Franchisor Stories
SPONSORED
Grégoire is not just about serving gourmet food in a fast-casual setting — it’s about redefining the operational model for small restaurants through technology.
Grégoire, the French bistro-inspired fast casual franchise, is making big waves. Founded by culinary veteran Grégoire Jacquet, the brand not only brings gourmet food to the fast-casual scene but also utilizes cutting-edge technology to streamline operations and set franchisees up for success. Here’s how.
Grégoire’s Berkeley location may be compact, but it maximizes efficiency through technological innovation. One of the standout features is the outdoor ordering kiosk, which allows customers to place orders conveniently without crowding the small indoor space. This system is part of a broader strategy that integrates advanced Point-of-Sale (POS) technology to enhance customer experience and operational efficiency.
“Technology is great when it works,” said Jacquet. “Our POS covers everything — the website, the marketing, the operations. We use technology to make payment, rewards, pick-up — everything is easy. The inventory system is all connected as well. Everything is automatic. You don’t have to do anything but look at paperwork, look at reports and pay the bills. Some of the pain of doing business as a small business owner is all gone.”
Grégoire’s use of technology extends to improving the overall customer and franchisee experience. The integration of mobile ordering, QR code technology and online delivery applications makes the ordering process smooth and efficient. Additionally, loyalty programs and gift card applications help build customer retention and satisfaction.
“The key is that technology needs to be combined with human experience,” said Jacquet. “When it comes to a kiosk, for example, I don’t want everybody to have to use a kiosk. I just want the option. I also want a front-facing POS.”
Central to Grégoire’s operational success is its innovative hub-and-spoke model. This approach involves a central culinary hub where ingredients are sourced, prepared and then delivered to franchise locations daily. This system eliminates many traditional headaches of restaurant management — such as vendor relationships and portion control — by centralizing these tasks.
“In the restaurant business, there are different parts of operation — there is the front-of-the-house and the back-of-the-house,” Jacquet said. “The essence of Grégoire’s hub-and-spoke model is simple: take care of that whole pre-cook process for our franchisees.”
This model not only ensures consistency and quality across all locations but also significantly reduces operational complexity for franchisees. Staff at franchise locations only need to assemble the dishes from pre-prepared ingredients, guided by a simple software system that manages production, availability, delivery, invoicing and more.
Grégoire leverages a suite of technology solutions to streamline every aspect of its operations. The integration of Restaurant365 for vendor ordering and Toast for POS creates a seamless operational environment. These tools help with everything from inventory management and food costing to payroll and scheduling.
Jacquet highlights the transformative impact of these technologies: “The key is that tech takes away work you used to do,” he said. “You don’t do accounting, don’t do invoice input, don’t do purchasing. All you do is look at your business and ask, ‘Can I do things better?’”
Looking ahead, Grégoire has no plans to stop innovating. The brand is partnering with a company that leverages AI to forecast sales and optimize inventory, for example. This cutting-edge technology analyzes daily data to predict demand and ensure that ingredients are kept on the shelf for the optimal time, reducing waste and enhancing freshness.
“The partnership will help us use AI to analyze all the data that we have coming in daily and use it to forecast our sales,” said Jacquet. “This data can then go to the culinary hub, where it can help us make predictions and produce better results for franchisees.”
From the innovative hub-and-spoke model to the integration of advanced tech solutions, Grégoire sets a high standard for efficiency and quality. For franchisees, this means a simplified, support-rich environment that minimizes the typical challenges of restaurant management and maximizes success.
For more information on becoming a Grégoire franchisee, visit Grégoire Franchise.
Sign up for the 1851 Franchise newsletter to get our biggest stories before everyone else
By signing up, you agree to our user agreement (including class action waiver and arbitration provisions), and acknowledge our privacy policy.
