Craving Some Thai Takeaway? Start Your Own Thai Restaurant Franchise Today!

Delicious, exotic and incredibly healthy – Thai food has become a firm favourite in the UK. Its combination of fresh ingredients, spices and that kick you get from a tasty blend of lemongrass and chilli makes Thai food one of the fastest growing cuisines in the UK. Thai restaurant franchises are becoming increasingly common in the UK as demand grows for the country’s delicious dishes.

The rise of Pan-Asian cuisine means that, alongside Indian and Chinese, there’s now a growing market for Thai food in the UK. A survey carried out by Asian grocery chain Wing Yip found that 56 percent of people in the UK have eaten Thai food in a restaurant or as a takeaway, and almost 40 percent now eat it regularly. What’s more, Thai green curry makes Brits’ top three Asian dishes.

Another reason why Thai cuisine is becoming so popular is that many more people have now had the chance to travel to the Far East and experience the culture first-hand. On returning to the UK, it’s common for travellers to seek out a taste of the East, but less common for them to attempt cooking Thai food themselves.

Why a Thai takeaway franchise is the right choice

There are now over 2,000 Thai restaurants in the UK, and that number is relatively stable, indicating that Thai food is set firmly on the nation’s menu for the foreseeable future. But it’s not only hungry customers that benefit from this type of business. Franchisees now have the chance to move into a highly profitable sector.

Here are some of the key benefits of running your own business in the Thai takeaway food sector:

• While the statistics show that the majority of Thai food is eaten in a restaurant setting, the emergence of apps like Just Eat means that it’s now possible for customers to send out for takeaway Thai food deliveries. This fills a gap in the market, offering consumers quick, tasty meals to enjoy in the comfort of their own homes. As a result, Thai takeaway businesses can now capitalise on the growing pool of customers who would have previously chosen Chinese or Indian food as their preference.
• While Thai restaurant franchises are growing in popularity, they are still thinner on the ground than Chinese and Indian takeaway franchises. That means that it can be very profitable to jump into opportunities if you spot them, as there is limited competition at the moment. Because there are only a small number of franchises on offer, it’s likely you’ll be able to establish a business with very little local rivalry, so you’ll have a wider captive market of eager customers.
• Food franchises often have quite a high initial investment level, but if you pick a franchise that is unique, has a strong brand identity and is already part of a successful model, there’s a good chance it will be highly profitable within a couple of years. Thai takeaway franchises can offer you this, as their strategies will have already been tried and tested over the years.
• Food franchises that incorporate multiple revenue streams are the most successful. Although takeaway businesses need to factor in the added expense of delivery costs and any extras like business insurance and drivers’ wages, there is scope to boost your profit margin. This is particularly true, given the popularity of takeaways in the UK today.

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What it takes to run a successful restaurant or takeaway franchise

You don’t necessarily need to be a great chef to run a successful Thai takeaway restaurant. What you do need is ambition and business acumen, as well as these other factors:

• Determination

Food businesses are probably one of the most labour-intensive of all franchises; the hours are long, the work is hard and the competition is stiff. You’ll need to have the drive to keep moving forward when the going gets tough. Remember, the first few months are likely to be particularly demanding, so if you can make it through that, you’re on the path to success.

• Diversity

Even if you’re the only Thai takeaway service for miles, you’re still competing with every other food outlet in your area, from the local burger bar to the specialist Sushi delivery company. So, you’ll need to choose a franchise that can think outside the box a little. Avoid relying on a single revenue stream and make sure you offer something your competitors can’t – diversity is crucial.

Fortunately, the takeaway service is usually part of a ‘static’ restaurant set-up, so it’s rare you’ll find an opportunity to take on a takeaway-only franchise anyway. Your primary business will be the static restaurant, but a takeaway business on the side can bring in extra income. Multiple revenue streams are probably the best way to make any food franchise succeed.

• Passion

It goes without saying that you’ll need a real passion for food. Every day, you’ll be pouring all your energy into creating a fantastic takeaway business – and then you’ll have to go home and cook dinner. It’s difficult to build any successful business without an interest in the industry, but the food sector in particular demands a love of cooking and the ability to come up with fresh, new ideas.

• Money

You can’t get away from the fact that you’ll need to have a large amount of capital if you’re to launch a food franchise. Even if you’re not forking out for an attractive dining area filled with tables and chairs, you’ll need to have a commercial kitchen that passes all the essential health and safety regulations. Whether you’re buying or renting a ready-made facility, or installing it from scratch, this will be a significant investment.

Takeaway businesses also need delivery drivers, vehicles and marketing if they’re to become a success, and all these costs add up. Let’s take Wok&Go as an example. You’ll need to make an investment of around £200,000 and have enough left over to pay franchise fees of £15,000. While franchisees do have the option of borrowing up to 70 percent of your investment amount, you’ll need to be prepared to get through a large sum of money.

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Thai takeaway restaurant franchises

Thai food is becoming increasingly popular in the UK, and franchises offering the tasty cuisine are popping up in most major towns and cities. Here, we’ve compiled a list of some of the best restaurant franchises that sell Thai food – or related cuisines.

Wok&Go

Asian food franchises are popular, with some like Wok&Go in very high demand, despite their very high initial buy-in fee. Again, this is a multi-stream revenue generator, using a combination of an eat-in, takeaway and delivery business model to maximise profits.

Giggling Squid

Opportunities don’t come up very often, but if you do see the chance to buy into a franchise of the wonderfully named Giggling Squid, do so. This highly successful Thai restaurant chain currently has 30 outlets across the UK and is one of the best-known Thai chains in the country.

Thai Express

Thai Express is a quick service restaurant model that offers a takeaway service but doesn’t deliver. Bear in mind that with the advent of food apps like Just Eat, customers are increasingly expecting restaurants to be more flexible when it comes to delivering food, rather than just providing either a static restaurant or take-out service.

Camile

Camile is worth keeping an eye out for. It specialises in delivery services rather than static restaurant revenues. It’s a booming franchise, but opportunities are rare and highly prized. Therefore, you’ll need to be an impressive candidate and have access to a good level of investment to have a chance of buying into this particularly successful operation.

Start a Thai takeaway franchise today

Asian food is hugely popular, and Thai food is beginning to make its mark in the UK food sector. Spicy, delicious and nutritious, it’s become one of the nation’s favourite cuisines for its light, delicate flavours and – in some cases – health benefits.

As apps such as Just Eat becoming more widely used, takeaway services are now dominating the food market. That means that any food franchise that wants to succeed has to have more than one revenue stream. Static restaurants may decide to offer delivery services, while takeaway businesses could install a few tables into their premises to allow customers to enjoy their food there and then.

Thai food lends itself particularly well to the restaurant and takeaway model, and, despite a high initial investment, Thai food franchises can be extremely profitable. Food franchises tend to be the most expensive initially, but if they’re run successfully, they can generate good returns within two to five years.

Thai restaurants are labour-intensive and do suffer if there is a particular proliferation of other food outlets in the area. However, their cuisine is regarded as a stable part of the UK food scene now, rather than a ‘fad’, so the long-term prospects for a Thai takeaway delivery franchise are good.

Browse our other food franchise opportunities here.