Newk's Eatery, the fast casual restaurant brand with nearly 100 locations, provides franchisees with hands-on support throughout restaurant development, opening and ongoing operations. Its corporate team works directly with owners on site selection, construction, training and marketing while providing continued assistance as franchisees expand their businesses.
Jessica Drahem, director of learning, development and culture at Newk's Eatery, said the company involves several departments in each restaurant opening. Each team works directly with franchisees to keep preparations on schedule and address issues as they arise.
"We're there every step of the way," Drahem said. "We have people who travel and actually are on-site, boots on the ground, to support those owners in real time."
Newk's begins preparing franchisees for their restaurant openings with a structured development process designed to keep construction, staffing and operational preparations on schedule. Franchise owners are introduced to the corporate departments that help them open their restaurants, building relationships they can rely on throughout the process.
"We start out with a 180-day checklist, and that begins at groundbreaking for a new store," Drahem said. “It brings all the departments together with the owner and general manager, if they've hired one. It introduces everyone to the franchise owner and their partners and outlines the steps they need to take and the timeline for completing them.”
As opening day gets closer, Newk's holds additional meetings with franchisees to check on construction, training and other preparations.
Newk's also provides an intensive six-week training program for restaurant managers. The program prepares them to oversee daily operations and become familiar with the brand's standards before they begin training their own employees.
Newk's sends a corporate training team to each new restaurant during the week leading up to its opening. The team works directly with employees and managers to prepare them for their first customers. Corporate representatives remain involved during opening week and can extend their visits if the restaurant requires additional assistance. The level of support depends on the management team's experience and the location's specific needs.
"We work with employees and their management team throughout the week before opening," Drahem said. “We also invite guests to sample the food and generate excitement. We hold a soft opening the following Monday, followed by a grand opening on Wednesday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.”
The opening process also involves Newk's franchise business consultants and senior leadership, who work with restaurant managers to resolve issues and establish consistent operations.
"If the store needs additional support the third and fourth week, we have managers or staff available to come back and lend additional support," Drahem said. "We have certified trainers that can come and lend additional support. It just depends on what that store actually needs."
Newk's provides franchisees with marketing resources designed to introduce their restaurants to the surrounding community. The corporate marketing team works with owners to develop promotional campaigns that reflect the demographics and characteristics of each market.
"Marketing is really great. They bring a giant seven-foot Newk's cup to support the opening," Drahem said. “They do banners out front. They support with social media. They support with TV ads. They meet with the owners and with the managers and tailor that package to the area. If it's more of a professional or residential area, they can fine-tune the marketing to fit the neighborhood.”
Technology support is another important part of the opening process. Newk's helps franchisees set up Toast, Olo and third-party delivery platforms before opening. Its purchasing and distribution teams also work with vendors to coordinate product deliveries and equipment installation.
Newk's franchise business consultants stay in regular contact with owners after opening. Corporate leadership also helps franchisees plan and develop additional locations.
Multi-unit franchisee Skip Russell, who previously operated 13 Popeyes restaurants, has experienced that support firsthand. Russell has expanded his Newk's portfolio through acquisitions and new development and credits the corporate team with helping him manage that growth.
"The support staff is amazing," Russell said. “The vice president of operations has been phenomenal. If I text him or call him, he calls right back. We've spent time together touring restaurants and talking through remodels, and our field business consultant checks in with us every week. When I tell them I want to build another restaurant, they start helping me get the information I need. They make it easy to keep growing.”
Newk's adjusts the amount of training support as franchisees open additional restaurants, taking into account their experience, location and number of new managers. For example, Newk's might send three certified trainers instead of four or five when an experienced franchisee opens a third or fourth restaurant.
"It depends on how far away from their home store they are or how many brand-new managers they have in that store," Drahem said. "No matter what, we treat each new store as a new store. We want that general manager to have the same experience. We want that neighborhood to have that same experience."
Newk's gives franchise owners direct access to corporate staff, including after regular business hours and on weekends. The company's support structure is designed to give operators access to the people responsible for individual departments rather than requiring them to navigate multiple layers of communication.
"Most of the stores I've opened, they have my cell phone number," Drahem said. “We're very responsive. We're in the restaurant business, so you can call me after five. Our staff is available on weekends. Our support center is what it is. It's a support center, and we're in the restaurant business, so we're reachable when you need us. You don't get a call center. You don't really get someone from far, far away. You get us.”
Newk's experienced leadership team supports that accessibility. The brand recently promoted 20-year company veteran Matt Wilson to chief operating officer. Wilson began his career as an assistant manager at Newk's original restaurant and has held leadership positions in operations, training, restaurant development and franchise support.
Newk's stays involved long after a franchisee opens their first restaurant. Owners continue working directly with the corporate team as they manage their restaurants and prepare to open additional locations.
"I think we're very reachable and approachable," Drahem said. “We bring that great Southern hospitality, even from our support center.”
To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://1851franchise.com/newks-eatery.
Newk’s Eatery
SPONSORED
With hands-on training, dedicated business consultants and an accessible corporate team, Newk's Eatery provides franchise owners with the resources to open, operate and grow their restaurants.
Newk's Eatery, the fast casual restaurant brand with nearly 100 locations, provides franchisees with hands-on support throughout restaurant development, opening and ongoing operations. Its corporate team works directly with owners on site selection, construction, training and marketing while providing continued assistance as franchisees expand their businesses.
Jessica Drahem, director of learning, development and culture at Newk's Eatery, said the company involves several departments in each restaurant opening. Each team works directly with franchisees to keep preparations on schedule and address issues as they arise.
"We're there every step of the way," Drahem said. "We have people who travel and actually are on-site, boots on the ground, to support those owners in real time."
Newk's begins preparing franchisees for their restaurant openings with a structured development process designed to keep construction, staffing and operational preparations on schedule. Franchise owners are introduced to the corporate departments that help them open their restaurants, building relationships they can rely on throughout the process.
"We start out with a 180-day checklist, and that begins at groundbreaking for a new store," Drahem said. “It brings all the departments together with the owner and general manager, if they've hired one. It introduces everyone to the franchise owner and their partners and outlines the steps they need to take and the timeline for completing them.”
As opening day gets closer, Newk's holds additional meetings with franchisees to check on construction, training and other preparations.
Newk's also provides an intensive six-week training program for restaurant managers. The program prepares them to oversee daily operations and become familiar with the brand's standards before they begin training their own employees.
Newk's sends a corporate training team to each new restaurant during the week leading up to its opening. The team works directly with employees and managers to prepare them for their first customers. Corporate representatives remain involved during opening week and can extend their visits if the restaurant requires additional assistance. The level of support depends on the management team's experience and the location's specific needs.
"We work with employees and their management team throughout the week before opening," Drahem said. “We also invite guests to sample the food and generate excitement. We hold a soft opening the following Monday, followed by a grand opening on Wednesday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.”
The opening process also involves Newk's franchise business consultants and senior leadership, who work with restaurant managers to resolve issues and establish consistent operations.
"If the store needs additional support the third and fourth week, we have managers or staff available to come back and lend additional support," Drahem said. "We have certified trainers that can come and lend additional support. It just depends on what that store actually needs."
Newk's provides franchisees with marketing resources designed to introduce their restaurants to the surrounding community. The corporate marketing team works with owners to develop promotional campaigns that reflect the demographics and characteristics of each market.
"Marketing is really great. They bring a giant seven-foot Newk's cup to support the opening," Drahem said. “They do banners out front. They support with social media. They support with TV ads. They meet with the owners and with the managers and tailor that package to the area. If it's more of a professional or residential area, they can fine-tune the marketing to fit the neighborhood.”
Technology support is another important part of the opening process. Newk's helps franchisees set up Toast, Olo and third-party delivery platforms before opening. Its purchasing and distribution teams also work with vendors to coordinate product deliveries and equipment installation.
Newk's franchise business consultants stay in regular contact with owners after opening. Corporate leadership also helps franchisees plan and develop additional locations.
Multi-unit franchisee Skip Russell, who previously operated 13 Popeyes restaurants, has experienced that support firsthand. Russell has expanded his Newk's portfolio through acquisitions and new development and credits the corporate team with helping him manage that growth.
"The support staff is amazing," Russell said. “The vice president of operations has been phenomenal. If I text him or call him, he calls right back. We've spent time together touring restaurants and talking through remodels, and our field business consultant checks in with us every week. When I tell them I want to build another restaurant, they start helping me get the information I need. They make it easy to keep growing.”
Newk's adjusts the amount of training support as franchisees open additional restaurants, taking into account their experience, location and number of new managers. For example, Newk's might send three certified trainers instead of four or five when an experienced franchisee opens a third or fourth restaurant.
"It depends on how far away from their home store they are or how many brand-new managers they have in that store," Drahem said. "No matter what, we treat each new store as a new store. We want that general manager to have the same experience. We want that neighborhood to have that same experience."
Newk's gives franchise owners direct access to corporate staff, including after regular business hours and on weekends. The company's support structure is designed to give operators access to the people responsible for individual departments rather than requiring them to navigate multiple layers of communication.
"Most of the stores I've opened, they have my cell phone number," Drahem said. “We're very responsive. We're in the restaurant business, so you can call me after five. Our staff is available on weekends. Our support center is what it is. It's a support center, and we're in the restaurant business, so we're reachable when you need us. You don't get a call center. You don't really get someone from far, far away. You get us.”
Newk's experienced leadership team supports that accessibility. The brand recently promoted 20-year company veteran Matt Wilson to chief operating officer. Wilson began his career as an assistant manager at Newk's original restaurant and has held leadership positions in operations, training, restaurant development and franchise support.
Newk's stays involved long after a franchisee opens their first restaurant. Owners continue working directly with the corporate team as they manage their restaurants and prepare to open additional locations.
"I think we're very reachable and approachable," Drahem said. “We bring that great Southern hospitality, even from our support center.”
To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://1851franchise.com/newks-eatery.
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