Business Spotlight: Why Buying a Quiznos Franchise is the Best Thing Since Sliced Bread

The UK sandwich industry is worth an impressive £8 billion a year and employs approximately 325,000 people (NewStatesman).The fast-food sector has always benefitted from franchising and sandwich brands have been one of the model's biggest success stories. Sandwich shop franchises like Quiznos and Subway have gone from strength to strength and grown into some of the world's biggest restaurant brands. Although there is a lot of competition in the UK, the Quiznos franchise has a product offering and reputation that attracts many customers both nationwide and across the globe. In this article we are going to explore the benefits of starting a Quiznos franchise, what’s required and what makes an ideal franchisee.

Like many successful global franchises, Quiznos has grown from humble beginnings. The original Quiznos shop opened in 1978, under the name Sandwich World. It occupied a space in a converted petrol station, and it wasn't until 1981 that the business changed its name to Quiznos and adopted the franchise model. It spread across its home market – the United States – incredibly quickly and by the late ‘80s it was ready for international expansion.

A move to Canada proved incredibly successful and the Canadian arm of the franchise bought the rights to UK Quiznos franchising. The UK franchise was launched in 2002. Currently, there are seven Quiznos franchise units operating in the UK market. However, the franchise is keen to expand and is looking for the right individuals to grow Quiznos' UK network. According to Tim Casey, the President and CEO of the brand, “There has never been a better time to open a Quiznos… Our main goal is to help our franchisees thrive, and we’ve made significant investments to improve our business model and increase profitability for our franchisees.” Read on to discover if you could be the next entrepreneur to see success with a Quiznos franchise.

>> Read more:

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• The Original Fast Food: Our Top Three Sandwich Franchises
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• American Burger: How To Start Your Own American Burger Restaurant

Benefits of starting a Quiznos franchise

Finding a fast food franchise that’s low cost but also benefits from a big name brand can be challenging. Quiznos is one of the world's most recognisable sandwich brands but its franchise units remain affordable. As they look to expand and open more UK locations, we thought we would look at what makes the business such an attractive investment opportunity for so many individuals and ask what you'll need to do become a franchisee.

1. It has a world class reputation

Over the years, Quiznos has become one of the most famous sandwich franchises in the world. With an excellent reputation for making toasted sandwiches with the highest-quality ingredients, they’re able to compete with many of the biggest sandwich brands out there.

2. It uses a diverse range of high-quality ingredients

Quiznos specialises in selling toasted subs that are loaded with an exciting array of fillings. The menu is diverse, and customers can choose to have their sandwich made on a wide range of artisan breads. Whereas most sandwich businesses focus on sourcing as low-cost ingredients as possible, Quiznos is committed to finding and using the best. This means all-natural cheeses, the tastiest meat products around, and fresh salad and veg. Despite this emphasis on superior ingredients, Quiznos' sandwiches are affordable, too.

Running a Quiznos franchise- what do I get in return for my investment?

To get a better understanding of the franchise opportunity, we will now take a closer look at the investment that is required and what you’ll get in return.

The investment levels

If you’re considering becoming a Quiznos franchisee, you’ll need to raise an initial investment of around £50,000. This is enough to get most franchise units off the ground, though the precise amount will depend on the location and size of your store.

In total, franchisees are likely to need a total investment of somewhere £150,000 and £190,000 to open a Quiznos franchise. This includes the £12,500 +VAT franchise fee and all other start-up costs.

What ongoing fees are there?

When it comes to fees, Quiznos charge both a marketing fee and a royalty fee. These are both calculated as a percentage of gross sales. The marketing/advertising fee is set at 4 percent, while the royalty fee is 7 percent.

Tim Casey states that “This leadership team is franchisee centric at its core. Beginning with the New Deal we made with our franchise network to reduce ongoing royalty and ad fees to put more money back in our franchisees’ pockets and our beautiful new restaurant design, we are going to continue to invest in the long-term success of our franchisees.”

Due to their international reputation and the success of Quiznos' existing businesses, many major lenders are willing to fund 70 percent of the total cost of your franchise. If you're seriously considering buying a franchise, Quiznos can help you secure this initial investment.

What will I get in return for my investment?

In return for your investment, franchisees are granted the right to operate under the Quiznos name and brand and are given access to a turnkey business model, as well as all the training required to operate it.

What training and support will I receive?

The franchise will help you find a location, design and construct your shop, and fit it out with all the equipment required. This means that you’ll have everything you need in place, ready for you to hit the ground running when you open.

All franchisees are enrolled in the franchise’s extensive training programme – Quiznos University. This provides you with all the skills required to run a Quiznos unit and grow your business.

There’s also ongoing support from regional Franchisee Business Consultants and the central franchise management team are on hand to provide you with all the help you could need, whenever you need it.

The key takeaway

Quiznos’ brand recognition ensures that you’ll receive sufficient custom to make a success of your unit and the relatively low investment costs make this one of the most lucrative franchises around.

What makes an ideal Quiznos franchisee?

Quiznos is not necessarily looking for franchisees with experience of the restaurant industry, although it would be a bonus. Instead, they're hoping to find individuals who demonstrate the following qualities…

First and foremost, franchisees must be committed to maintaining the Quiznos reputation for quality. You'll also require the ability to manage a team and motivate those around you. Communication and leadership skills are also highly prized. Finally, Quiznos franchisees need an entrepreneurial spirit and the desire to grow, expand, and reach as many customers as possible. These personal attributes are reflected in the brand’s 5 strong values that define how franchisees should operate.

• Entrepreneur- Own your restaurant, stand by your results and always learn from wins and failures. • Experience- Use previous experience in the restaurant industry to guide you and help your Quiznos franchise reach its full potential. • Leadership- Excel in your local community and guide your restaurant and team members to success. • Quality- Create an inviting environment and serve great tasting food to provide a restaurant experience that customers will never forget. • Diligence- Always put in 110 percent and be proactive. For your restaurant to be a success you need to respond well to change.

Is buying a Quiznos franchise the right business move for me?

If you're looking for a franchising opportunity in the fast food sector, you can't go far wrong with a Quiznos. For a relatively low start-up cost, you could benefit from an internationally recognised brand name and image, as well as the years of experience accrued by the central management team.

All franchisees are provided with a large amount of guidance and assistance, making it the ideal opportunity for those that want to run their own business but feel as though they could do with some support along the way. If you’re tempted by the Quiznos franchise opportunity you can register your interest on its website.

What sandwich shop franchises can I invest with through Point Franchise?

We currently have three exciting sandwich franchises on our books looking to recruit franchisees in the UK. Let’s take a quick look at two of them now to establish if either present an opportunity that suit your requirements.

Subway

Subway dominates the sandwich market both in the UK and overseas. The highly successful company has the most restaurants of any other business in the quick service restaurant (QSR) industry.

The sandwich brand - which is a continually ranked the number 1 franchise - offers its franchisees a two-week training course as well as an ongoing network of support.

To become a Subway franchisee, you will need to make a minimum investment of £100,000 and a total investment of £200,000.

Baguette Express

This sandwich franchise puts health at the heart of how it operates. It offers fresh, delicious meals, without breaking the bank and in record time.

The Baguette Express franchise team will assist with finding the perfect location, and then provide a 2-week training programme so franchisees can get to grips with all aspects of the business model.

To be accepted, franchisees need to submit a business plan, as well as a minimum cash investment between £20,000 and £35,000.