With over 40 years of operating history and guests returning nearly five times per month on average, Beef ‘O’ Brady’s has given franchise owners around the country the opportunity to invest in their future while contributing to their local communities. Two of those franchisees are David Verkler and Amit Khanna.
Verkler and his wife, Maria, have been part of the Beef 'O' Brady's family since 2006, when they opened their first location in Bourbonnais, Illinois. After years of success, the couple decided to open a second location in Champaign, Illinois, in 2025, nearly 20 years later.
Khanna, who previously owned other restaurant concepts, started his Beef ‘O’ Brady’s journey more recently, opening in St. Petersburg, Florida, this February. After moving to the area from Colorado, Khanna explored franchise ownership, and the quick responsiveness of the Beef ‘O’ Brady’s team stood out to him.
Both operators point to the same core reasons behind their investment: a concept that resonates with families and a support system that shows up in real time.
Verkler and his family first found Beef ‘O’ Brady’s during a visit to Florida, and the experience left a lasting impression. At the time, he was a police officer, while his wife was exploring a career change that would allow her to spend more time closer to home. The brand offered something that felt different from other restaurant concepts they had seen.
“We stumbled into a Beef ‘O’ Brady’s in Florida a little over 20 years ago, and it was just a different experience,” Verkler said. “It was more family-oriented, family-friendly. We had two small kids, and it was a place where you could actually bring them without feeling out of place.”
That early visit ultimately shaped their decision to become franchisees in 2005, followed by the opening of their first location the next year. Beyond the family-friendly atmosphere, Verkler said the company’s culture stood out just as much as the concept itself, particularly the way corporate and franchisees worked together.
“It wasn’t like an ‘us versus them’ environment,” Verkler said. “From a business perspective, that was really inviting to us.”
Khanna’s decision was shaped by direct interactions with the corporate team during his search. What began as an initial inquiry quickly turned into a hands-on experience that gave him confidence in the brand’s responsiveness and support.
“I spoke to Beef ‘O’ Brady’s in the morning, and within an hour they met me at the site,” Khanna said. “I was very impressed.”
That level of engagement continued as he evaluated multiple locations before moving forward. Khanna said the team remained present throughout the process, offering consistent support that extended well beyond phone calls.
“They were very patient, very supportive at every single move,” he said. “They don’t just support you over the phone. They come and actually help you out whenever needed.”
Today, Beef ‘O’ Brady’s has more than 125 locations open, additional units in development and white space available across key U.S. markets. It offers franchisees the opportunity to secure territory in a proven concept that continues to resonate with families, sports fans and local communities. Verkler saw an opportunity to bring something new to his Illinois market early on, while Khanna identified white space in his part of the Tampa Bay area.
“The name brand has been very rewarding,” Khanna said. “We’ve been busy from day one without any marketing.”
Franchisees say one of the biggest advantages of Beef ‘O’ Brady’s is how easy it is to get answers. Corporate is accessible, other operators are willing to help and owners are not left to figure things out on their own. That kind of support can make a real difference in both day-to-day operations and bigger long-term decisions.
“If you have a question about operations or marketing, there’s really an open-door policy,” Verkler said. “Emails get answered quickly. Phone calls get returned promptly. There’s always somebody there to help you figure things out.”
Khanna said that hands-on support continued into the opening. When business came in stronger than expected, the corporate team stayed longer than planned to help him keep up. That meant a lot to him and gave him even more confidence in the brand.
“They provided me with three extra weeks of support,” Khanna said. “They listen to you and they actually come out and help you when needed.”
Beef ‘O’ Brady’s focuses heavily on local engagement, which Verkler says has played a major role in his success over time. Instead of relying solely on traditional advertising, the brand encourages franchisees to get involved in the community and attend local events regularly. This helps create familiarity with customers and reinforces the brand’s family-friendly positioning.
“It’s grassroots marketing — working with schools, sponsoring teams, doing spirit nights and fundraising,” he said. “That community involvement really takes hold.”
That local presence does more than bring in customers. It creates a sense of purpose that extends beyond day-to-day operations and positions the restaurant as part of the community fabric. Khanna has seen a similar response, even in the early days of opening his location in a new market.
“People know the brand, they know the food, and they’re happy we’re here,” he said. “We’ve been busy from day one without any marketing.”
The decision to invest in Beef ‘O’ Brady’s came down to a combination of factors, including a concept that resonated on a personal level, a team that remained engaged throughout the process and a model built around community connection. For both franchisees, those elements worked together to build confidence early on, before they ever opened their doors.
Over time, that initial impression has been reinforced through their day-to-day experience as operators. With the backing of FSC Franchise Co., Beef ‘O’ Brady’s franchisees have support as they grow in their local markets.
“They’ve been amazing,” Khanna said. “I can’t ask for more.”
To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://1851franchise.com/beefobradys/info.
Beef 'O' Brady's
SPONSORED
Beef 'O' Brady's franchisees benefit from loyal guests who return an average of five times per month and a corporate team whose support goes beyond the average brand.
With over 40 years of operating history and guests returning nearly five times per month on average, Beef ‘O’ Brady’s has given franchise owners around the country the opportunity to invest in their future while contributing to their local communities. Two of those franchisees are David Verkler and Amit Khanna.
Verkler and his wife, Maria, have been part of the Beef 'O' Brady's family since 2006, when they opened their first location in Bourbonnais, Illinois. After years of success, the couple decided to open a second location in Champaign, Illinois, in 2025, nearly 20 years later.
Khanna, who previously owned other restaurant concepts, started his Beef ‘O’ Brady’s journey more recently, opening in St. Petersburg, Florida, this February. After moving to the area from Colorado, Khanna explored franchise ownership, and the quick responsiveness of the Beef ‘O’ Brady’s team stood out to him.
Both operators point to the same core reasons behind their investment: a concept that resonates with families and a support system that shows up in real time.
Verkler and his family first found Beef ‘O’ Brady’s during a visit to Florida, and the experience left a lasting impression. At the time, he was a police officer, while his wife was exploring a career change that would allow her to spend more time closer to home. The brand offered something that felt different from other restaurant concepts they had seen.
“We stumbled into a Beef ‘O’ Brady’s in Florida a little over 20 years ago, and it was just a different experience,” Verkler said. “It was more family-oriented, family-friendly. We had two small kids, and it was a place where you could actually bring them without feeling out of place.”
That early visit ultimately shaped their decision to become franchisees in 2005, followed by the opening of their first location the next year. Beyond the family-friendly atmosphere, Verkler said the company’s culture stood out just as much as the concept itself, particularly the way corporate and franchisees worked together.
“It wasn’t like an ‘us versus them’ environment,” Verkler said. “From a business perspective, that was really inviting to us.”
Khanna’s decision was shaped by direct interactions with the corporate team during his search. What began as an initial inquiry quickly turned into a hands-on experience that gave him confidence in the brand’s responsiveness and support.
“I spoke to Beef ‘O’ Brady’s in the morning, and within an hour they met me at the site,” Khanna said. “I was very impressed.”
That level of engagement continued as he evaluated multiple locations before moving forward. Khanna said the team remained present throughout the process, offering consistent support that extended well beyond phone calls.
“They were very patient, very supportive at every single move,” he said. “They don’t just support you over the phone. They come and actually help you out whenever needed.”
Today, Beef ‘O’ Brady’s has more than 125 locations open, additional units in development and white space available across key U.S. markets. It offers franchisees the opportunity to secure territory in a proven concept that continues to resonate with families, sports fans and local communities. Verkler saw an opportunity to bring something new to his Illinois market early on, while Khanna identified white space in his part of the Tampa Bay area.
“The name brand has been very rewarding,” Khanna said. “We’ve been busy from day one without any marketing.”
Franchisees say one of the biggest advantages of Beef ‘O’ Brady’s is how easy it is to get answers. Corporate is accessible, other operators are willing to help and owners are not left to figure things out on their own. That kind of support can make a real difference in both day-to-day operations and bigger long-term decisions.
“If you have a question about operations or marketing, there’s really an open-door policy,” Verkler said. “Emails get answered quickly. Phone calls get returned promptly. There’s always somebody there to help you figure things out.”
Khanna said that hands-on support continued into the opening. When business came in stronger than expected, the corporate team stayed longer than planned to help him keep up. That meant a lot to him and gave him even more confidence in the brand.
“They provided me with three extra weeks of support,” Khanna said. “They listen to you and they actually come out and help you when needed.”
Beef ‘O’ Brady’s focuses heavily on local engagement, which Verkler says has played a major role in his success over time. Instead of relying solely on traditional advertising, the brand encourages franchisees to get involved in the community and attend local events regularly. This helps create familiarity with customers and reinforces the brand’s family-friendly positioning.
“It’s grassroots marketing — working with schools, sponsoring teams, doing spirit nights and fundraising,” he said. “That community involvement really takes hold.”
That local presence does more than bring in customers. It creates a sense of purpose that extends beyond day-to-day operations and positions the restaurant as part of the community fabric. Khanna has seen a similar response, even in the early days of opening his location in a new market.
“People know the brand, they know the food, and they’re happy we’re here,” he said. “We’ve been busy from day one without any marketing.”
The decision to invest in Beef ‘O’ Brady’s came down to a combination of factors, including a concept that resonated on a personal level, a team that remained engaged throughout the process and a model built around community connection. For both franchisees, those elements worked together to build confidence early on, before they ever opened their doors.
Over time, that initial impression has been reinforced through their day-to-day experience as operators. With the backing of FSC Franchise Co., Beef ‘O’ Brady’s franchisees have support as they grow in their local markets.
“They’ve been amazing,” Khanna said. “I can’t ask for more.”
To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://1851franchise.com/beefobradys/info.
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