How Emerging Franchisor Mr. Mac’s is Carving Out its Own Unique Niche in the Franchise Industry

For years, mac and cheese has been thought of as a side dish. But as Mr. Mac’s breaks into the franchising industry, it’s on a mission to turn that misconception on its head.

With three locations currently open for business, the emerging franchise concept is just beginning to carve out a niche for itself in the crowded restaurant segment of the industry. Despite the marketplace being competitive, Mr. Mac’s is off to a strong start. By being meticulous with regards to its growth strategy, the brand has taken steps to perfect its business model over the past eight years. And now that it’s actively looking for more franchise partners, it’s planning to continue chasing that perfection.

According to Patrick Cain, co-founder of Mr. Mac’s, what will enable the brand to be successful in the franchising industry is its different approach to foodservice. Mr. Mac’s is bringing unique mac and cheese dishes to the center of the table, and doing so in a way that creates a dining experience rather than just a transaction.

“What draws franchisees to Mr. Mac’s is that there’s an obvious commitment to a quality product and outstanding customer service. We say 'obvious' because of the numerous local and national accolades that our product has received over the past eight years combined with our customer’s comments on sites such as Yelp!, Google and Trip Advisor,” said Cain.

Mr. Mac’s vice president of operations, Mark Murphy agrees with Cain, noting that what gives the brand its growth potential is the personal and emotional connection that it's able to make with consumers. He said, “There’s something special about mac and cheese. When you’re in our store, you see people come in with smiles on their faces and fans that are excited to look at our menu. Even though mac and cheese isn’t an atypical food, we’re bringing it to a whole new level. There also aren’t many franchise brands that are providing an experience along with their food, and that itself brings in additional customers and builds excitement around our concept.”

Going forward in 2018, Mr. Mac’s is planning to continue moving forward in the franchising industry. The brand plans on adding another two to three restaurants to its system this year while also enhancing its delivery, catering, take-out and online ordering initiatives. Mr. Mac’s is also planning on integrating its loyalty system into its digital platforms. Those programs are all designed to enhance its convenience factors for customers, which adds to the brand’s overall experience. When customers are able to get their favorite Mr. Mac’s dish in the manner that they choose, they’re more likely to return.

This is beneficial for the brand’s franchisees, because these types of technological advancements are elements that some established brands have fallen behind on.

“The franchise partner that comes on board with us today will obviously benefit from being on the ground floor of a brand that is unique to the current fast casual landscape. And, we’re a brand that has the bells and whistles that many larger companies are still chasing today, including off-premise revenue streams, integrated online ordering and a cohesive loyalty program,” said Cain.

Over the next five years, Mr. Mac’s has its sights set on reaching the 80 or 90-unit mark with restaurants throughout the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and Great Lakes regions. However, the brand notes that now is a great time to invest, considering that franchisees who join the system will have access to the brand’s executive team in a way that’s only possible for an emerging concept.

“In the franchise business, franchisees aren’t always heard, and they aren’t always able to make an impact or change. Here, we have our ears open to suggestions and change. We want to get better. That’s one of the benefits of being a part of an emerging franchise brand—if there’s ever a question or a problem, our franchisees can reach out to us and we can talk about it right there and then,” Murphy said.

In addition to supporting its franchisees, Mr. Mac’s is making a name for itself the franchising industry by promising to keep its customers top of mind. Cain recognizes that at the end of the day, happy customers will lead to happy franchisees.

He said, “We don’t run from the word ‘customer.’ We embrace it. Our customers are the boss, and they are considered [to be] the most important people in our company’s culture.”