Takeaway businesses: Which brands franchise?

Fast food businesses were amongst the first companies to truly embrace the franchise model and demonstrate just how effective it can be. While most of the original fast food franchises followed a similar approach and sold the same sorts of food, the restaurant industry has gone through enormous changes in recent years, with a great deal of diversification occurring and many new cuisines being introduced to the UK market. Recognising these cultural and behavioural shifts, many new and exciting franchise operations have begun rolling out their business model across the country. This means there are a variety of takeaway franchises that you can get involved in, from sandwich shops to frozen yoghurt parlours.

Here are just some of the fantastic franchises on our network that offer customers takeaway food.

Subway

Subway is one of the most well-known fast food franchises in the world. Founded in 1965, the franchise has grown to encompass more than 22,000 franchisees in 112 countries. With successful franchise units operating throughout the UK, this is a takeaway franchise that's perfected its training and support structures, and that understands what is required to succeed. Potential franchisees will need to raise a total of around £200,000 to become a part of the Subway team, and setting up a store can take anywhere from two months to a year.

Once on board, franchisees are enrolled on a two-week introductory training course, which covers Subway management basics. Afterwards, ongoing support and guidance are provided via online e-courses, newsletters and close communication with the franchise management team. If you’re looking for a fast food franchise that benefits from incredible brand recognition, you won’t do much better than Subway.

>> Read more:

• The Best Fast Food Franchises in the UK
• The Original Fast Food: Our Top Three Sandwich Franchises
• Do You Want Fries With That? Our Top 4 Burger Franchises
• American Burger: How To Start Your Own American Burger Restaurant

Papa John’s

Alongside a number of other big brands, Papa John's is one of the most recognisable pizza franchises in the world. Boasting an extensive franchise network of over 5,000 franchise units in around 40 countries, the business has experienced incredible growth since its first restaurant was opened in a broom cupboard, 35 years ago. With a reputation for excellent pizza and superb service, anyone hoping to start a franchise in the fast food industry should consider Papa John’s. The initial investment amounts to around £200,000, although this figure may rise or fall depending on the location and size of your business premises.

All franchisees go through a six-week training programme that includes practical experience in a Papa John's restaurant and classroom-based learning. Staff and franchisee education continues once the store is up and running, with the franchisor offering plenty of training opportunities. They also provide help in choosing and fitting the premises and ongoing support and guidance to franchisees for issues like business management, marketing and the franchise’s digital systems.

Wok&Go

While most fast food franchises won’t win any health food awards, Wok&Go specialises in spectacular Asian cuisine that’s beautifully cooked and incredibly good for you. Serving dishes from Thailand, Malaysia, China, Japan and Indonesia, the franchise benefits from a diverse array of influences and a varied menu. You’ll find more than 25 franchise units spread around the UK, but there are still plenty of opportunities for potential franchisees looking to bring the brand to new territories.

The total investment required for a Wok&Go franchise is around £200,000. Once the franchise is fully operational, a royalty fee of six percent of net sales is paid to the franchisor, alongside a one percent advertising fee. All recipes are created by the Wok&Go team, who also offer their franchisees a turnkey store design solution and ongoing training and support.

Interestingly, Wok&Go also advertises a franchisor-managed investment opportunity. This is for investors that have the resources to finance a new Wok&Go franchise unit but don't necessarily want to manage it themselves. Having set up a new unit, the franchisor manages the day-to-day operations and the investor draws a regular wage from the business. This investment flexibility makes Wok&Go an attractive proposition.

Wolf

As a relatively new franchise on the UK market, Wolf has attracted a great deal of interest from those that understand the fast food industry and have an eye for the latest dining trends. Taking Italian street food and adapting it to the needs of UK customers, Wolf has a total of seven operational franchises, with more in the development stage.

All new franchisees are put through an intensive four-week training course, which covers all the skills required to manage a Wolf franchise unit successfully. The minimum initial investment is set at approximately £200,000, and franchisees can expect to pay a royalty fee of six percent of net sales. On top of this, an advertising fee of one percent of net sales is required. The expert franchise management team at Wolf is incredibly experienced and are ideally positioned to provide incredibly useful support and guidance.

Tutti Frutti Frozen Yoghurt

Tutti Frutti is the world's largest self-service frozen yoghurt vendor. With over 1,000 franchise units in 50 different countries, there can be no doubt that its franchise model is proven to work. Selling over 80 flavours as well as a large number of toppings, Tutti Frutti also offers a wide range of frozen yoghurt varieties suitable for those with special dietary requirements.

To open a Tutti Frutti Frozen Yoghurt franchise, an initial investment of £100,000 is required. This includes the £20,000 franchise fee. All new franchisees will go through a two-part training course, which involves a day of classroom-based learning and then three days of practical, in-store shadowing. Small, monthly contributions to the franchise’s marketing budget are required, but in return the franchisee benefits from increased brand awareness and access to the franchise’s marketing portal. As a franchise with a great deal of potential, Tutti Frutti is a promising investment with a bright future.

Quick Crêpes

Although this franchise started out as a small, family-run enterprise, it’s now the biggest crêpe business in Europe. It began life in 1988 and, since then, has grown its operations to serve eager customers across Europe and the Middle East. There’s plenty of choice for consumers who step into a Quick Crêpes outlet.

It has created an extensive menu featuring 24 savoury crêpes and 26 sweet ones, including crêpes with ice cream in. But crêpes are not the only part of this franchise’s offering. It also sells waffles, milkshakes, a range of hot and cold drinks, savoury meals and snacks, and even salads. It’s no wonder why it has grown to be so popular, as there’s something for everyone on Quick Crêpes’ menu. In fact, its dry Crêpe Mix is sold in Harrods, Selfridges and Fornum & Mason, so fans can even make high-quality crêpes at home.

This franchise is actively seeking new franchisees to take its business to new territories. If you are dedicated, enthusiastic and feel confident in your ability to provide excellent customer service, Quick Crêpes wants to hear from you. You’ll need to be prepared to invest a total of around £135,000 in your new venture, but in return you’ll get to take part in a training scheme to learn all the skills you’ll need to see business success. The beauty of starting a crêpe company is that the art of crêpe-making is fairly easy to master. The franchise claims that, using its own specialist equipment, you can be making professional-quality crêpes in under an hour.

One Delivery

Now for something a little different. If launching a franchise that makes food isn’t for you, why not start one that delivers it? More and more people are opting to order food online so they can eat their favourite restaurant dishes without even leaving the house.

One Delivery brings food from independent restaurants and big brands like KFC and McDonald’s to consumers. The business consists of more than 100 franchise outlets across over 65 cities in the UK, which handle over £1 million worth of takeaway orders every single month. This means franchisees stand to generate up to £50,000 in revenue after two years if they follow the business model and have the dedication to grow their business.

When you join the franchise, you’ll be treated to an induction scheme, training course and the support of a franchise manager. As this is the cheapest franchise opportunity currently on our network, with a minimum investment amount of just £495, there’s plenty of scope to make a return on your investment fairly quickly. Bear in mind that you’ll need to spend £1,995 if you’re to benefit from the franchisor’s tools and guidance. But a total investment of under £2,500 is still great value for money, considering the turnover you stand to make once you’re up and running.

Conclusion

All our takeaway food franchises are enticing propositions. Some have been established for decades, while others have only emerged in the last few years. Some specialise in relatively new takeaway food, while others stick to always-popular takeaway options – and some deliver them! When considering which franchise is right for you, look at these differences and consider what best fits your particular approach to business.