1851

In <a href="https://www.thecounterfranchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=the-five-traits-of-franchisees-at-the-counter-2708238" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Counter</a>&rsquo;s history as a franchise, <a href="https://1851franchise.com/thecounter/a-focus-on-customization-lets-the-counter-stand-out-from-the-burger-crowd-2706589" target="_blank">the custom-burger brand has become one of the most popular concepts in its segment</a>, establishing 39 locations in markets across the country. Like the restaurant&rsquo;s consumer offerings, its operational model has been refined to work in any market. Still, there are certain traits that the franchise brand looks for when vetting candidates for franchise ownership.

April Fogle is the VP of restaurant operations for <a href="https://1851franchise.com/thecounter" target="_blank">The Counter</a>&reg;. She points to five traits that make for strong franchisees. If you&rsquo;re considering becoming a franchisee with The Counter, here are the traits you&rsquo;ll need to have.

A Strong Work Ethic

Fogle says all prospective franchise owners need to have realistic expectations of what owning and managing a restaurant entails.

&ldquo;Restaurants are open seven days a week,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;Our restaurants are open nights and holidays, so it is a different world than a 9-5 job. Our busiest times are when most people are not working. In the front of the house you are on stage always smiling and serving guests.&nbsp; In the back of the house the pressure is on to execute the highest quality food in a timely fashion. This industry is known for long hours, but when you see your guests leave praising the food and the experience it makes it all worth it. You strive each day to create memorable moments for each and every guest. This is a lifestyle many embrace, but it is not a fit for everyone.&rdquo;

A Customer-Service Mindset

Fogle says The Counter treats the restaurant industry as a people business. Franchise owners and their staff are not just facilitating transactions with their customers, they are building relationships.&nbsp; Guests come to The Counter to have an experience with their friends and family or business associates. They expect excellent service and hospitality. The staff needs to see that the managers and franchise owners emulate that so they know what is expected. They need to be managed by people who love people.

&ldquo;When you establish and maintain relationships with your guests, that builds trust, loyalty and sales,&rdquo; Fogle said. &ldquo;If people feel at home at your location, if you treat them like royalty, and you continue to deliver excellent food and service consistently, they are going to keep coming back. It&rsquo;s as simple as that.&rdquo;

An Eye for Opportunity

The Counter has developed a rock-solid operational model, but that doesn&rsquo;t mean there aren&rsquo;t opportunities for franchise owners to go above and beyond, and that&#39;s exactly what makes the franchise&rsquo;s best owners stand out. The key, Fogle says, is being someone who is never satisfied with good enough.

&ldquo;We always encourage our franchisees to dream big and aim higher,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;We want to work with people who are ambitious and are not easily satisfied. Our best franchise owners are constantly looking at their restaurants and thinking about where new opportunities might be, whether that&rsquo;s out in the community or inside their own four walls. It&rsquo;s about focus and engagement; you can&rsquo;t just be monitoring the bottom line.&rdquo;

A Hands-On Attitude

&ldquo;The Counter&reg; is not built for absentee franchise ownership,&rdquo; said Fogle. The franchise&rsquo;s operational model is easy to pick up, but it&rsquo;s not a set-and-forget operation. Prospective franchisees should be prepared to learn the ins and outs of both the back- and front-of-house operations.

&ldquo;Our franchise owners and managers should understand it is like throwing a party every day when they open the restaurant,&rdquo; Fogle said. &ldquo;There are many details to tend to, but you want to make sure your guests do not see any of the work and can just enjoy their experience. Owners and managers are responsible for setting the standard of hard work for their staff. They need to be on top of everything from service to recipe adherence to table touching to ticket times to food safety.&rdquo;

A Passion for Community

Local marketing is one of the most important aspects of any The Counter operation, and the most effective local marketers are franchisees who are passionate about building relationships in their communities, Fogle says.

&ldquo;In this industry, you need to be aggressive with your marketing. Never wait for someone to do it for you,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s important to never stop marketing in your community. People need to know your name, and you need to remain top-of-mind. The best way to do that is to stay involved in your community.&nbsp; Also your regulars are a huge help as well. Getting to know the names and occupations of your regular guests that come in will only help your business. Your regulars have catering events, office parties, and buy gift cards for friends and neighbors. If they know you and you exceed their expectations, they will call or visit you first. &nbsp;The regulars will market for you when they love your restaurant.&rdquo;

&copy;2018 CB Franchise Systems, LLC. All rights reserved. All other trademarks referenced are property of their respective owners. The information provided herein is for informational purposes only and is not intended as an offer to sell, or the solicitation of an offer to buy, a franchise; nor is it directed to the residents of any particular jurisdiction within the U.S. or elsewhere. The following states currently regulate the offer and sale of franchises: CA, HI, IL, IN, MD, MI, MN, NY, ND, RI, SD, VA, WA, and WI. If you are a resident of one of these states, or of a jurisdiction that has similar requirements, we will not offer you a franchise until we have completed the applicable registration or obtained the exemption from registration, and completed the applicable disclosure requirements. Regardless of what state you reside in, an offering can only be made by a franchise disclosure document.

The Five Traits of Franchisees at The Counter

1851 Franchise

The brand’s VP of restaurant operations on what it takes to run a great franchise.

This brand page has been paid for by 1851. Content within this page that is paid will showcase a Sponsored icon. This means the brand has engaged 1851 FRANCHISE to write the content. Content without the Sponsored Icon is aggregated media placements the brand earned. Questions can be sent to editorial@1851franchise.com

the-five-traits-of-franchisees-at-the-counter

Lawn Doctor

Happinest-Lawn-Doctor-Franchisee-Ralph-Valle-Profile-Jacksonville-FL-June-2025

From Near-Quit to 7 Figures: Success With Lawn Doctor in Jacksonville, Florida

lawn-doctor-franchise-success-jacksonville

Atomic Wings

Atomic Wings Debuts in Metro East With Fairview Heights Grand Opening

atomic-wings-debuts-in-metro-east-with-fairview-heights-grand-opening

Pet Wants

Pet Wants Shares Expert Tips on Cleaning Pet Gear Safely in the Dishwasher

pet-wants-shares-expert-tips-on-cleaning-pet-gear-safely-in-the-dishwasher

Griswold

Griswold in Andover, Minnesota, Connects Students and Seniors Through Pen Pal Program

griswold-in-andover-minnesota-connects-students-and-seniors-through-pen-pal-program

HomeTeam Inspection Service

Photo of HomeTeam Inspection Service franchisee Max Moarefdoust

Corporate Employee Turned Owner Illustrates the Power of the HomeTeam Model

max-moarefdoust-hometeam-success

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

Chick-fil-A Tops Customer Satisfaction Rankings for 11th Year as Challenger Brands Gain Ground

chick-fil-a-tops-customer-satisfaction-rankings-for-11th-year-as-challenger-brands-gain-ground

Technomic Releases Annual Ranking of the Top 15 Fast-Food Chains in the U.S.

technomic-releases-annual-ranking-of-the-top-15-fast-food-chains-in-the-us

Rising Jobless Claims Could Signal Challenges — and Opportunities — for Franchising

rising-jobless-claims-affect-franchising

Hardee’s Lawsuit Highlights the Risk of Going Off-Model in Franchising

hardees-franchise-lawsuit-paradigm-investment-group

Hooters Leans Into Franchising With Closure of 30 Company-Owned Stores - Agg - 1851 Franchise

Hooters Leans Into Franchising With Closure of 30 Company-Owned Stores

hooters-franchise-model-company-owned-closures

How Vishal Juneja Turned a Family Tradition Into a Paris Baguette Franchise

How Vishal Juneja Turned a Family Tradition Into a Paris Baguette Franchise Built on Heart and Community

paris-baguette-franchise-rockaway-new-jersey-vishal-junjea

Franchisee spotlight graphic with photo of Raj Pingili and Paris Baguette logo

How a Family Vacation Inspired Raj Pingili to Bring Paris Baguette to Towson, Maryland

how-a-family-vacation-inspired-raj-pingili-to-bring-paris-baguette-to-towson-maryland

Franchisee spotlight graphic with photo of Juan & Whitney Fernandez & family, BIGGBY COFFEE logo

From Chiropractic to Coffee: These BIGGBY® COFFEE Franchisees Are Brewing Something New in Troy, Ohio 

biggby-coffee-franchise-coming-to-troy-ohio

Franchisee spotlight graphic with photo of Sean Phelan & Caring Transitions logo

From Tech to Transitions: Why This Caring Transitions Franchisee Left the Corporate World To Help Families Navigate Life’s Hardest Moves

The Five Traits of Franchisees at The Counter

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS