5 Tips for Running a Burger Franchise

Lily Sweeney, writer

Published at 28/03/2022, Updated on 04/05/2022 , Reading time: 5 min

5 Tips for Running a Burger Franchise — Photo © 5-Tips-for-Running-a-Burger-Franchise.jpg

If you love the idea of running a franchise almost as much as you love delicious, juicy burgers, why not become a franchisee and start your own burger business? There are many highly profitable investment opportunities waiting for you in this popular sub-sector of the QSR (quick service restaurant) industry, but there is also a lot of competition. Read on and discover these five tips for running your burger franchise, ensuring you’re ahead of the game from the second you invest.

From Side Street to Smoky Boys, there are many incredible burger chains in the UK awaiting your franchise investment. This is no surprise given that statistics from 2019/20 show us that the average person in the UK consumed just over a kilogram of burgers in a year, or 23 grams per week [Statista]. If you can run your burger franchise efficiently and effectively, supported by your franchisor, you can tap into a vast market and a huge amount of consumer demand.

Why start a burger franchise in the QSR sector?

As mentioned above, Brits love burgers. And per year, they consume quite a few. If you choose to start your own fast food franchise selling burgers to hungry customers, you’ll find you have plenty of those aforementioned hungry customers to feed. But why franchising, rather than simply starting your own local burger joint from scratch? In short, as a franchisee:

You’ll enjoy a strong existing customer base by buying into an existing brand
You’ll benefit from the expert training and support of your franchisor/franchisor team
You’ll benefit from your franchisor’s proven business model/methods of success
You won’t be taking as much financial risk as you enter a highly competitive sector
You’ll be able to step quickly into an advantageous position in a solid, growing market

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5 tips for running a burger business

With a greater understanding of why a burger franchise investment would be a great choice in 2022, it’s time to turn your attention to the running of a burger franchise. What do you need to do, account for and focus on in order to ensure that your first year in business is a success (along with all the years after that)? These five tips are a great place to start...

1. Pay attention to new burger sector trends and developments

New trends are always popping up for burger restaurants, and as the owner of your very own, it’ll be your job to pay attention to these, or make adjustments to account for them. Of course, your franchisor can help you, but you’ll need to be focused and in-the-know too if you really want your burger business to thrive. Trends gaining traction in 2022 include an increased push towards sustainable, eco-friendly options and a growing market for vegan and vegetarian burgers/fast food options. Don’t miss out on growing portions of the market by failing to account for your eco-friendly fans - or your fans with certain dietary requirements.

2. Take the time to identify your franchise’s USPs and play to them

You’re not going to be the only burger joint in your territory. Far from it, most likely. Therefore, to ensure the smooth running of your franchise, you’ll need to identify your USPs (unique selling points) as soon as you can. What is your burger franchise doing or offering that your competitors in the local area aren’t? A USP could be something as simple as your brand’s voice - one that’s distinct from the other burger businesses that surround you and utilised in all of your marketing campaigns (thus making them unique). If your USP isn’t immediately apparent to you, have a think. Consider your burger franchise’s:

Quality - Is your cuisine gourmet? Has it been recognised by awards or reviews?
Menu - Do you have any unique/original signature dishes?
Sustainability - Are your practices eco-friendly? Do you choose organic/locally sourced?
Value - Are you great value? The cheapest option in your area?
Convenience - Do you offer delivery/takeaway options? Are these services streamlined?
Aesthetics and ambience - Is your franchise’s decor/dining experience distinctive?

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3. Prioritise quality customer service provision

One more way to help your burger franchise stand out and operate smoothly is to constantly prioritise the creation of a great customer experience AND to quickly and efficiently respond to customer complaints. Yes, this can take a lot of time and effort and requires expenses like staff refresher training to be covered. But a single poor customer service experience will result in 39% of customers avoiding a company for two years [Dimensional Research], impacting not just your burger joint but your entire franchise network negatively!

4. Prioritise employee experience

Perhaps even more crucial than the above (and certainly helpful for the implementation of the above) is creating a great working environment for your employees. Many studies have shown over the years that employees who feel supported and heard at work perform far better, providing a much higher level of customer service and generally completing tasks more efficiently. When your employees win, you win too. (Just as when you win as a franchisee, your franchisor also wins.) Listen to their concerns, be reasonable and fair about their working hours/conditions/situations, and make your business a place where people are happy to work.

5. Don’t forget to utilise your franchisor’s expertise and support

If you choose to become a franchisee, you choose the route that offers you a huge amount of support. This support doesn’t end when your burger franchise launches and opens to the public, and it’s important to remember that. The best way to help your business reach its fullest potential is to continually utilise training and development opportunities offered by your franchisor and to continually utilise their expert advice.

Whether you’re an experienced franchisee or new to running a business entirely, the support never stops. You’ll never be alone, so whatever your needs and requirements, you can count on dedicated training and mentorship visiting you regularly for the life of your franchise. - THE BUTCHER

Enjoy all the benefits of running your own business with a burger franchise

These tips for running a burger franchise should help you to successfully build a thriving QSR business in no time at all. To continue your research into the burger sub-sector, stick around on Point Franchise. Check out the three biggest advantages of running a burger franchise and find out how to choose the perfect burger franchise for you.