Make no mistake: restaurant construction continues to be booming across the United States. Restaurant revenues have risen 20% over the past 5 years, which has led to a skyrocketing of new buildings that seek to accommodate an armada of patrons-to-be.
That trend especially extends to building new franchise restaurants. Starting a new restaurant is simpler if you have an existing presence and brand to build on, which is why many entrepreneurs are choosing to go down that route. Of course, even with franchise restaurant construction on the rise, you have to know where to start. To help you in that regard, here are 4 steps you can take to join the trend.
1) Know the Brand Standards
When planning to build a new restaurant franchise, you have to keep one variable in mind above all else: building an establishment that follows brand standards both inside and out.
From a marketing perspective,you want and need to construct a building that is consistent with the national brand. It will help you more easily generate customers, and allow you to unify your promotional efforts. But brand standards matter just as much for internal standards. Does your restaurant need a drive-through, what is the suggested square footage, and what other regulations do you have to follow?
2) Determine Your Budget
Once you know what you need to do in terms of adhering to the national brand, it’s time to determine the budget you need to start the construction. That budget can include a number of variables, from the location in which you are looking to build to the materials and your construction partner.
Knowing your budget allows you to help determine the size of the space and any add-ons you want to consider. Don’t try to save money for its own sake – the more you spend, the more likely the finished building will be to satisfy your and the franchise’s quality standard.
3) Choose Your Location Strategically
Choosing your location is another crucial step, especially when it comes to franchise restaurants. You don’t want to, and often can’t, open a restaurant that is too close to another franchisee. At the same time, you need to find an area in which you will be sure to get significant traffic, and that brings reliable revenue in spite of potential competitors.
Analyzing the exact location of your franchise restaurant can be complex. But the national brand can help: inquire about the target customers, their buying habits, and their typical locations. In some cases, you may even get suggested location based on the general area in which you plan to build.
4) Work With the Right Contractors
Finally, always be sure to work with contractors who know what it takes to build not just any restaurant, but a franchise restaurant in your area. As hinted at above, the challenges to this undertaking can be unique, and not every professional will have the expertise and experience necessary to help you reliably.
For example, you may run into a construction company that are experts at restaurant construction, but won’t follow franchise and brand standards out of a simple lack of experience. That can be fatal for your new construction project. Instead, look to work with a professional partner who has tangible experience in projects similar to yours, and can help you through every step of the way.
Finding that partner can seem daunting. The key is to ask any potential construction company for past examples of working with projects similar to yours, and determining the success of these efforts to forecast the success of your project. Ideally, a design-build contractor can simplify the issue by helping you both plan and execute the construction process. And when you’re ready to get started in opening your own franchise restaurant, contact us!
