Growing a Franchise
Strong grand opening support helps set franchisees up for long-term success by building confidence, streamlining operations and creating a solid foundation from day one.
A franchise system’s long-term success begins with a great first impression. That’s why the grand opening process is one of the most critical milestones in a franchisee’s journey. While every brand may approach it differently, one thing remains constant: franchisees can’t do it alone. In Phase 4 of The Ultimate Guide to Franchising Your Business, we explore how franchisors can set their franchisees up for a successful launch with the right mix of structure, support and human connection.
According to Megan Oppelt, vice president of marketing for Slice House by Tony Gemignani, the best grand opening strategy is rooted in relationships. “One of the simplest and most effective strategies is to make friends with your neighbors,” Oppelt said. “Personally walking around with free samples, introducing yourself, and inviting local businesses and residents to your soft opening or grand opening builds community goodwill and generates early buzz.”
Oppelt emphasizes the importance of tapping into the local community.
“Restaurant employees often live nearby — if they try the food and have a great experience, they’ll likely return with their families or friends. These early relationships can also offer valuable local insights (like the most active third-party delivery in that area) that you won’t find elsewhere. A strong grand opening starts with strong local connections.”
The days and weeks leading up to the grand opening can feel overwhelming for new franchisees, which is why emotional support from the franchisor can be just as important as operational guidance.
“I think the most powerful support is taking a moment to reassure the franchisees,” Oppelt said. “The final stretch before opening can feel overwhelming; there’s so much excitement, pressure and last-minute activity.”
Reminding franchisees that perfection isn’t the goal can help reduce anxiety and build resilience.
“I always make a point to tell franchisees they’re doing a great job and that the grand opening will go just fine,” she said. “It’s important to remind them that no grand opening ever goes 100% perfectly, and that’s completely normal. There will be factors outside their control — like weather, traffic or minor hiccups — and at the end of the day, being able to pivot around those unknown obstacles and make sure the guests and crew have a good day is what matters most.”
While franchisees focus on the big picture, sometimes the smaller details can actually cause the biggest headaches.
“One easily overlooked but common issue is misplacing items shipped in for the grand opening,” Oppelt said. “With so much activity and so many hands involved, things can easily go missing, especially if boxes are opened last-minute or stored inside the restaurant.”
To avoid last-minute scrambles, Oppelt offers a practical tip: “I always advise franchisees to open every box as it arrives, inspect the items and place everything in a safe location outside of the restaurant (like their home, office or garage). That way, when opening day comes, they’re not scrambling to find something essential or discovering too late that an item was damaged or never arrived. It’s much easier to get replacement items when an issue is discovered in advance of the opening.”
One example of a brand with a successful grand opening strategy is the bakery concept Paris Baguette*. “Cultivating the bakery café experience our guests crave starts when we begin the development process,” said Brian Egan, vice president of development for Paris Baguette. “We are committed to making the process as smooth as possible by ensuring franchisees are well-equipped to launch, and we do this by maintaining a robust, integrated support structure.”
Each franchisee is assigned a New Café Development Manager (NCDM) as their dedicated point of contact. “This person will be with the franchisee from day one until the café opens, which can be a nine to 10-month process,” Egan said. “We jest that we’re going to become the owner’s best friend, but this approach really does ensure that the franchisee has a dedicated resource throughout the entire process.”
The NCDM coordinates with other internal experts using a shared system to track every task, ensuring nothing gets missed, from construction timelines to equipment delivery. “The internal system keeps track of everything so that nothing is late or overlooked,” Egan said.
When opening day approaches, Paris Baguette’s New Café Opening Team arrives on-site to provide hands-on training and support. “This team shows up, on average, four days prior to opening, and they stay with the franchisee for seven to 10 days,” Egan said. “During this time, there is someone assigned to every position in the café. There is a trainer working alongside each café employee to provide guidance and in-the-moment support.”
Even after the grand opening, support continues. “We also offer post-opening support,” Egan said. “Our approach to supporting franchisees is comprehensive and personalized, offering our owners a significant advantage over would-be competitors.”
Ultimately, a successful grand opening does more than drive initial traffic — it builds confidence, strengthens operations and sets the tone for the entire experience. “Funneling our energy toward effective communication and timely, accurate support minimizes the challenges associated with the opening process to create the best possible franchisee experience,” Egan said.
Franchisors that approach grand openings as an all-in, collaborative effort, one that prioritizes community engagement, operational readiness, and ongoing encouragement, are the ones that set their franchisees on the path to lasting success.
Growing and selling franchises is difficult. No great franchise did it alone. Want to learn more about how 1851 helps franchisors grow their franchises with confidence? Visit www.1851growthclub.com and see what we can do for you.
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