The 6:30 AM to 2:30 PM Work Day: Lifestyle Benefits of Sunny Street Café® Franchise Ownership

Sunny Street Café®, an Ohio-based brand that has elevated the breakfast and lunch segment with its 22 franchises nationwide, continues to stand out in the restaurant industry, not only because of the quality of food, but also because of the work-life balance it affords its team members. This carefully designed business strategy allows both employees and franchise owners to enjoy a more fulfilling lifestyle.

Mike Stasko, the Vice President of Brand Strategy at Sunny Street Café, discusses these benefits that make operating a Sunny Street Café franchise unique. "People are drawn to the breakfast and lunch category because of the lifestyle," he said. "Our hours of operation are very attractive. You’re not closing shop at 2 AM and then getting back up and doing it all again. Late shifts can really grind a person down. Being able to avoid that makes for a pretty attractive opportunity in our industry.”

But this isn't just about more comfortable working hours, Stasko says. It's about cultivating a work environment that prioritizes personal life and wellness. "When you're working from 6:30 am to 2:30 pm, you still have the rest of your day to pick up the kids from school or spend time with your community,” Stasko said. “That is very important to us.”

This balance and flexibility also influences retention at the staff level, something that Sunny Street prides itself on. "Our employee retention is much higher than that of the rest of the restaurant industry," Stasko said. "We recently celebrated two 15-year employee anniversaries. That is pretty special.”

According to Stasko, this culture of work-life balance is embedded in the very foundation of the Sunny Street Café business. The desire to spend time with family was a big reason why the Staskos originally decided to focus solely on breakfast and lunch in the first place, allowing for better operating hours and more opportunities for staff to enjoy their personal lives outside of work, as well.

“As part of our culture, we make a promise that if you work with us, you’re going to have time outside of work to enjoy with your family and your community,” said Stasko. “We’re a family-owned business, and we understand more than most how important it is to have a good work-life balance.”

Beyond just happy staff and owners, the hours of operation also enable Sunny Street Café to provide top-notch food and service. "Because we’re just breakfast and lunch, we’ve been able to get really good at what we do," said Stasko. "When you have a large menu or a complicated operation, you tend to lose focus and it’s hard to be consistent. We’ve really fine-tuned our operations so we can be the best in the breakfast category.”

This philosophy means that everyone who touches the Sunny Street Café brand — from franchisees to employees to customers — leaves happier than when they came in, Stasko says. "Being in the breakfast segment, we naturally see more smiles," he said. “We want people to start their days off with a smile and our hours are a big part of it.”

Cliff Bowling, for example, spent nearly 30 years as the Director of Operations for a McDonald’s franchise in Texas before franchising with Sunny Street Café. Tired of the fast-paced, non-stop atmosphere of McDonald’s, Bowling was looking for a restaurant with a slower pace that didn’t require as many hours. Now, 10 years and two locations later, Sunny Street Cafe has proven to be the perfect fit. 

“I loved the atmosphere of Sunny Street Cafe right away, and I noticed the wait staff was actually having meaningful conversations with the patrons,” said Bowling. “It was very pleasant to see, and the food was great.” 

For prospective franchise owners who resonate with the 6:30 am to 2:30 pm model, Stasko says the time has never been better to join the concept. 

"Our franchisees don’t necessarily need to have restaurant experience — they just need an entrepreneurial spirit and a passion to enter the breakfast and lunch segment,” said Stasko. “With our training programs and our systems, our owners have been able to establish themselves and have been wildly successful in the communities they serve. We provide them with everything they need so they can ramp up their business and start to enjoy the work-life balance they deserve."

Sunny Street Café currently has restaurants in Ohio, Missouri, Texas, Illinois and Alabama. The brand is looking to grow in its current markets and potentially expand into the South and Southeast, specifically in the Tampa, Florida, area. By the end of 2023, they’re looking to sell between two to three franchises.

The total investment necessary to begin the operation of a Sunny Street Café ranges from $464,545-$1,307,514 including a $35,000 franchise fee. For more information on franchising with Sunny Street Café, visit https://www.sunnystreetcafe.com/franchise/.