Q&A: Does Nathan's Famous Franchise in the UK?

Lily Sweeney, writer

Published at 15/03/2022, Updated on 04/05/2022 , Reading time: 5 min

Q&A: Does Nathan's Famous Franchise in the UK?
Photo © QA-Does-Nathans-Famous-Franchise-in-the-UK.jpg

Starting your own QSR franchise is a great way to enter an in-demand sector with a proven business model. If you’re looking for potential options, a Nathan’s Famous franchise should pop into your mind, as it’s a well-known brand within this industry that could offer you a profitable chance to build your own business selling hot dogs. Read on, and discover everything you need to know about a potential franchise investment with Nathan’s Famous.


The takeaway and fast food market in the UK is huge, and if you’re looking to run a successful business, it’s an industry that you should consider tapping into. The market size currently stands at £19 billion [IBISWorld] and that figure is growing, so there’s never been a better time to look into starting your own fast food franchise.

Does Nathan’s Famous franchise in the UK?

If you’re looking to sell NY style hot dogs with a Nathan’s Famous franchise, you’ll be delighted to discover that yes, the brand does franchise in the UK. Founded in Coney Island, New York, the fast food franchise is now looking for investment on a global scale. If you choose to franchise with Nathan’s, you’ll enjoy profitability and freedom. In the words of the brand, “Nathan’s offers a wide range of restaurant designs and customized equipment, thereby offering business opportunities to qualified candidates regardless of space constraints or investment limitations.”

A good way to look at franchising is, you’re in business for yourself, but not by yourself. Strategically, this provides many benefits under a brand name that has consumer awareness and equity. Nathan’s has taken this basic premise and redefined it to exceed the most stringent business criteria of today’s investors. - Nathan’s Famous

The history of Nathan’s Famous business

As mentioned above, Nathan’s Famous hot dogs were first enjoyed in Coney Island. The company has now been serving delicious food to its customers for over 100 years, expanding a huge amount during this time and becoming massively well-known for its amazing all-beef hot dogs and Nathan’s classic crinkle-cut french fries. From free-standing units to food trucks, there’s a lot of scope to make the right fast food franchise investment for you if you’d like to run your own Nathan’s Famous Business.

Since it first sprang up on Coney Island in 1916, Nathan's Famous has built a reputation on its all-beef franks and their signature spices and crunch. Their hot dogs can be found in supermarkets and stores around the globe, and they've made household names of competitive eaters like Joey Chestnut with their annual Fourth of July hot dog eating contest. - Joel Stice, Mashed


>> Read more:


Start a franchise in the fast food industry with a Nathan’s Famous restaurant

If everything you’ve learned thus far about the amazing history and business practices of Nathan’s Famous has left you increasingly keen to invest, keep reading. The three questions answered below will provide you with all the information you need in order to make a fully informed franchise investment with Nathan’s Famous...

1. How do you go about starting your own Nathan’s Famous fast food franchise?

The Nathan’s Famous website includes a dedicated section on becoming a franchisee, which you can visit either to find out more or to register your interest. Note, before you do, that you might not need previous experience in the industry in order to thrive as a franchisee, provided that you have the required capital and plenty of business acumen. Generally speaking, franchisors are searching for investors with the right soft skills, and are willing to cover knowledge gaps with training. Useful soft skills for the owner of a Nathan’s Famous location would include:

  • The ability to provide quality customer service
  • Leadership and people management skills
  • Business management skills
  • The ability to work well under pressure/dynamically problem solve
  • Computer and financial literacy skills

Nathan's Famous is looking for high-quality candidates to open new Nathan's Famous restaurants across the United Kingdom. Nathan's Famous is committed to the absolute highest brand standards. If you're motivated by success and providing world-class customer service, we'd like to hear from you. - Nathan’s Famous

2. How much do you need to invest?

If you’re looking to become a Nathan’s Famous franchisee, the minimum required investment will vary by market size. However, you can look to be spending a minimum of around £500,000 in order to join this global brand’s incredibly successful network. To give you a better sense of where Nathan’s Famous sits in the fast food/QSR sector, here are some other cost examples from Point Franchise’s UK directory:

  • Rooster Shack - In order to become a Rooster Shack franchisee, you’ll need to make a minimum initial investment of £120,000, with franchise fees of £17,500 and a total investment cost of £185,000.
  • Snappy Tomato Pizza - In order to become a Snappy Tomato Pizza franchisee, you’ll need to make a minimum initial investment of £10,000, with franchise fees of £10,000 and a total investment cost of £25,000.
  • The Butcher - In order to become a franchisee with The Butcher, you’ll need to make a minimum initial investment of £150,000, with franchise fees of £25,000 and a total investment cost of £300,000.

>> Read more:


3. What do you get in return for your investment?

As a franchisee with Nathan’s Famous, you’ll receive site selection support (operationally reviewed and approved), menu development assistance and corporate approval. You’ll be helped with architectural design, elevations and equipment layouts, and with the local sourcing of equipment and materials. Once the construction process is complete, your launch will be fully supported and you’ll be fully trained. Then, once you’re up and running, you’ll receive ongoing development training and operational support as and when it’s required.

Nathan’s Famous franchise opportunities are a brilliant way to start running your own business

Hopefully, you now have a strong sense of whether an investment in Nathan’s Famous is the right choice for you. If you’re interested in running a QSR business but you’re on the fence about whether Nathan’s is the one, stay on Point Franchise and continue your research. Discover the current state of franchising in the fast food sector, the latest tech trends innovating fast food and the wide range of franchise investment opportunities available in the sector.

Lily Sweeney, writer

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