1851

You’re a brand’s newest franchisee. You’ve signed on the dotted line. You’re all in.So when will your franchise open?The opening process can vary among brands. Granted, there are a lot of things to consider. Does your franchise require a brick-and-mortar location? Specialty equipment? An exceptionally strategic location? All of these things can affect your opening date.&nbsp;Two franchise brands, the gym concept <a href="https://www.blinkfranchising.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=how-long-does-the-franchise-opening-process-typically-take-2712130" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Blink Fitness</a> and the breakfast and lunch concept <a href="https://thetoastedyolk.com/franchise-opportunity/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=how-long-does-the-franchise-opening-process-typically-take-2712130" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">The Toasted Yolk Café</a>, shared their insights with <a href="https://1851franchise.com/">1851 Franchise</a> on what new franchisees can expect in terms of an opening timeline.&nbsp;“We allow 16 months for a franchisee to open their first location,” Blink Fitness’ Director of Franchise Development, Patti Rother, wrote in an email. “Much of this time includes finding the right site and signing a lease, which can take several months. The actual construction period lasts roughly 12 to 14 weeks.”&nbsp;Once buildout is complete, Blink Fitness allows two weeks for the brand’s employees, referred to as “MoodLifters,” to practice giving tours to potential members, Rother said.&nbsp;“This ensures a strong launch and consistency in our service across franchise locations,” Rother wrote. “After the first location, our franchisees open anywhere from one to four gyms a year, depending on the development schedule they signed.”For a franchisee with the Toasted Yolk, the brand is currently seeing between nine and 12 months from signing to opening, according to Paul Segreto, the CEO of <a href="https://franchisefoundry.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=how-long-does-the-franchise-opening-process-typically-take-2712130" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Franchise Foundry</a>, <a href="https://franchisefoundry.com/franchise/toasted-yolk/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=how-long-does-the-franchise-opening-process-typically-take-2712130" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">which partners with The Toasted Yolk</a>. A big part of this timeline is finding a good location and securing the right real estate, Segreto said. Once a location is secured, then the process leading up to opening moves fast, regardless of the type of building they secured.“We’re not really looking to just put these anywhere,” Segreto said. “We want our franchisees to be able to start from day one with a strong business model.”&nbsp;A concern with the breakfast segment, Segreto noted, is making sure the restaurant will get traffic Monday through Thursday.&nbsp;“[The key to success is] developing an equally strong lunch menu to go along with the very strong breakfast-brunch menu,” he said. “That has been key. Monday through Thursday is driving that lunch business, so we like to be close to schools and hospitals and those nice two- and three-story office buildings that house attorneys, real estate agents and insurance agents. Because of that, the real estate process takes a while.”&nbsp;Lack of brand recognition can also pose potential challenges to a franchise opening, especially for emerging brands, which is why strategic marketing efforts are crucial to success.“Like any emerging franchise system, we are often bringing our gyms to new markets where there isn’t significant brand recognition,” Rother said. “We support our franchisees in building brand awareness through local marketing. Our team helps our franchisees by providing support every step of the way: pre-opening, grand opening and post-opening. We utilize best practices and learnings from operating 100+ company-owned locations while also utilizing the franchise operators’ local knowledge.”In terms of business experience, Blink Fitness franchisees are not required to have a background in the <a href="https://1851franchise.com/top-10-health-and-fitness-franchises-to-watch-in-2020-2711666#most-recent">fitness industry</a>. Some might view this as a challenge, but the brand has other priorities, Rother said.&nbsp;“We actually believe that in order to be a successful Blink Fitness franchisee, understanding hospitality, marketing, development and operations is more important than having fitness-specific knowledge or experience,” Rother said.&nbsp;For the Toasted Yolk, one of the major challenges to a franchise opening is winning over property owners who want to make sure they rent out space to a business that will succeed in that space, according to Segreto. “They really are starting to push a little bit harder for franchisees that have experience as a restaurant operator,” he said. For this reason, the Toasted Yolk works closely with franchisees to reassure property owners that franchisees will be supported.“We’re not guaranteeing their lease or anything like that, but we are standing side-by-side with them to give the property owner the confidence that we’re there for the franchisee,” he said.&nbsp;Additionally, the Toasted Yolk currently works with the brokerage and property management firm Henry S. Miller in Dallas, which gives franchisees a leg up on finding prime locations and helps win over local property owners, Segreto said.&nbsp;The brand seeks to be extra cognizant of franchisees’ time and will run numbers and provide demographic information to help determine whether a location will be right, Segreto said.&nbsp;“We want to make sure that they get off on the right foot,” Segreto said of new franchisees. “We believe that early-stage work with them is absolutely critical.”&nbsp;Despite all the challenges inherent in planning and executing a successful franchise opening, both brands execute timely openings at a consistent rate. For Blink Fitness, each opening is viewed as a learning experience and one that the brand can build on as it enters new markets, Rother said.&nbsp;“One franchisee happened to find two fantastic real estate sites at the same time and opened gym No. 1 and No. 2 within a few weeks of each other,” Rother said. “What could have been a very stressful, trying time was seamlessly executed by his team and ours. Due to the fact that he was opening two gyms at once, he was able to benefit from some widespread marketing efforts, like taking over the local radio station, and strategic local-earned public relations. Building brand awareness was the key to entering this new market.”Of course, the franchisee in question also did an admirable amount of footwork and due diligence.&nbsp;“He did a great job with the local marketing as well, partnering with several leading local nonprofits,” Rother said. “Launching the brand into a new market with two locations right away gave this franchisee a great start.”

How Long Does the Franchise Opening Process Typically Take?

1851 Franchise

According to experts at Blink Fitness and the Toasted Yolk, finding the right location can be a time-consuming first step. 

how-long-does-the-franchise-opening-process-typically-take

ServiceMaster Restore

ServiceMaster Restore - Disaster Response - 1851 Franchise

When Disaster Strikes, ServiceMaster Restore Moves

servicemaster-restore-disaster-response-carmen-coleman

Children's Lighthouse

How Children’s Lighthouse Stands Out Among Other Children’s Education, Childcare, and Daycare Franchises

how-childrens-lighthouse-stands-out-among-other-childrens-education-childcare-and-daycare-franchises

The Growth Coach

The Growth Coach Franchise Costs, Fees, Profit and Data for 2025

the-growth-coach-franchise-costs-fees-profit-and-data-for-2025

One Hour Heating and Air Conditioning

Why One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning Sees People as the Power Behind Franchise Growth

one-hour-heating-air-conditioning-franchise-growth

Lawn Doctor

Design with photo of John Perry and Lawn Doctor logo

How a 20-Year Industry Veteran Tripled His Sales With a Lawn Doctor Franchise

lawn-doctor-franchise-success-story-john-perry

Buying a Franchise Masterclass

 Franchise Opportunities

Get Support Buying a Franchise

How to Buy a Franchise White Paper

How to Buy a Franchise

How to Sell Franchises

How to Grow a Franchise

Find a Franchise Supplier

1851 Franchise Opportunities

Franchisor News

Franchisor Power Rankings

FranCamp Mastermind Summit

Franchise Development Website Builder

Franchise Resources

What ALEC-Laffer's Report Means for Franchising

Website Awards

Power Rankings

About 1851

Advertise on 1851

Contact 1851 Editorial

Terms of Use

1851 Login

GROWTH CLUB LOGIN

facebook

instagram

twitter

linkedin

youtube

Design with American and Federal Reserve flags against light blue background

Federal Reserve Expected To Cut Rates by Quarter Point, a Move That Could Boost Franchise Growth

fed-rate-cut-boosts-franchise-growth

Potbelly to be Acquired by RaceTrac in $566 Million Deal 

racetrac-acquires-potbelly-in-566-million-deal

Health Care Hiring Slowdown Highlights In-Home Care Franchise Opportunities - 1851 Franchise Agg

Health Care Hiring Slowdown Highlights In-Home Care Franchise Opportunities 

health-care-hiring-slowdown-in-home-care-franchise-opportunities

Caribou Coffee Names Scott Kennedy CEO, Eyes Continued Growth

caribou-coffee-names-scott-kennedy-ceo-eyes-continued-growth

McDonald’s Launches New Extra Value Meals as Consumer Demand for Value Continues to Climb

mcdonalds-launches-extra-value-meals

Hely and Hiral Patel Bring Their Longtime Dream to Life With The Brass Tap

brass-tap-franchise-pasadena-maryland-hely-hiral-patel

Franchisee spotlight graphic with photo of Ricki Oberoi and Layne's Chicken Fingers logo

Multi-Unit Wendy’s Operator Signs 12-Unit Deal With Layne’s Chicken Fingers

ricki-oberoi-laynes-chicken-fingers-growth

graphic image of an 1851 franchisee spotlight brayden and johnny steven of teriyaki madness

Father-and-Daughter Team Bring Teriyaki Madness to Wichita, Kansas, With Big Expansion Plans

johnny-brayden-steven-teriyaki-madness-wichita

photo-of-laynes-chicken-fingers-dalton-dennis-southern-oregon

23-Year-Old Entrepreneur Brings Soon to Be Famous Chicken™ to Southern Oregon With 3-Unit Layne’s Chicken Fingers Franchise Signing

laynes-chicken-fingers-dalton-dennis-southern-oregon

1851 Keyword - The Secret To Succeeding With a Part-Time Franchise Is Picking the Right Model

How Long Does the Franchise Opening Process Typically Take?

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS