Top 3 Pancake Franchises in the UK

Alice Tuffery, writer

Published at 13/02/2019, Updated on 04/05/2022 , Reading time: 5 min

Top 3 Pancake Franchises in the UK — Photo © pancake-franchise-uk.jpeg

Pancakes are incredibly popular across the globe, so businesses serving the tempting treat have great potential for success. You can boost your chances by joining a franchise and taking advantage of a proven business model and existing brand awareness. But what pancake franchises are there…?

Pancakes have been around for thousands of years – in fact, experts believe they were eaten as many as 12,000 years ago, made from ground grains and nuts. Today, our love of pancakes and French-style crêpes is demonstrated in the numerous pancake stores across the nation. We even have an entire day dedicated to the celebration of the tasty food item, during which around 52 million eggs are beaten into batter up and down the UK.

The pancake and crêpe restaurant sector is bigger than you might think. According to recent findings, consumers are increasingly choosing restaurant and shop-bought pancakes over homemade ones. In the past few years, annual spending in pancake shops has risen by £3.8 million to reach £76 million. The number of occasions we choose to eat readymade pancakes has shot up by eight percent. And there’s been an 11 percent reduction in the number of times we whip up batter at home.

Reasons why starting a pancake business is a great idea

The research shows people are switching homemade pancakes for shop-bought crêpes, boosting business owners’ profit potential.

The pancake is one of the most versatile foods out there. You can stuff it with savoury or sweet fillings and eat it as a main meal or as a snack, in a restaurant or on the go. With so many different options, there is a pancake to suit every occasion and taste – regardless of your customers’ dietary requirements or personal preferences.
One of the biggest plus points of the pancake is that it can be eaten at any time of day. Filled with fruit as a healthy breakfast choice, with savoury ingredients for lunch or a mid-afternoon snack, or drenched in chocolate for a post-dinner treat, pancakes fit into every meal category. This means business owners are unlikely to experience bottlenecks at certain times of day; instead, there should be a steady stream of customers coming through the door all day long.
Most pancake franchises have diversified their offering to appeal to even more people. There are plenty of businesses out there selling everything from healthy and vegan pancakes to extremely indulgent choices piled high with chocolate, ice-cream and other sweet treats. Many pancake franchises also serve snacking products, like waffles, ice-cream and milkshakes. By investing in a business with a wide product range, you can appeal to a huge number of consumers.
The versatility of the humble crêpe allows for a wide variety of different business models when it comes to opening a pancake franchise. Many businesses serve their food from a dedicated kiosk in a large retail centre or in a traditional café or restaurant setting with a seating area. Other vendors keep their overheads low by selling pancakes from a van or food stall. Choose the franchise to suit you.

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Pancake franchises

Let’s take a look at some of the best pancake franchises in the UK.

1. Quick Crêpes

Set up as a family enterprise in 1988, this pancake business has grown to become Europe’s largest crêpe company, with outlets as far away as the Middle East. Its menu includes 24 savoury crêpes and 26 sweet ones, so there’s something for every customer.

Becoming a Quick Crêpes franchisee: By joining this impressive franchise, you’ll benefit not only from in-store crêpe purchases, but from the sale of the Quick Crêpes recipe mix from Harrods, Selfridges and Fortnum & Mason. You can find out more on the Quick Crepe franchises page.
How much you need to invest: You’ll need to make a minimum investment of £95,000 and a total investment of £135,000, including franchise fees of up £14,950.
What you get for your investment: Franchisees can benefit from the franchise’s tried and tested products and equipment as well as a comprehensive training course. With help from the franchise team, you should be making professional-standard crêpes within an hour!

2. Crêpeaffaire

Crêpeaffaire was launched in 2004 and now has 15 stores in the UK, as well as one in the Netherlands, one in Saudi Arabia (with three more to come), and three in Kuwait.

This crêpe franchise sells a range of milkshakes and smoothies alongside its sweet and savoury pancake selection. Customers can enjoy everything from freshly squeezed orange juice to decadent milkshakes topped with cream and Oreos. Smoothie connoisseurs will also appreciate Crêpeaffaire’s green drink made with kale, spinach and mango.

Becoming a Crêpeaffaire franchisee: Franchisees can operate on small sites and avoid an expensive kitchen installation. To learn more and sign up, go to the Crêpeaffaire franchises page.
How much you need to invest: For a total investment of £200,000, including franchise fees of £16,000, you can become a Crêpeaffaire franchisee.
What you get for your investment: Investors gain access to Crepeaffaire’s support programme, which includes guidance with site selection and design, as well as marketing. Ongoing support will ensure the success of the franchisee’s new store.

3. Wafflemeister

Despite being a self-confessed waffle-connoisseur, this franchise offers a variety of delicious and high-quality crêpes. Wafflemeister even throws a few controversial options into the mix, with its ‘Marmite – Love It or Hate It’ crêpe and ‘New Yorker’ crêpe, which includes pastrami, cheese, spinach and gherkins.

The business was launched in 1999 and the waffle mix it uses can trace its origins back 50 years to the founder’s secret family recipe. Since 2000, Wafflemeister has focused on bringing its famous Belgian waffles to customers around the world, with a particular emphasis on European and UK markets.

Becoming a Wafflemeister franchisee: Wafflemeister is looking for new recruits to help take the business to new territories. To find out more about the opportunity, head to the Wafflemeister franchises page.
How much you need to invest: To become a Wafflemeister franchisee, you’ll need to raise between £100,000 and £150,000. Wafflemeister offers franchisees the opportunity to open either a kiosk or inline store, with the cost varying depending on the size and style of the store.
What you get for your investment: Franchisees will take part in a four-week bootcamp training programme that ensures all areas of the operation are understood. You’ll also receive assistance with shop construction and fitting, recruitment and marketing. To top it all off, franchisees will be trained to meet the standards expected by the central franchisor and have access to a dedicated franchise liaison executive.

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Get started today

We have some fantastic investment opportunities for prospective franchisees, ranging in price from around £100,000 to £200,000. They’ll give you the chance to benefit from a versatile and wide-reaching product, all while creating delicious dishes to wow customers.

Browse our current opportunities in the crêpe sector or take a look at some of our other fantastic food franchises.