Why FAT Brands, Why Now?

FAT Brands, a leading global franchising company with over 2,300 restaurants worldwide, has spent previous years acquiring and developing some of the most sought-after fast casual, QSR, casual and polished casual dining brands in franchising. Now it looks to leverage its diverse portfolio of brands to support extensive franchisee growth, aiming to exceed 2,500 restaurants in 2023.

“We’ve spent years building and refining one of the strongest multi-brand franchisor models in the industry, and now we are shifting our focus to franchisee growth,” said Andy Wiederhorn, FAT Brands CEO. “We have strategically acquired brands that allow franchise owners to quickly grow their business across multiple brands, often within a single market, and we are extremely well-positioned to help franchisees take advantage of the wealth of white space available to them right now.”

Comprehensive Brand Portfolio and Widespread Support

Because FAT Brands houses 17 different restaurant brands, franchisees who enter the system have access to just that — an entire system. Rather than working with a myriad of franchisors, owners are able to stay in touch with a single corporate team with the opportunity to open a variety of concepts, including burger, wing, snack, pizza and Italian brands. Even as owners choose to branch out, they are able to continue working within the same support network, interfacing with a single franchisor.

This same support network recognizes that running a business is not always easy. Franchisees receive support in choosing a location for their unit(s), identifying an appropriate supply chain and analyzing financial metrics. 

“If we can do the right things to make sure they’re profitable, like coaching them on margins and ensuring a good product, the franchisee is set up for success,” said Wiederhorn. 

To FAT Brands, the franchisees are the customers. Of course, the franchise owners must serve their customers, but if they are not prepared to run a business and execute daily operations, they will not be successful. The beauty of franchising is that new owners are able to buy in to recognized, well-established brands and receive the business plan and support that drives success. 

“Our senior management team strives to prepare franchisees to the best of their ability,” explained Wiederhorn. “The franchise environment is one where you don’t have to invent processes on your own — it’s more turnkey. Franchises generally succeed because they are based on systems and processes that have been tried over and over again.”

Streamlined Investment Opportunities With Tangible Growth Potential

As a part of the FAT Brands family, franchisees gain access to substantial purchasing power. Last year, the brand spent $600 million on resources for the 2,300 locations, and pooling resources as such allows franchisees to get food, paper products and other necessities at a lower cost than they would independently. This high purchasing volume, however, does not take away from the quality of the restaurants’ offerings; FAT Brands focuses on the entire process, including recipe development and ingredient quality, to ensure sheer output is never prioritized over excellent products.

Whether franchisees are presented with an opportunity to operate a second brand and additional location or a co-branded unit that houses two FAT Brands franchises in one structure, growth opportunities reach far beyond simply opening multiple iterations of the same brand. 

“Last year alone, we spent nearly a billion dollars on new acquisitions,” Wiederhorn said. “Now, we are at a place where we can offer a range of diverse and complementary investments that will allow franchisees to grow rapidly without cannibalizing each other or their own business.”

Why Now Is a Great Time to Join FAT Brands

There has never been a more exciting time to join FAT Brands. As the franchisor has grown, it has come to represent a variety of cuisines and types of restaurants from QSR to polished casual and more.

As franchisees begin to work with FAT Brands, the variety within the franchisor creates a wonderful opportunity for owners to fill multiple voids within their markets. They do not have to start with just a single brand or location; people can come into the system and choose multiple different concepts. Multi-unit operators in turn are paired with a management team that works to help them grow and expand wherever possible. And, should a franchisee fully saturate a single brand within their market, management can support them in pivoting to another brand within FAT Brands.

As FAT Brands looks to expand the footprint of its stable of restaurant brands, it is seeking passionate and growth-oriented operators in markets across the country, including the Southeastern U.S. from Texas to Florida in addition to Arizona and Northern California.

“We have tremendous growth opportunities in front of us, and we are perfectly positioned to take advantage of them,” Wiederhorn said. “Now, it’s just a matter of finding franchisee candidates who appreciate the value of this opportunity and can execute the playbook we’ve perfected for each of our brands.”

The initial investment required to open FAT Brands franchises ranges from $349,000.00 to $5,107,000.00. Learn more about franchising opportunities at https://www.fatbrands.com/.

??FAT Brands Company Profile

FAT Brands, Inc operates as a leading global franchising company that strategically acquires, markets, and develops fast casual, quick-service, casual dining, and polished casual dining concepts around the world. The Company currently owns 17 restaurant brands: Round Table Pizza, Fatburger, Marble Slab Creamery, Johnny Rockets, Fazoli’s, Twin Peaks, Great American Cookies, Hot Dog on a Stick, Buffalo’s Cafe & Express, Hurricane Grill & Wings, Pretzelmaker, Elevation Burger, Native Grill & Wings, Yalla Mediterranean and Ponderosa and Bonanza Steakhouses.