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Attracting multi-unit franchisees requires more than just a good product and a strong brand — it demands a strategic approach to positioning, communication and growth. In a recent episode of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/live/LT4h7992aqY?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=coffee-analytics-the-secret-to-attracting-multi-unit-franchisees-2728688" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">“Coffee &amp; Analytics”</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/powills/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=coffee-analytics-the-secret-to-attracting-multi-unit-franchisees-2728688" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Nick Powills</a> — founder and chief growth officer of 1851 Franchise — shared valuable insights on how to successfully appeal to this high-stakes audience. Here's a breakdown of his key strategies.<h2>Understand the Mindset of Multi-Unit Franchisees</h2>Powills emphasizes the importance of understanding the buying behavior of multi-unit franchisees. These are not typical investors; they are strategic, capitalized and often looking for underperforming units to add to their existing portfolios. They are seeking:<ul><li>Profitability and Sound Investment: Multi-unit franchisees prioritize opportunities that are financially sound, with clear cost-to-entry figures and proven unit-level economics.</li><li>Portfolio Expansion Potential:&nbsp;They prefer underperforming units that can be turned around and want flexibility in choosing their locations.</li><li>Leadership Vision and Brand Differentiation:&nbsp;They want to see a clear point of differentiation and strong leadership vision, which helps them feel confident about scaling within the brand.</li></ul>To effectively reach this audience, franchise brands should showcase profitability, leadership and unique selling points on their websites and in their franchise marketing materials.<h2>Positioning Your Brand To Stand Out</h2>Most franchise brands make the mistake of leading with their “why you, why now” messaging, focusing on their unique franchise opportunity. Instead, Powills suggests an “inverted pyramid” approach, where brands first highlight the additional resources and advantages franchisees receive. This shifts the conversation from “why this brand” to “how this brand helps me succeed.”To attract multi-unit franchisees, brands should:<ul><li>Showcase Available Resources: Highlight direct financing channels, operational support and any tools that make scaling easier.</li><li>Leverage Existing Success Stories:&nbsp;Promote stories of current franchisees who have successfully scaled, particularly if they are multi-unit operators. This peer validation is powerful in convincing potential investors.</li><li>Package Potential Resales:&nbsp;Market potential resales as multi-unit packages to attract franchisees looking for portfolio expansion.</li></ul><h2>Where Multi-Unit Franchisees Get Their Information</h2>Understanding where multi-unit franchisees get their information is crucial to targeting them effectively. Key channels include:&nbsp;<ul><li>LinkedIn and Facebook:&nbsp;While franchisees may not click on direct ads, they are open to educational content and videos shared through their networks.</li><li>Next Best Lists and Industry News:&nbsp;Many franchisees discover new brands by Googling “top emerging brands” or by reading industry trades and franchise news sites.</li><li>Peer Recommendations:&nbsp;Multi-unit franchisees often consult other franchisees when exploring new investments, making peer validation a vital component of a successful marketing strategy.</li></ul>Powills also stresses the importance of having a “steady drumbeat” of signings, openings and milestone announcements on LinkedIn and other industry news platforms.<h2>Smart Growth Strategy: Start Small and Scale</h2>A counterintuitive but effective growth strategy for brands looking to scale is to award single units with the option to expand, rather than awarding large territories upfront. This approach ensures that franchisees prove themselves with one unit before scaling, minimizing risk and preventing stalled growth due to blocked territories.Key recommendations include:<ul><li>Award One, Prove Performance, Then Scale:&nbsp;Give well-capitalized franchisees the first right of refusal to expand once they prove strong performance and key performance indicator (KPI) achievement.</li><li>Avoid Overselling Territories: Overselling territories can freeze growth if franchisees underperform or fail to scale.</li><li>Create a Multi-Unit Growth Path:&nbsp;By allowing franchisees to gradually expand, brands can organically grow their multi-unit operations without relying on high-stakes “whale” franchisees.</li></ul>This strategic growth path balances ambition with caution, ensuring sustainable expansion.<h2>Keep It Simple and Focus on Profitability</h2>Powills emphasizes the importance of simplicity in the business model. Multi-unit franchisees are interested in simple operations, clear profitability metrics and scalability. He cites the example of&nbsp;<a href="https://alloyfranchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=coffee-analytics-the-secret-to-attracting-multi-unit-franchisees-2728688" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Alloy Personal Training</a>, which maintains a streamlined operational model with a clear cost structure, making it an attractive investment opportunity.Key takeaways for brands include:<ul><li>Focus on Cost and Profitability: Multi-unit franchisees prioritize straightforward cost structures and clear profit margins.</li><li>Emphasize Return on Royalty: Powills introduces the concept of “return on royalty,” encouraging brands to showcase the tangible benefits franchisees receive for their royalty payments.</li><li>Build a Culture of Growth:&nbsp;Brands should highlight continuous growth and franchisee success stories, showing how they support franchisees in scaling their businesses.</li></ul><h2>Invest in Performance, Not Just Size</h2>Chase franchisees who perform above average and have enough capital to scale rather than chasing “whale” multi-unit operators who may not align with the brand's culture or growth strategy. This targeted approach ensures sustainable growth while maintaining the integrity and culture of the brand.By focusing on profitability, strategic growth and effective communication, franchise brands can attract the right multi-unit franchisees who will grow with the brand for the long term.Watch the full video above or on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/live/LT4h7992aqY?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=coffee-analytics-the-secret-to-attracting-multi-unit-franchisees-2728688" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">YouTube</a>.&nbsp;To learn more from recent episodes of “Coffee &amp; Analytics,”&nbsp;check out these stories on 1851 Franchise:<ul><li><a href="https://1851franchise.com/coffee-and-analytics-ai-can-supercharge-your-franchise-content-marketing-2728309#stories">Coffee and Analytics: AI Can Supercharge Your Franchise Content Marketing</a></li><li><a href="https://1851franchise.com/coffee-and-analytics-do-younger-people-buy-franchises-faster-2727070#stories">Coffee and Analytics: Do Younger People Buy Franchises Faster?</a></li><li><a href="https://1851franchise.com/coffee-and-analytics-should-you-ever-invest-in-a-franchise-expo-2726470#stories">Coffee and Analytics: Should You Ever Invest in a Franchise Expo?</a></li></ul>

How to Attract Multi-Unit Franchisees: Proven Strategies

1851 Franchise

https://www.youtube.com/embed/LT4h7992aqY

To attract multi-unit franchisees, it’s important to focus on clear profitability, strategic growth paths and effective marketing channels.

Coffee & Analytics: The Secret to Attracting Multi-Unit Franchisees

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Scaling the Soon-to-Be Famous: How Layne’s Chicken Fingers Leveraged a Mainland Franchise Assessment to Fuel a 110% Growth Surge

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The chicken wars aren’t slowing down. If anything, the quick-service chicken category feels more crowded than ever, with brands battling for real estate, franchisees and customer loyalty. Some have hit a wall.&nbsp;<a href="https://layneschickenfranchising.com/">Layne’s Chicken Fingers</a> has not.&nbsp;In 2025, the Texas-founded Soon to Be Famous™ concept posted 110% footprint growth, doubling its restaurant count in a single year. For a brand that built its early following in College Station near Texas A&amp;M, the leap to national relevance has been swift — but it wasn’t accidental.Behind the expansion is a coordinated effort between Layne’s leadership and PR firm&nbsp;<a href="https://hellomainland.com/">Mainland</a>. The partnership blended operational discipline with sustained media visibility, giving the&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/layneschickenfingers/info">Layne’s</a> brand both the infrastructure and the spotlight needed to grow. With a focus on perfecting chicken fingers, fries and toast, the Layne’s menu is pretty straightforward. But the growth strategy employed was anything but casual.<h2>A Defining Year</h2>By the end of 2025, Layne’s had 40 restaurants open and 10 new franchise owners added to the system. Development momentum continued with a 44-unit agreement and a 15-unit expansion in Wisconsin, pushing the brand toward its ambitiously stated goal of 300 units by 2030.Those numbers quickly began attracting national attention. Layne’s secured the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.restaurantbusinessonline.com/future-50-2025/laynes-chicken-fingers">No. 6 position</a> on the Restaurant Business 2025 Future 50 list and ranked No. 366 on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.entrepreneur.com/franchise500">Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500</a>. Systemwide sales grew as well, climbing 67% to reach an impressive $30 million.For the Layne’s leadership team, the growth traces back to a clear philosophy: delicious food and franchise support above all else. Layne’s COO&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/samir-wattar-0a4187a/">Samir Wattar</a> describes the company’s unique approach."Franchisees sign with us for services," he said. "That’s a mind shift because they run restaurants. Part of servicing franchisees is saying no to protect them and protect the brand. We’re building a support organization for a brand that we’re really passionate about."Layne’s treats franchisees as the primary customer. And it’s a mindset that shapes everything from operations to development strategy.<h2>Getting the Word Out Before the Doors Opened</h2>A central piece of Mainland’s approach was securing credible, third-party exposure. Rather than relying solely on traditional advertising, the focus was on great storytelling that would secure earned media in each new market.In Little Rock, Arkansas, Layne’s appeared on KARK-TV (CBS), where Director of Marketing&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashley-reynolds-957a3151/">Ashley Reynolds</a> introduced local viewers to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kark.com/video/game-day-made-easy-with-layne%e2%80%99s-tailgate-packs/11136197/">brand’s tailgate packs</a>. In Oregon, KDRV-TV (ABC) profiled franchisee Dalton Dennis and his efforts to bring&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/laynes-chicken-fingers-dalton-dennis-southern-oregon-2730210">Layne’s to Grants Pass</a>. KWTX-TV (CBS) in Waco covered an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kwtx.com/2025/12/06/restaurant-report-card-waco-central-texas-12525/">upcoming opening in Lampasas</a>.At the national level, outlets such as QSR Magazine, Nation’s Restaurant News and Franchise Times ran deeper features on the brand’s culture and leadership, including coverage of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/cuyler-e-51047a2a/">Cuyler Esposito’s</a> appointment as vice president of culture and operations.&nbsp;For prospective operators, this kind of coverage signals more than enthusiasm for the brand. It signifies organizational maturity.<h2>Turning Attention Into Traffic</h2>The real impact of that media push showed up at store openings.In Virginia, a franchisee reportedly opened without spending on traditional marketing. As a result of Mainland’s marketing efforts,&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/layneschickenfingers/laynes-chicken-fingers-franchise-six-figure-opening-2729437#stories">opening day traffic backed up onto the highway</a>. Local news coverage had already introduced the brand to the community and explained what made it different.That kind of momentum carries weight beyond consumer traffic. For potential franchisees, seeing a brand featured in Restaurant Business, or highlighted on local television, reinforces confidence. Visibility suggests stability. Stability supports multi-unit decisions.<h2>More Than a Vendor Relationship</h2>Wattar has worked with Mainland across three different concepts. He describes the relationship as long-term and built on trust rather than transaction."They’ve been there for me through thick and thin," Wattar said. "They’ve been there when things are bad and helped me out of it. And they’ve been there for me when things are good and helped me celebrate. I’ve never had the intention of looking elsewhere. The most important thing is having the relationship with the person you’re dealing with and building that trust."Layne’s sets development targets each year: how many restaurants to open, how many franchisees to bring on. And Mainland has become a significant part of that strategic conversation."I’m not an expert in getting leads or PR. But I know how to sell and I believe in our brand," Wattar said. "I rely on Mainland to come up with the ideas. ‘How am I going to achieve my goal?’"<h2>Scaling With Structure</h2>As Layne’s pushes toward 2026 and beyond, the company views public relations and media exposure as part of the scaffolding that supports growth. National expansion requires more than signed agreements. It requires awareness in markets where the brand name might still be unfamiliar. And Mainland can help.The investment to open a Layne’s Chicken Fingers franchise ranges from $451,500 to $1,050,000. For many operators, that figure represents years of saving, planning and personal commitment. It’s something Layne’s Chicken Fingers not only understands but embraces, supporting franchisees at the local level which helps further scale the brand."To us, it’s a job. To them, it’s a livelihood," Wattar said. "The restaurant business has evolved, but the fundamentals haven’t changed. Service. Transparency. Be open. Franchisees are your bread and butter. They’re making the investment. We have to listen to them.”Layne’s growth story isn’t built solely on a hot category or a trending menu item. It’s built on disciplined operations, selective franchise development and a steady drumbeat of visibility in the markets it enters.For brands hoping to follow a similar path, the lesson is straightforward: growth requires both a strong internal foundation and a clear external voice. When those two move in sync, a regional favorite can begin to look like a national contender. And a&nbsp;<a href="https://hellomainland.com/company/#our-services">Mainland franchise assessment</a> can help deliver strategic growth.Growing and selling franchises is difficult. Want to learn more about how 1851 helps franchisors grow their franchises with confidence? Visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.1851growthclub.com">www.1851growthclub.com</a> and see what we can do for you.

The rapidly expanding chicken concept used expert operational insights and earned media placements to secure a landmark 44-unit deal and double its restaurant footprint in a single year.

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The Buzz Factory Blueprint: How Mainland Amplifies Brand Narratives By Leaving Traditional Blanket Marketing Behind

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image of 1851 franchise nick powills coffee and analytics webinar on multi unit conferences 

Coffee & Analytics: The Secret to Attracting Multi-Unit Franchisees

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