Why I Franchised My Brand: Robert Maynard, Famous Toastery

In 2005, Famous Toastery CEO & Founder, Robert Maynard, was living in New York, working in real estate development and banking. Randomly, he received a one day call from a childhood friend, Brian Burchill, inquiring about opening up a restaurant together in North Carolina. It was an idea Maynard initially thought as insane, but led to a decision that would bring him to oversee one of the leading better-breakfast chains in the United States.

“I thought Brian was crazy when he first asked me about opening a brunch spot together in the Carolinas,” said Maynard. “At the time, I was living in New York and I had no intention of leaving my job or home, and certainly no notion to enter an occupation in the restaurant industry.”

Somehow, Maynard’s old pal convinced him to book a three-day trip to the Carolinas to scope out real estate for a new breakfast restaurant, and by the end of day three, the best friends turned business partners had signed a deal and put down a deposit for a storefront.

From the moment the first Famous Toastery opened, the concept took off. By 2014, the brand already had three stores in the Carolinas, which is when Maynard sprung the discussion about expanding the brand on a bigger scale at a much faster pace.

“We had people from all over contacting us about expanding with our brand, and we knew that franchising was the best option to add locations in territories and states that were previously untapped,” said Maynard.

Since franchising in 2014, Famous Toastery has seen rapid growth, developing throughout the country into states including Colorado, Pennsylvania and Georgia. In February 2018, the better-breakfast franchise will have almost 30 locations in existence or set to open within the year.

While franchising the brand has contributed greatly to the success and growth Famous Toastery has seen, Maynard warns that franchising is not necessarily the easiest or best route for expanding every business.           

“While franchising offers a proven business model with an existing support system that franchise owners can tap into when needed, it still takes effort and motivation from the entire corporation to keep the wheels turning in franchising,” said Maynard.

“You don’t sign an FDD and see ten stores go up the next day,” said Maynard, “You have to have the right training processes, project managers, stability, and all the other puzzle pieces that work to make franchising successful in order for it to benefit your brand.”

Maynard prides Famous Toastery on its hardworking corporate team that has laid the foundation for franchisees to find success in their territories through the business model. Many Famous Toastery unit owners hold ownership over multiple locations, and the brand is looking to continue to expand throughout the country in states like Kentucky, Virginia and Ohio.