Breakfast is Dominating the Restaurant Franchise Conversation

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and for many franchise brands, taking advantage of this morning dining scene is equally important for boosting their sales and their customer base.

Last year, the fast food giant McDonald’s launched their All-Day Breakfast menu, allowing fans of the Golden Arches to enjoy hash browns and Egg McMuffins at all hours of the day. This was a huge moment for the brand and for the breakfast segment. The choice paid off. According to MarketWatch, in the fourth quarter of 2015, same-store sales for the brand jumped by 5.7 percent, beating expectations for the brand.

However, McDonald’s isn’t the only voice in the breakfast conversation. While McDonald’s was extending its breakfast hours, Taco Bell was also waging a full-scale war to bring attention to their breakfast menu. At the same time, countless other brands have added or extended their early morning offerings in hopes of gaining attention from hungry consumers.

But it’s not only fast-food that is making its mark in the breakfast segment. Franchise brands like Famous Toastery are veterans in the breakfast business, and they credit their much-deserved attention to fresh, high-quality ingredients and impeccable service for their continued success.

“Breakfast has always been popular, it's just that very few brands put the effort into capturing this segment with a concerted effort,” said Dean Kessel, a Famous Toastery franchisee. “Hence, the need for a concept like Famous Toastery and our highly differentiated menu and service model. The fact that you now see more mainstream restaurants coming into the category, albeit in different iterations, tells you that they too believe the category has untapped value.”

The brand’s attention to detail shows. CNBC named Famous Toastery a hot restaurant franchise to watch in 2016.

“Our customers love the fact that they can get anything on our menu at any time of the day,” said Kessel. “Also, the recipes and the methodology in which we prepare our meals are unlike anyone else in the category.”

For Kessel, getting into the breakfast and brunch category was a move that simply made sense.

“I believe the breakfast/brunch category is an under-served market, and Famous Toastery delivered,” said Kessel.

In addition to being interested in the breakfast and lunch segment, Famous Toastery franchisees receive support from the brand as well as many opportunities to grow.

“It’s great being part of a start-up franchise and having the opportunity to be part of the growth of such a unique concept and brand,” said Kessel. “The reaction customers have to our product and our service model is very rewarding and validates our decision to become a Famous Toastery franchisee—on a daily basis.”

Part of that service model includes the brand’s unique “every-server-is-your-server” model, where guests have the attention of every server in the restaurant to help with their dining experience. In addition to providing excellent customer service, Famous Toastery prides itself on achieving a great work-life balance for their team due to the hours of operation for the brand—employees close up shop by 3 p.m.

When it comes to competing with the giants in franchising, Famous Toastery isn’t very concerned.