Famous Toastery Franchisees Benefit from Repeat Customers

When it comes to food, most people like as much variety as possible. For lunch and dinner, endless options and cuisines are available, but at breakfast, old habits die hard, and many people like to start their day off with the same meal every day.

“Breakfast is the most habitual meal of the day – it creates habits in people,” said Robert Maynard, CEO of Famous Toastery. “Most people that go out to breakfast usually order the exact same meal every time. They like to go to the same place, read their newspaper, see their friends and neighbors and enjoy a meal that’s going to start their day off right.”

Maynard founded the better breakfast brand with his best friend Brian Burchhill in 2005 in Huntersville, North Carolina. They quickly opened three locations and began franchising in 2013. The brand now has 21 open locations in with another 20 in development.

“I’ve been eating the same breakfast since I was 15 years old,” said Burchhill, COO of Famous Toastery. “People like having a routine, especially at breakfast. Sometimes it’s harder to cook an egg than it is to cook a steak – and we know how to cook an egg every possible way. At our Davidson [North Carolina] location, some people come in twice a day.”

The habitual nature of breakfast isn’t the only reason that franchisees of Famous Toastery are able to quickly build a clientele of loyal customers. Impeccable and fast service and made-from-scratch food are hallmarks of Famous Toastery.

“At Famous Toastery, our kitchen is incredibly efficient so we can deliver meals quickly to help people get on with their day. We strive for a three- to six-minute ticket time,” said Burchhill. “You have to get people in and out. It’s part of the reason why people come in so often.”

The friendliness of the servers and Famous Toastery’s “every server is your server” policy also help turn franchisees into regulars.

“Your local breakfast place is like your local watering hole during the daytime. Our franchisees become rooted in the community, and they see the same people three to four times a week. Anyone that comes in that often speaks volumes about your business,” said Burchhill.

For Stacy White, co-owner of the Mooresville, North Carolina location, the repeat business is what made her go from server to franchise owner. She and her husband Chuck are set to open their second location in Mooresville later this year.

“I worked for Brian [Burchhill] for a year and a half before we opened our first store, and I saw a lot of the same people coming in every week. When we opened our restaurant two and a half years ago, we saw the same thing right off the bat, and we’re confident we’ll see the same thing when we open our second store,” said Stacy White. “I would guess that 25 percent of our business is from repeat customers. A customer told us last week that they come to Famous Toastery because they feel special. We’re training our staff to turn customers into regulars and put in the extra effort to learn guests’ names, where they like to sit and what they like to eat. That’s what keeps bringing them back. We’re the Cheers of breakfast restaurants.”