ceo-eyes-continued-growth

McDonald’s Launches New Extra Value Meals as Consumer Demand for Value Continues to Climb

mcdonalds-launches-extra-value-meals

Power Eats: Smoothie King Rolls Out Food Nationwide To Fuel Franchise Growth

smoothie-king-food-menu-power-eats

Hely and Hiral Patel Bring Their Longtime Dream to Life With The Brass Tap

brass-tap-franchise-pasadena-maryland-hely-hiral-patel

Franchisee spotlight graphic with photo of Ricki Oberoi and Layne's Chicken Fingers logo

Multi-Unit Wendy’s Operator Signs 12-Unit Deal With Layne’s Chicken Fingers

ricki-oberoi-laynes-chicken-fingers-growth

graphic for a spotlight from 1851 franchise featuring Kevin Rarick from caring transitions

Army Veteran Returns Home To Launch Caring Transitions Franchise in Reading, Pennsylvania

kevin-rarick-caring-transitions-reading-pa

photo-of-laynes-chicken-fingers-dalton-dennis-southern-oregon

23-Year-Old Entrepreneur Brings Soon to Be Famous Chicken™ to Southern Oregon With 3-Unit Layne’s Chicken Fingers Franchise Signing

laynes-chicken-fingers-dalton-dennis-southern-oregon

DevHub - Meet the Supplier - 1851 Franchise

DevHub: Scalable Digital Marketing for Franchises and Multi-Location Brands

devhub-meet-the-supplier

1851 Keyword - The Secret To Succeeding With a Part-Time Franchise Is Picking the Right Model

The Secret To Succeeding With a Part-Time Franchise Is Picking the Right Model

part-time-franchises-picking-the-right-model

1851 Franchise Deep Dive graphic with Sparkle Squad logo

Sparkle Squad Franchise Costs, Fees, Profit and Data for 2025

franchise-deep-dive-sparkle-squad-franchise-costs-fees-profit-and-data

Design with school-aged child standing on pencil with text "Education Franchises" and "<$500K"

Top Education Franchises Under $500K To Explore in 2025

top-education-franchises-under-500k

A Day in the Life of A&W Franchisee Stephanie Hewlett

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS