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Jim Gillenwater Jr. and his wife enjoyed dining at their local <a href="http://www.mcalistersdelifranchise.com/Home.aspx?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=mcalister-delis-simple-and-proven-business-model-helps-first-time-franchisee-become-a-successful-multi-unit-owner-12316" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">McAlister&rsquo;s Deli</a> as hungry customers. But it wasn&rsquo;t until 2003&mdash;when they joined Bill and Lora Robertson, the brand&rsquo;s existing franchisee in Louisville who opened two restaurants in 2001&mdash;that they realized the brand had the potential to become much more than their go-to fast casual spot.

&ldquo;Before I became a <a href="http://mcalistersdeli.1851franchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=mcalister-delis-simple-and-proven-business-model-helps-first-time-franchisee-become-a-successful-multi-unit-owner-12316" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">McAlister&rsquo;s</a> franchisee, I fell in love with the concept as a customer. My wife and I always enjoyed the brand&rsquo;s food, so when she suggested that I look into it as a business opportunity, I jumped at the chance,&rdquo; said Gillenwater Jr. &ldquo;The more I studied the business behind the McAlister&rsquo;s brand, the more I realized that this concept has the potential to reach every type of demographic in the market. It doesn&rsquo;t matter if you&rsquo;re old or young, male or female or what budget you&rsquo;re operating with, McAlister&rsquo;s has something for everyone.&rdquo;

To say that Gillenwater Jr. has been successful as a McAlister&rsquo;s Deli owner would be an understatement&mdash;after taking the leap and becoming a franchisee for the first time over a decade ago, the Gillenwaters and Robertsons now owns nine locations that are thriving in the Louisville, Kentucky area. They have even received numerous awards from the McAlister&rsquo;s corporate team over the years at the brand&rsquo;s annual banquet, including the Corporate Developer of the Year Award

Gillenwater Jr. credits that success to McAlister&rsquo;s simple and proven franchise system. Their business &nbsp;was able to rapidly grow from one unit to nine without any prior experience as a restaurant owner, ultimately allowing them to realize his their potential as an entrepreneurs. &nbsp;And Gillenwater Jr. says they are not done growing alongside the brand yet&mdash;they are currently in the process of pursuing plans to open several more McAlister&rsquo;s Deli restaurants down the line.

&ldquo;Franchisees like Jim and Bill perfectly exemplify the numerous opportunities for growth that McAlister&rsquo;s Deli has to offer. Even if you&rsquo;ve never owned and operated a restaurant before, our strong support system and proven model can set you up for long-term success,&rdquo; said Jeff Sturgis, vice president of franchise development for McAlister&rsquo;s. &ldquo;Our number one priority as a franchisor is making sure that our local owners are poised for growth, and we&rsquo;re eager to continue this trend as we continue expanding across the country.&rdquo;

The Louisville market isn&rsquo;t the only one primed for growth in the U.S.&mdash;McAlister&rsquo;s currently has its sights set on expanding in key areas like Tampa, Florida; Atlanta, Georgia; , Cleveland, OH and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. And with more than 400 restaurants operating in a wide variety of communities, it&rsquo;s clear that numerous franchisees are capitalizing on McAlister&rsquo;s Deli&rsquo;s position at the forefront of the fast casual industry.

Between its top quality menu, fresh ingredients and McAlister&rsquo;s Famous Sweet Tea, the brand is appealing to a large group of customers. And through its commitment to serving its products in a positive environment with exceptional customer service, McAlister&rsquo;s is actively setting itself apart from the competition.

&ldquo;Whenever I come across someone who has visited a McAlister&rsquo;s Deli, their reaction is enthusiastic. People don&rsquo;t just like to visit us, they love the entire experience,&rdquo; said Gillenwater Jr. &ldquo;McAlister&rsquo;s has given us all of the tools and resources that I need to be successful. Its business model is simple and easy to adapt to our market, which makes us excited about the possibilities for growth with the brand going forward.&rdquo;

McAlister Deli’s Simple and Proven Business Model Helps First Time Franchisee Become a Successful Multi-Unit Owner

1851 Franchise

Jim Gillenwater Jr. has been growing alongside the McAlister’s Deli brand since becoming a franchisee in Louisville, Kentucky back in 2003.


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