The global Quick-Service Restaurant industry is expected to reach more than $690.80 billion by 2022 – and QSR’s strong presence and growth has consistently attracted franchise-seeking entrepreneurs. But QSR concepts can come with a handful of operational pitfalls, which is part of the reason why it’s hard to include The Honey Baked Ham Co.® in the category. Here are just four ways we don’t quite fit the mold of our QSR cousins.
1. No Cooking
That’s right – while we are part-restaurant, HoneyBaked is a specialty food retail concept. We serve freshly prepared sandwiches, soups, salads and sides as part of our year-round lunch menu, which customers can enjoy in the café-style dining rooms in each of our stores. We cater special occasions with delicious trays and platters packed with family favorites.
From our signature spiral-sliced Honey Baked Hams to our heat-and-serve sides, every product we sell is delivered to the store fully cooked. That means our franchisees don’t have to spend endless hours on kitchen cleanup or pour money into expensive cooking appliances.
2. Reasonable Hours
In part because our operational model doesn’t require cooking or traditional kitchen cleanup, our franchisees benefit from shorter working hours than a typical QSR franchise. There’s no need to be in the store much earlier than the store’s operating hours – usually 10am to 6pm from Monday to Friday with limited hours on weekends.
Extended hours during holiday periods like Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter help meet the increased demand we see during those seasons, but for most of the year, our franchisees don’t work the 14-hour days you’d commonly see in a QSR business.
3. Minimal Labor
Since there’s no need for cooking, there’s no need for cooks. Our operating hours are also shorter than the industry standard, so you don’t need employees in-store from early in the morning to late at night. In fact, for most of the year, our streamlined operational model only requires about 5-10 hourly employees, with only 2-3 on a full-time schedule.
Again, holiday seasons are game-changers. With guidance from Franchise Business Leaders, our franchisees anticipate holiday demand by bringing on and training a small crew of temporary hires to augment their regular team and help manage the increased output. Often, our franchisees find they can count on a handful of those temporary crew members to return year after year.
4. A Rewarding Work/Life Balance
What this all means is, through the HoneyBaked franchise system, our franchise partners are able to maintain a satisfying lifestyle. Like many entrepreneurs, quite a few of our franchisees were tired of the same old story that comes with a corporate career – long hours at work and not enough quality time with family and friends.
At HoneyBaked, we’re proud of the family-focused concept we’ve created. Our franchisees love the time they get to spend away from work with their family, friends and communities, living life the way they always wanted.
Looking to invest in a QSR franchise that breaks the industry mold? Find out what it takes to franchise with The Honey Baked Ham Co.® and let us know you’re interested.
