1851

<p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-maynard-2105311a9?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=frandev-players-robert-maynard-ceo-of-famous-toastery-2715087" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><u>Robert Maynard</u></a>, CEO of Charlotte, North Carolina-based <a href="https://1851franchise.com/famoustoastery"><u>Famous Toastery,</u></a> has what you could call the anti-sales pitch to potential franchisees:</p><p>Slackers beware.</p><p>“It’s not for the weak of heart,” Maynard likes to warn potential newbies in the contemporary breakfast-and-lunch chain. “This is basically a fine-dining restaurant opened during the day. You have to have the passion to serve. So if you’re someone who really sees this as just an investment, this isn't the right concept. There's many concepts that are more turnkey.”&nbsp;<br><br>His anti-pitch doesn’t seem to scare people off. The brand, hatched in 2007, has grown to almost 30 stores since 2014. Now, after a well-timed pause in expansion, <a href="https://famoustoastery.com/franchise/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=frandev-players-robert-maynard-ceo-of-famous-toastery-2715087" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><u>Famous Toaster is ready to start growing once more.</u></a></p><p>1851 Franchise spoke to Maynard about his brand and how to effectively manage growth.</p><h4>1851 Franchise: Tell me about Famous Toastery.</h4><p>Robert Maynard: We’re a higher-end breakfast, lunch and brunch concept. We call it “better breakfast” because everything is made that day <i>for</i> that day. We say it's fast-food made fresh. We're the antithesis of the greasy spoon.</p><h4>1851: When did you decide on a franchising model to grow and why?</h4><p>Maynard: We started as a brand in 2005, and we started franchising in 2014. We had three locations, and we were just getting a lot of people asking us to open in various places. But building restaurants is very expensive, so we looked into franchising. I felt that we had the right team and the right concept. At the time, we didn't know much about franchising, but we dove headfirst into the franchise world, and started opening stores and training people.&nbsp;</p><h4>1851: What are the biggest hurdles to successful franchise growth?</h4><p>Maynard: Picking the right person, and having the right team You got to have the right team, the right support and you got to have the right people that you sign on. You have to know when to say no to potential franchisees. But there's no silver bullet, no way to see what the best franchisee is going to look like.&nbsp;</p><h4>1851: How has COVID-19 affected your franchise growth?</h4><p>Maynard: We were not franchising going into the pandemic. We had actually stopped franchising for a while to just grow into our growth. We had just grown a lot, and running a Famous Toastery is not like running a little 1,000 square foot store. A lot of our locations are 3,500 to 5,500 square feet. They're big. So we had actually put new franchises on the back burner, and we were in a really good spot when the pandemic happened. We fared pretty well, all things considered. It could have been a lot worse, let’s put it that way. We had a decent amount of locations up from last year's numbers. Some locations are doing the same numbers as last year, and some are lagging behind because of where they're located.</p><h4>1851: What are common mistakes you see franchisors make when trying to grow?</h4><p>Maynard: Look, selling franchises is easy. But selling to the right people, getting them open, and having them be successful — well, that's a whole ‘nother conversation! You can get people excited to open a franchise, but what you really have to do is get them <i>not</i> excited. You can't sell the sizzle on something like this. You have to sell them on the tough days. The days when someone's not going to come to work. The day four people are out. The day when you have two-hour waits on a Saturday and Sunday people yelling at you. That's what we like to tell people. You have to let them know how hard the work is. We try to get them into a busy location on a weekend to see how crazy the kitchen is. We also try to get them into a slow store to show them how that is. They’re two very different animals. Sometimes you can come out of the gate doing really well, other times it takes a while.&nbsp;</p><h4>1851: What are your plans, your goals for 2021? Will you start franchising again?</h4><p>Maynard: Yes, we started the process, and we've been looking to sign deals this year. We have nine corporate stores already, so we're really looking to focus strictly on the franchise side going forward, and manage what we have on the corporate side, and really put our eggs in that basket.</p>

FranDev Players: Robert Maynard, CEO of Famous Toastery

1851 Franchise

This breakfast joint franchisor won’t sugarcoat it for you: Opening a franchise is a lot of hard work. Still, that hasn’t stopped new franchisees from signing on.

frandev-players-robert-maynard-ceo-of-famous-toastery

Paris Baguette

NJBIZ: Paris Baguette Ramps Up Expansion With New Franchises, Facility and 2030 Growth Target

njbiz-paris-baguette-ramps-up-expansion-with-new-franchises-facility-and-2030-growth-target

Busy Bee Jumpers

Top 10 Reasons To Buy a Busy Bee Jumpers Franchise in 2025

top-10-reasons-to-buy-a-busy-bee-jumpers-franchise-in-2025

Home Halo

home-halo-former-athletes-frachisees-image

Why Former College Athletes Can Make Winning Home Halo Franchise Owners

former-college-athletes-home-halo-franchise

TruBlue Home Service Ally

TruBlue Featured in USA Today as Key Player in Helping Seniors Age Safely at Home

trublue-featured-in-usa-today-as-key-player-in-helping-seniors-age-safely-at-home

Right at Home

Right at Home Marks 30 Years With Continued Franchise Growth

Right at Home Marks 30 Years With Continued Franchise Growth, Tech Advancements, and Strong System Engagement in First Half of 2025

right-at-home-franchise-growth-2025

Buying a Franchise Masterclass

 Franchise Opportunities

Get Support Buying a Franchise

How to Buy a Franchise White Paper

How to Buy a Franchise

How to Sell Franchises

How to Grow a Franchise

Find a Franchise Supplier

1851 Franchise Opportunities

Franchisor News

Franchisor Power Rankings

FranCamp Mastermind Summit

Franchise Development Website Builder

Franchise Resources

What ALEC-Laffer's Report Means for Franchising

Website Awards

Power Rankings

About 1851

Advertise on 1851

Contact 1851 Editorial

Terms of Use

1851 Login

GROWTH CLUB LOGIN

facebook

instagram

twitter

linkedin

youtube

"Come in, We're OPEN" sign against abstract background

Small Business Optimism Dips, Raising Concerns for Franchise Owners

small-business-optimism-dips-raising-concerns-for-franchise-owners

Photo of Roof Scientist truck and trailer

Roof Scientist Expands Into Northern Indianapolis as Entrepreneur Dale Speckman Launches New Business in Fishers

roof-scientist-expands-into-northern-indianapolis

Image of Donald Trump pointing with red stripes in the background

August 1 Tariff Deadline Is Said to Have ‘No Extensions’: What This Could Mean for Franchises

august-1-tariff-deadline-franchise-impact

What June’s Jobs Report Means for the Franchise Industry

what-junes-jobs-report-means-for-the-franchise-industry

Drone Delivery Takes Flight in QSR: The Future of Franchise Operations?

drone-delivery-takes-flight-in-qsr-the-future-of-franchise-operations

The Ultimate Guide to Selling Franchises: How To Create a Strong Incentive

how-to-build-strong-incentives-to-attract-prospective-franchisees

Amanda Evans - Stellar Service Brands - Franchise Marketing Leaders 2025 - 1851 Franchise

Top 25 Franchise Marketing Leaders: Amanda Evans — Senior Vice President of Marketing, Stellar Service Brands

stellar-service-brands-marketing-leader-amanda-evans

Photo of a large group of people standing in a circle, placing hands together in center

Franchise Opportunities for Minorities: Expanding the Franchise Network

franchise-opportunities-for-minorities

Coffee & Analytics graphic with photo of Nick Powills

Franchise Growth Is Messy. Lead Gen Is Uncomfortable. Let’s Fix It.

franchise-lead-generation-insights

From Prescriptions to Pastries: Kari Khandelwal Creates a Comforting Community Bakery 

From Prescriptions to Pastries: Kari Khandelwal Creates a Comforting Community Bakery in Overland Park, Kansas

paris-baguette-franchise-overland-park-khandelwal

Kansas Couple Revitalizes Local Childcare With Children’s Lighthouse

From Corporate Careers to Community Roots: Kansas Couple Revitalizes Local Childcare With Children’s Lighthouse

kansas-couple-opens-childrens-lighthouse-gardner-olathe

Hooters Leans Into Franchising With Closure of 30 Company-Owned Stores - Agg - 1851 Franchise

Hooters Leans Into Franchising With Closure of 30 Company-Owned Stores

hooters-franchise-model-company-owned-closures

Hely and Hiral Patel Bring Their Longtime Dream to Life With The Brass Tap

brass-tap-franchise-pasadena-maryland-hely-hiral-patel

Franchisee spotlight graphic with photo of Ricki Oberoi and Layne's Chicken Fingers logo

FranDev Players: Robert Maynard, CEO of Famous Toastery

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS