Wings and Rings General Manager of 11 Years Achieves Dream of Franchise Ownership with Teriyaki Madness

Edgar Gonzalez, alongside his wife Jessika Juraidini, have decided to pursue their entrepreneurial dreams with Teriyaki Madness. As a general manager for Wings and Rings* who helped the brand open six locations around his community, Edgar was familiar with the franchising industry, and always wanted a franchise of his own.

For years, he looked at brands and did his research within every food franchise market, waiting for the perfect concept to come along. When he came across Teriyaki Madness online, he was immediately impressed with the brand. He particularly loved that it was situated within a niche that did not have much competition as teriyaki bowl concepts are few and far between within franchising. But what really put him over the edge and convinced him to go for it?

“I knew it was the one from the first time I tasted the food,” Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez and his wife are looking forward to bringing the tasty teriyaki concept to Corpus Christi, Texas, in early 2025, with ambitious plans for growth in the surrounding area in the future.

1851 Franchise spoke with Gonzalez about his venture into franchising with Teriyaki Madness and his plans for the future.

1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us. What did you do before franchising, and how did you decide franchising made sense for you?

Gonzalez: I was a general manager for Wings and Rings in South Texas; I helped them open up six locations here in this area. I worked with them for about 11 years or so, and I knew then that I wanted to get into franchising at some point. I started doing construction for a couple of years after that while I was searching for the right franchise.

My wife, Jessika, has always been in property management. She's a realtor at the moment. She manages a lot of her locations and some of our clients’ locations as well. We've built and remodeled homes together to sell in the past. 

I knew I wanted to buy a franchise, but it wasn’t until I found Teriyaki Madness that I decided to go for it. I knew it was the one from the first time I tasted the food.

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?

Gonzalez: There is a lot of work involved with franchising. It’s a lot of hours. But if you've already been in the restaurant business and you already know that you enjoy it, then franchising is a great opportunity. 

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

Gonzalez: Teriyaki Madness has a really great menu. The food is tasty; everything is really good. I love fried rice. As far as for the franchises I looked into, I looked at every concept possible. I looked at pizza franchises, breakfast franchises, burger franchises — everything. Teriyaki Madness is the only franchise that doesn't have a lot of competition. It's a unique style of food. 

And, ultimately, my wife and I just decided to go with the franchise with the food we thought tasted the best.

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

Gonzalez: At the moment, we're starting with one location but our plan is to expand with multiple locations around Corpus Christi and maybe a couple more outside of the city at some point.

1851: What is the one thing about your story you want us to know?

Gonzalez: This is something we will be involved in. We’re not just opening it and never visiting again. We are going to run it, be there working and we want to be in touch with the community. We will be present.

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

Gonzalez: If you like the restaurant business or franchising, now is the time to jump into it. For me, I waited around for a few years going back and forth, until I decided to go for it. I just wish I could have found TMAD a little bit sooner. I’m glad it’s finally getting going.

If you find a franchise you like, go ahead and get started.

ABOUT TERIYAKI MADNESS

Teriyaki Madness is making big moves. Named the #1 Fastest-Growing Big Restaurant Chain in the U.S. by Restaurant Business, TMAD’s secret sauce lies in creating value for franchisees, guests and employees alike. More than 150 shops across three countries deliver big, heaping bowls of fresh, healthy, natural ingredients to their communities, creating a cult-like following with customers, employment opportunities for neighborhoods, and profitable margins for the franchisees. Backed by leading-edge technology including delivery and loyalty innovations and an all-star executive team, Teriyaki Madness’ focus is on providing profitable opportunities for our franchisees by providing delicious, healthy food to communities. Visit franchise.teriyakimadness.com for single and multi-unit opportunities.