The Great Franchisees: Vishal Patel and Hiren Dayaramani, Teriyaki Madness, Tennessee

When Vishal Patel and Hiren Dayaramani immigrated to the U.S. from India in 2015, they brought with them a shared dream: to open a business together. Six years later, they are doing just that as two of the newest franchisees with Teriyaki Madness, the 75-plus-unit Seattle-style-teriyaki concept. 

After opening their first location in August, the team is looking forward to opening additional units, creating more jobs in their local community of Brentwood, Tennessee.

We spoke to Patel to learn more about his and Dayaramani’s path to franchise ownership and their experience with the fast-growing brand. 

1851 Franchise: Tell us your story – what did you do before franchising?

Vishal Patel: My business partner and family friend Hiren Dayaramani and I came to the United States in 2015 from India. When we moved here, we knew we wanted to start our own business in the next five years or so. Prior to that, I had worked a corporate job as a recruiter. I eventually worked at the Best Western Plus in downtown Nashville. Hiren and his dad had a business in India, and he also started working at a hotel, Nashville’s Country Inn. I quit my job six months ago because I will be running operations at our Teriyaki Madness location full time.

1851: How did you initially find out about franchising and what was your perception of franchising before becoming a franchise owner?

Patel: Franchising is not a new word to us. We were aware of what franchising was before we decided to be franchise owners ourselves. We always perceived franchising to be a proven business model where an individual can start their own business with independence and guidance. It has the benefit of a big company and it's less risky than starting a business from scratch. Franchising has a great built-in support system. You can ask for help whenever needed and you have access to proper training.

1851: How did you decide you wanted to be a franchisee? 

Patel: We learned all about franchising while working at our hotel jobs and we learned that franchising is the way to go. We were looking at various business avenues and came across Teriyaki Madness and could not believe how fast it was growing and more importantly how well it was doing. Their concept and consumer-friendly approach made us pick this franchise. We think the secret behind their success is to keep their consumers at the apex.

1851: How did you perform your research?

Patel: We did our own research. We talked to the existing franchisees and learned about their food quality, training procedures, food safety precautions, etc. After trying out the food and doing our own research, we knew that this was the way to go, and this brand is here to stay.

1851: Why did you pick Teriyaki Madness? What excited you most about the potential?

Patel: We have always believed that creating a job is always better than finding a job and that belief has led us to this stage of starting our own restaurant. Nashville has this great energy and we were so hooked that we decided to establish a permanent business and serve the community by creating jobs, and offering great food.

Teriyaki Madness really stood out to us. The food was fresh, delicious, and was made-to-order which was different from other brands. We had never heard of the brand until Hiren was at a hotel convention in Vegas and stumbled upon it. When he returned to Nashville, he told me about the brand and the opportunity, and after vigorous research, we decided to move forward. We really loved the fact that the brand is on the brink of explosive growth as well.

In a typical Indian household, fresh meals are cooked three times a day and everything is made from scratch. That is what Teriyaki Madness brings to the table and that really resonated with us. 

1851: What are your dreams with the business? What does the future look like?

Patel: We have plans to open more locations after we get this first location up and running. 

1851: What advice would you have for others looking at buying a franchise?

Patel: Do your own research. Do not just read online. Call other franchisees and get their inputs before deciding.

1851: What do you do in your personal time? 

Patel: Hiren and I share a common passion, we love trying different cuisines, experiencing different cultures and exploring different trek options.

ABOUT TERIYAKI MADNESS

Fast-casual teriyaki shop franchise Teriyaki Madness is committed to unconditionally satisfying guests by offering delicious, made-to-order, healthy (or not) bowls, apps, and sides, prepared with fresh, all-natural ingredients served quickly and at a reasonable price. Guests can enjoy their bowls in the shop, or order through the mobile app for delivery or curbside pickup. Teriyaki Madness has been ranked on Entrepreneur’s Top Food Franchises, FastCasual’s Movers and Shakers in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, the Inc. 5000 list for three straight years, and was named the fastest-growing restaurant chain in the United States by Restaurant Business in 2021. Founded in 2003, the brand currently has more than 100 shops open, with franchising opportunities nationwide for qualified single and multi-unit candidates. For more information, visit www.franchise.teriyakimadness.com.