Rick Howard's path to becoming a multi-brand, multi-unit franchisee was anything but typical. After years spent working drug cases in a narcotics unit, Howard entered the restaurant world almost by chance, thanks to a college partner. Then, by another stroke of luck, the Newk’s Eatery brand was brought to his attention — multiple times.

Now, with a diverse portfolio that includes Newk's Eatery, Dunkin', Wild Wing Cafe and his own concept, Toasted Kitchen & Cocktails, Howard continues to grow, leveraging both his own entrepreneurial drive and the support of the franchise model as he prepares to open his newest restaurant in Statesboro.

Howard took the time to chat with 1851 Franchise to discuss all of this and more. Here’s what he had to say:

1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us. What do you want us to know?

Rick Howard: I wouldn't say my journey has been a straight line. I came out of college in 1987 and went into law enforcement, spending most of my time in a narcotics unit for about seven and a half years, but I knew I didn’t want to spend my whole career in and retire from the law enforcement world. 

My path took a turn when my college partner, who was already in the fast-food business, convinced me to invest in a Baskin-Robbins. That was my introduction to the food industry, and from there, I transitioned into Dunkin' Donuts, Wild Wing Cafe and now other franchises. I also have my own breakfast brunch concept with my wife.  

1851: What did you do before franchising, and how did you decide franchising made sense for you?

Howard: The decision to get into franchising wasn't really a decision I made on my own initially. My college partner, who had taken a different path and was already in the fast-food business with Baskin-Robbins, kind of talked me into it. At the time, I didn't have any experience in the restaurant business, so franchising seemed to make sense because it offered a level of support.  

I would have never been able to do it without that support. After that first venture, I caught the bug and wanted to try again.

1851: What was your perception of franchising prior to becoming a franchisee, and what do you want people to know about franchising now that you are in it?

Howard: My perception of franchising before I became a franchisee was pretty limited. Like many people, when I heard the word "franchise," I immediately thought of McDonald's. I didn't really have a good understanding of what being a franchisee actually meant. 

Now that I'm in it, I've learned that the experience really depends on the specific brand. For example, a big brand like Dunkin' is very corporate. There are thousands of locations, so it's a different feel. Smaller brands often have a more family-oriented feel, which I prefer.  

With a franchise, you have someone to call who has been through what you’re going to encounter. They’ve vetted everything and know what works and what doesn’t. That’s a good thing, because when you start your own concept, you're the guinea pig.

1851: What made you pick this brand? What excites you most about this company?

Howard: I wasn't really looking for another franchise when Newk's came along. I was actually looking for a location for my breakfast brunch concept, Toasted Kitchen & Cocktails. I had given my specifications to a commercial broker I was dealing with. 

After our conversation, he mentioned Newk's and asked if I had ever thought about doing one. I told him I didn't really know what Newk's was; I recognized the logo, but there weren’t any locations around me. Then, a week later, I was on a plane to Nashville with the athletic director for Georgia Southern University, and he asked me the same question! It was crazy that I had just heard about it a week before. That made me decide I needed to look into it. 

I got home, went online and was interested. I sent in an application, got a call back and decided to fly down for Discovery Day. Even the flight down there was strange. There had been a recent storm, so much of the area was shut down, but the then-CEO of Newk’s ended up being on my plane. His bag had gotten moved to a different luggage compartment, and I helped him find it as we deplaned. I didn’t know who he was until I met him the next morning at Discovery Day. It just kept coming up, and I thought that was a sign that it was meant to be.

After all of this, and a great experience with the team at Discovery Day, I wanted to visit a Newk’s that was more local to me. I went to the one in Athens, Georgia, and everyone I talked to said they loved it. I hadn’t heard that about any other brand — usually people just say it’s okay. That’s what excited me about the brand even more.

1851: What do you hope to achieve with your business? What are your plans for growth? 

Howard: Well, I'm getting older, so I don't see myself spending the next 20 years running these restaurants. 

My partner is the same age, but his daughter, who is also my goddaughter, and her husband are going to be involved. Her husband is an excellent operator. He’s run a lot of different brands, including Dunkin' and his own sub shop, Larry’s. So, our plan is to bring him in and groom him over the next three to five years so that he can eventually take over. What that looks like exactly, whether it's full ownership or some kind of partnership, will happen over the next three to five years. 

1851: Is there anything else about your story you want us to know?

Howard: It's a lot of controlled chaos. We deal with it every day. I often don’t know where I’m going because something comes up every day, somewhere. I get sidetracked. I’ll be focused on one thing, and then I have to run to another store because of something else. But we still like it.  It's better than working a nine-to-five job, clocking in and out.

1851: What advice do you have for other people thinking about becoming franchise owners?

Howard: My advice would be to really do your research and be specific about the brand you choose. 

It really depends on the size of the brand and what you're looking for. If you haven't had experience in the field you're going into, franchising can be a good option because you have the support and guidance of the franchisor. They’ve already vetted things and know what works and what doesn’t.

ABOUT NEWK'S EATERY

Based in Jackson, Mississippi, Newk’s Eatery is a fast-casual chain that operates and franchises just under 100 units in 12 states. Founded in 2004 and named after Co-Founder Chris “Newk” Newcomb, Newk’s offers salads, sandwiches, soups and pizzas, all made in-house without fryers or microwaves. Fresh grab-and-go options are also available, and Newk’s new mobile app, now available on Google Play and the App Store, offers mobile ordering for curbside, in-store pickup or delivery. In 2020, Newk’s ranked in Nation’s Restaurant News’ “Top 200 Countdown” and Restaurant Business’ Top 250 Chains. Newk’s has also been selected as a Top Food Franchise by Entrepreneur. In 2021, Newk’s was recognized in Nation’s Restaurant News as a “Top Scorer in Takeout Food Quality” and ranked among the highest “True Loyalty” scores – the percentages of respondents who said they visit because of a real desire to experience the brand, as opposed to convenience. For more information, visit Newks.com, join Newk’s Rewards or follow Newk’s on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. For franchise information, visit franchise.newks.com.