Advice for Buying a Restaurant and Selling a Restaurant

Selling your Restaurant may mean putting some materials together first.  Here’s a checklist of what most Restaurant Brokers will need to make sure you put your best foot forward!  There are limited buyers for the best restaurants for sale so be sure they get the best impression of your business.

It’s all in the name.  Selling your restaurant won’t happen without both the legal name of the selling entity and the business name (including the store number if it’s a franchise location).  Make sure your Restaurant Broker also knows what type of structure you operate your business under, whether it’s an LLC, C-corporation or Sole Proprietorship.  Expect an experienced broker to check the status of your legal entity with the Secretary of State before listing.  A corporation that’s defunct will keep a transaction from moving forward.

If you are selling your restaurant franchise, you have some extra items to pull together including:

• Remaining number of years on the franchise agreement
• Royalty percentage
• Marketing Fee percentage
• Transfer fee amount
• Franchise training time period and understanding of whether this occurs before or after closing.
• Date of any required refresh or remodel of the store and estimated cost.
• Copy of the franchise agreement.

Do you have to tell your brand you are selling?  Most franchise agreements state that you provide a “right of first refusal” and notification to the brand prior to listing.  In reality, most owners skip this step until and unless it’s placed in contract. You should be clear on the process for transfer and understand who in the corporate office will assist in approving the new buyer.

Make sure the restaurant broker knows how to reach you including your cellphone, email address and any other information to provide up to the minute results on listing activity.

For the store itself, be prepared to provide information on employees (the number of full time and part time), a sample schedule and rates of pay.  For the business, buyers and restaurant brokers want to know the operating hours, how long it’s been established and how long you, as the seller have owned it.  They will also need to know the number of seats both inside the business as well as patio seating. 

Infrastructure is key to selling your restaurant and a key component of what you are transferring.  Make sure you understand the size of your hood and grease trap along with the age and condition of any heavy equipment like the HVAC system, coolers or freezers.

 Selling a restaurant may seem intrusive in some regards.  Buyers definitely want to know your reason for the sale.  Be prepared with a response on why you are selling your restaurant whether it’s burnout, retirement, relocation or simply a change in lifestyle.   

When it comes to the lease, buyers want to see a physical copy.  Either scan your original or ask your landlord for an electronic copy.  They will want to understand the escalations as well as any option years.  When quoting the rent, make sure you include Rent plus CAMS, taxes and insurance.  Your restaurant broker will also need contact information for your landlord as well.

It is critical that you provide up to date financial information when selling your restaurant.  Buyers are looking at the cash flow to make a purchase decision.  For lending, that means two years of tax returns plus the current year profit and loss statement.

Decide up front, when selling your restaurant, exactly what will transfer.  Will your famous cookie recipe be included or not?  What about the picture of your family over the fireplace?  If something is not included, pull it from the restaurant so you don’t have to explain that choice to buyers.

Lastly, do some local research and figure out key economic factors that make this a winning location or opportunity for someone one. 

Selling your restaurant is easy if you follow this simple checklist and provide your restaurant broker all the information he or she needs.  You can download our restaurant selling checklist at this link or contact us to sell your restaurant at this one.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Franchise Development Agreements signed to Expand Presence in Colorado & Wyoming

We Sell Restaurants, the nation’s leading restaurant brokerage franchise brand, announced today the expansion of its operations with new franchisees in Colorado and Wyoming.  This growth in the West is announced just a month after signing two other franchise development agreements for Charlotte North Carolina and Naples Florida.

A rise in franchise development is driven by the brand’s ongoing growth strategy and overall success in the industry.  This achievement, coupled with their proprietary software platform for business brokerage, the Broker’s Operations and Sales System or BOSS, has drawn experienced restaurant operators as well as those outside the industry, to join the growing company.

The expansion in Colorado and entry to Wyoming will be spearheaded by new franchisees Jeff and Tawnie Marcus.  They have signed an agreement to launch their location in Northern Colorado with Boulder as a base and extend their operations into Wyoming. The practice will launch in early February 2019.

The Marcus team has an unmatched passion for the restaurant industry and have owned and operated nearly a dozen restaurants since 1991. Their concepts ranged from breakfast and lunch and family diners to full service restaurants with complete bars, nightclubs and more. As owners of a family diner, they were awarded Marketers of the Year in 2007 for the National Independent Restaurant Association and were named "Best Casual" Restaurant every year from 2006 thru 2011.

“We chose We Sell Restaurants since it complements our experience and knowledge.  We’ve owned, and operated restaurants and also worked alongside restaurants in the online ordering and delivery aspect. We can’t think of a better way to stay engaged in the industry than as a Restaurant Broker for a premiere firm.  We Sell Restaurants has solid systems, training and flexibility. We are also highly confident in the well-rounded background and cross-industry experience of the founders. We see Northern Colorado as a thriving and dynamic restaurant industry currently underserved from a niche, exclusively restaurant, business broker perspective.”

With more restaurants for sale across 42 states than any other firm in the country, We Sell Restaurants is the restaurant brokerage leader in America.  The company is currently seeking single and multi-unit operators to join in the brand’s rapid expansion. For more information about franchise opportunities, visit wsrfranchise.com or call 1 888-814-8226.

About We Sell Restaurants

Launched in Atlanta, Georgia, We Sell Restaurants has spread nationwide and sells restaurants in over 40 states.  We Sell Restaurants is the nation’s leading business brokerage firm focused solely on the restaurant industry.  Founded in 2001, We Sell Restaurants has been providing professional specialized services for the industry with a strong focus on franchise resales for almost 20 years.  We Sell Restaurants offers the only Certified Restaurant Broker training in the nation, resulting in experienced, knowledgeable brokers with unmatched closing ratios. For more information, please visit www.wesellrestaurants.com

The year has ended with a bang and lots of activity on restaurants for sale online at We Sell Restaurants.  The market was extremely busy despite the holiday time period with overall web traffic nearly doubling over the prior year.  That makes our top ten restaurants for sale even more impressive.  These rose to the top of hundreds of listings making them the most popular of all those for sale.  How do we measure the best of the best?  We look at the signed confidentiality agreements online as well as outreach to our Certified Restaurant Brokers from texts, phone calls and emails.  The most activity was generated on two pizza franchises for sale in Alabama that are selling for literally, pennies on the dollar.  The build out for these two stores was close to a million dollars but the sellers hit a snag in their partnership and they are ready to sell at just $99,000 for two open and operating locations.  We have a number of buyers looking at this deal and doubt it will stay in play much longer.

Listing ID:6415   Two Pizza Franchises for Sale in Alabama! Phenomenal Pricing! Lease: Both lease terms expire 2030 Monthly Rent: $7995 I 7400 Inside Sq. Ft. 2793 I 2597 Outside Sq. Ft. Price:$99,000 City:Huntsville | Madison Robin Gagnon (404) 800-6700 The second most popular of our restaurants for sale this year was a cute cafe in Alpharetta Georgia.  The home run location generating sales of $55,000 per month is priced to move at $125,000.   Bring your offer on this cafe as it won't last at this pricing.  Listing ID:6447   Cafe for Sale in Alpharetta doing $55,000 a Month in Sales! Winner! Lease: Valid thru 2022, plus 2 - 5-year options Monthly Rent: $5500 Inside Sq. Ft. 2700 Outside Sq. Ft. Price:$125,000 City:Alpharetta Eric Gagnon (404) 800-6704  Florida nudged into the top of the list with the third most popular of our restaurants for sale this month.  The Fort Lauderdale beauty is fully equipped with everything you need for virtually any cuisine.  The monthly rent of just $2163 is also driving buyers as this market is seeing price increases.  Smart buyers are looking at existing locations where they can take over the lease rate.  Listing ID:6480   Restaurant for Sale in Fort Lauderdale is Fully Equipped & Priced to Move! Lease: five year Monthly Rent: $2163 Inside Sq. Ft. 1440 Outside Sq. Ft. 0 Price:$49,000 City:Fort Lauderdale Ken Eisenband (561) 350-3365 Fort Lauderdale was also the source of strong activity from the next of our restaurants for sale on the list.  A low price listing at under $85,000 with another remarkable rent number fed buyer activity, online acknowledgement of confidentiality agreements, texts to our agents and strong phone calls.  Listing ID:6444   Restaurant for Sale in Ft. Lauderdale, FL - Catering, Pick-Up and Delivery! Lease: Expires on September 30, 2022 plus 5 year option Monthly Rent: $1450 Inside Sq. Ft. 725 Outside Sq. Ft. Price:$84,900 City:Fort Lauderdale Ken Eisenband (561) 350-3365 Rounding out the top five restaurants for sale was a metro Atlanta franchise doing more than $1.5 million in sales.  The seller owns the building and is ready to work with a new tenant on lease terms.  You can't get much better than that!  This location in Rome Georgia is 7,500 square feet and has demonstrated very strong interest for the month.  Listing ID:6495   Franchise for Sale in Atlanta Metro - Over $1.5 MM in Sales Lease: Open End - Seller is the owner of building and business Monthly Rent: $15000 Inside Sq. Ft. 7,500 Outside Sq. Ft. Price:$99,000 City:Rome Eric Gagnon (404) 800-6704 Those in the market to do their own location are hitting the website hard judging by the interest in this restaurant space for lease in Roswell.  The lease terms are open to negotiation and the endcap location couldn't be better for establishing a fast casual concept in a booming trade area.  Just 1600 square feet, bring your concepts today and we'll help you negotiate a deal on this listing.  Listing ID:5079   Restaurant for Lease in Roswell GA Lease: To Be Negotiated Monthly Rent: $3492.00 Inside Sq. Ft. 1600 Outside Sq. Ft. Price:$0 City:Roswell Steve Weinbaum (770) 714-4552 Colorado jumped into the mix with the next business in the top ten.  This donut shop was one of the most popular restaurants for sale - based on low cost of entry, low rent and an easy to run operation.  Listing ID:6226    Profitable Donut Shop for Sale In Colorado Springs is Priced to Sell! Lease: 3 years left - landlord will extend. Monthly Rent: $2037 Inside Sq. Ft. 1900 Outside Sq. Ft. 200 Price:$20,000 City:Colorado Springs Bob Steinberger (303) 901-4938 Colorado made the next most popular space on the list with this BBQ restaurant for sale.  The Denver landmark is represented by Restaurant Broker Chris Gordon who has seen his phone, email, and contacts spike over activity for this location.  Listing ID:6294   BBQ Restaurant For Sale in Colorado - a Denver Staple and Landmark! Lease: 10 year + 10 year option Monthly Rent: $15,000 Inside Sq. Ft. 6,000 Outside Sq. Ft. 750 Price:$400,000 Chris Gordon (303) 594-4247  Atlanta was back in the mix, barely, with a second franchise for sale location.  The mall based store generating strong sales of half a million has a long lease and is an easy to operate concept in a small footprint.   Listing ID:6217    Mall-Based Franchise for Sale in Atlanta - Annual sales of Half a Million Lease: remainder of 12 year lease expiring 2030 Monthly Rent: $10,464 Inside Sq. Ft. 700 Outside Sq. Ft. n/a Price:$149,000 City:Atlanta Steve Weinbaum (770) 714-4552 Last on the top ten restaurants for sale list was a breakfast and lunch restaurant in Miramar Florida.  An owner that's retiring combined with a strong lease and loyal clientele makes this location a winner among our customers.  Listing ID:6477   Breakfast and Lunch Restaurant for Sale in Miramar, FL - Owner Retiring Lease: five years plus five year option Monthly Rent: $3259.52 Inside Sq. Ft. 1300 Outside Sq. Ft. Price:$75,000 City:Miramar Ken Eisenband (561) 350-3365 That's the winning list of restaurants for sale that beat out hundreds of others to land on the top ten for the month.  Many of these restaurants for sale will be gone by next month as inventory continues to see strong turnover and a rapid selling cycle.  Want to see more restaurants for sale?  Visit our full inventory online at this link.

Exactly why is January the best month to sell a restaurant?  For the nearly twenty years that We Sell Restaurants has been marketing businesses, the first of the year signals an uptick in buyer interest.  That means December is the best time to list your restaurant for sale.  Here’s why, in this Restaurant Broker’s opinion.

Reason 1 – It’s the Economy….

The economy, despite a recently announced rise in interest rates is still pumping out the strongest GDP (Gross Domestic Product) in years.  The real GDP growth in second quarter was 4.2 percent, something unseen in a decade.  With this economic news, combined with a strong labor market and record unemployment, those working a job feel comfortable taking a risk.  If they step outside their current corporate comfort zone and paycheck to buy a restaurant, the market is always good enough to return.  That gives them more security to take the chance on a new venture. That’s reason one that January will be a great month to sell a restaurant.  Buyers will be home over Christmas vacation studying opportunities that look more interesting than returning to work.  

Reason 2 – Restaurants are Worth more

Year end numbers are in and 2018 was much better for most restaurant sellers than 2017.  For that reason, the value of the restaurant you want to sell has increased over the prior year.  This is based on national results published by Black Box Intelligence data.  “Same-store sales were up 1 percent in November, which became the sixth consecutive month of positive sales growth for the industry. Excluding a very small dip in same-store sales during May, every month since March has posted positive same-store sales growth. This represents a period of expansion not experienced by the industry in over three years.”  When sales go up, earnings go up, particularly after a tough 2017.  If you want to know what your restaurant is worth in today’s market, now’s the time to find out.

Reason 3 – 401K plans are still worth more

Despite recent turmoil and sell-offs with issues around Fed Reserve hikes and more, the market is still good.  Even after the current sell-off, for instance, the S&P 500 through 12/10 close was up by nearly 15 percent since President Trump’s inauguration and more than 21 percent since Election Day 2016. This gives those in the market to buy a restaurant confidence that their nest egg is secure.  They can leave corporate America, leverage 20% down on a purchase and have money to return to if everything fails.  That’s the third reason January will still represent a high point in placing restaurants in contract.

Reason 4 – Lenders are Ready to Go

Lending is at a level unmatched in this Restaurant Broker’s history.  Multiple banks are making more than one offer on the same deal.  With rates inching up, based on the latest Federal Reserve hike, money is still cheap but more importantly, it is readily available. Someone in the market to sell a restaurant, no longer must worry about holding a note on the deal.  He or she can expect a payout, in most instances, at the closing table if the books and records are strong and sometimes, even when they aren’t. If you want to sell a restaurant today, be ready for the market to continue to be hot in January. Buyers only must bring between ten and twenty percent to the table to get a loan in today’s very favorable loan market.  The recent interest rate hike is meaningless overall in the hit to a payment but will make lenders even more anxious to close more deals and earn more interest on them.

Reason 5 – Because we said so....

We have been selling more restaurants than anyone else nationwide for nearly twenty years.  We have watched the cadence of the market through thick and thin, boom and bust. In all instances, we see buyers flock to the latest listings in January.  That creates a spike in our web traffic, more inquiries online and more deals placed in contract. 

Overall, if you’re in the market to sell a restaurant, now is the time to list the business, before January hits and buyers start looking at all the restaurants for sale.  Contact one of the Restaurant Brokers to learn more about the process or visit our listings online at this link.

Thirteen members of the Georgia Association of Business Brokers (GABB) were named to the 2018 Million Dollar Club for helping broker the sale of more than $71 million worth of small, medium and large businesses.  Eric and Robin Gagnon of We Sell Restaurants were among the handful of top producers for the group. 

GABB members represent owners of Georgia businesses in important and complicated transactions: the sale of their business. GABB members help owners determine the asking price of their business, create marketing plans and strategies for selling their business, identify and qualify buyers, and have the knowledge, experience and skills needed to help maintain the confidential nature of the process.

Robin Gagnon was named a multi-million-dollar recipient.  ROBIN GAGNON is the Co-Founder of We Sell Restaurants and the firm’s Chief Marketing Officer.  One of the most prolific restaurant brokers in the industry and a franchise resale specialist, she holds the Certified Business Intermediary (CBI) designation from the International Business Brokers Association or IBBA and is an MBA.  She is a writer and speaker who has addressed many groups nationwide She co-authored Appetite for Acquisition,  the industry’s leading book on buying restaurants that received the prestigious “Best of ” award by Small Business Book Awards.  Robin is a member of the International Franchise Association and serves on the Women’s Franchise Committee at the national level. She is also the Chair of the Women’s Franchise Network – Atlanta Chapter.  Robin holds an undergraduate degree and an MBA where she graduated first in her class and was named “Outstanding MBA.” Robin is an emeritus member of the ASU Business Advisory Council. She is also a founding member of the ASU Entrepreneurship Board. Robin is a licensed real estate salesperson in both Georgia and Florida and member of the Georgia Association of Business Brokers (GABB), the International Business Brokers Association (IBBA) and the Business Brokers of Florida (BBF).  Robin, along with her husband Eric teach the nation’s only Certified Restaurant Broker curriculum training and testing agents in the practice of restaurant brokerage.

Eric Gagnon is the President and founder of We Sell Restaurants and wesellrestaurants.com, ranked by Entrepreneur Magazine as the nation’s fifth largest business brokerage franchise and the largest focused on the restaurant industry.  An expert in restaurant sales and valuation, he is a frequent speaker, writer and radio personality for the industry.  Mr. Gagnon is the co-author of Appetite for Acquisition, an award-winning book on buying restaurants.  He is past President of the Georgia Association of Business Brokers, has been named to the GABB Million Dollar Club many times, has received the GABB Lifetime Million Dollar Club Award and received the prestigious GABB Phoenix award for a decade of reaching those milestones. Business Brokerage Press first designa

The Georgia Association of Business Brokers (GABB) is the state’s only professional organization dedicated to buying and selling businesses and franchises.  The GABB’s website t lists hundreds of businesses and franchises for sale throughout Georgia in a variety of fields, including automotive, business services, child care, cleaning, construction, electronics equipment, fitness, flooring, floral, food, gas stations, landscaping, manufacturing, medical, shipping, restaurants, retail, security, signs, and businesses related to the internet.ted Mr. Gagnon as an Industry Expert over a decade ago.  In addition to GABB, Eric is a member of the International Business Brokers Association (IBBA), the International Franchise Association (IFA), and the Southeast Franchise Forum (SEFF) where he serves on the Board of Directors.  He is also a member of the Business Brokers of Florida (BBF). Mr. Gagnon is licensed as a broker in Georgia, South Carolina and Florida.

Eric Gagnon of We Sell Restaurants said of the awards, “Today’s environment for buying and selling a restaurant or other business is competitive and requires strong attention to detail.  Using the services of an experienced and educated broker is key to navigating this task so parties on both side of the transaction walk away with a win.”

GABB broker members have represented thousands of business owners and buyers, and the group has a dedicated membership of lenders, attorneys and other professionals to assist business buyers and sellers at every step of the process.

For more information on We Sell Restaurants and their restaurant listings for sale, visit us online at Wesellrestaurants.com 

 

 

Leading Restaurant Brokerage Brand to Open Locations in Charlotte and Expand Presence in Florida

We Sell Restaurants, the nation’s leading restaurant brokerage franchise brand,  announced today the signing of two franchise development agreements that will expand its footprint in key target markets throughout the Southeast.  This surge in franchise development reflects the brand’s growth strategy and is fueled by the ongoing success We Sell Restaurants has experienced over the past several years. This success, coupled with the continuous improvements on their proprietary platform, the Broker’s Operations and Sales System or BOSS, has attracted experienced multi-unit and single unit restaurant operators as well as those outside the industry, to join the growing brand.

As part of this development, We Sell Restaurants is entering the Charlotte, North Carolina market spearheaded by new franchisee Justin Scotto and his company, Carolina Restaurant Brokerage, LLC.  Scotto has signed an agreement to launch three locations throughout the region, specifically targeting Charlotte North Carolina, Rock Hill South Carolina and extending into the Carolinas over the coming years.  His operations are slated to begin in January of 2019.  Justin has extensive experience in the restaurant industry. He previously acted as a multi-unit developer of the Firehouse Subs franchise brand where he developed and operated as many as twelve units. As a Firehouse Subs multi-unit owner, Scotto served for seven years on the Firehouse Subs Board of Directors where he represented the views of franchisees nationwide. 

“As a multi-unit developer of a fast casual brand for the past 16 years I’ve gained a wealth of knowledge in the restaurant industry. This experience will help me relate to future buyers and sellers. I’m looking forward to transferring this knowledge to the We Sell Restaurants brand. I reviewed other similar brands, but We Sell Restaurants proved to be the best fit for me because of their commitment and success towards getting the job done for buyers and sellers in the restaurant brokerage market. “

We Sell Restaurants also signed a franchise development agreement with David Whitcomb, President of DDT Holdings, Inc. who will bring a new location to Naples, Florida in January of 2019.  Whitcomb has more than a decade of experience in the full service and quick service segments.  He has owned and operated his own restaurant, served as a Culinary Director for multiple locations, and has degrees in Food Service Management and Culinary Arts.    

“I chose We Sell Restaurants since it complements my experience and knowledge.  I’ve owned, and operated restaurants and I can’t think of a better way to stay engaged in the industry than as a Restaurant Broker for a premiere firm.  We Sell Restaurants has solid systems, training and flexibility. I am also highly confident in the well-rounded background and cross-industry experience of the founders. I see Naples as a thriving and dynamic restaurant industry currently underserved from a niche, exclusively restaurant, business broker perspective.”

Coupled with its ongoing management system innovation, We Sell Restaurants credits its strong alignment with the franchise industry and its resale focus with the brand’s ongoing strong performance. Franchisees of the We Sell Restaurants system strongly outperform their peers in the industry based on annual survey results published by Business Brokerage Press and BizBuySell.  The financial performance of their franchisees in their Item 19 disclosure at this link demonstrate strong six figure earnings in the first full year of operations.  For nearly 18 years, We Sell Restaurants has been the most innovative, technologically advanced and successful restaurant brokerage brand in the nation where they adhere to their mission to “Sell More Restaurants than Anyone Else. Period.”

With more restaurants for sale across 39 states than any other firm in the country, We Sell Restaurants is the restaurant brokerage leader in America.  The company is currently seeking single and multi-unit operators to join in the brand’s rapid expansion. For more information about franchise opportunities, visit wsrfranchise.com or call 1 888-814-8226.

About We Sell Restaurants

Launched in Atlanta, Georgia, We Sell Restaurants has spread nationwide and sells restaurants in nearly 40 states.  We Sell Restaurants is the nation’s leading business brokerage firm focused solely on the restaurant industry.  Founded in 2001, We Sell Restaurants has been providing professional specialized services for the industry with a strong focus on franchise resales for almost 20 years.  We Sell Restaurants offers the only Certified Restaurant Broker training in the nation, resulting in experienced, knowledgeable brokers with unmatched closing ratios. For more information, please visit www.wesellrestaurants.com

Contact:
Robin Gagnon
We Sell Restaurants
404-800-6700
robin@wesellrestaurants.com

 

 

From $100,000 off for the weekend to a discount of $350,000 on  multi-store group, We Sell Restaurants has never had better deals for buying a restaurant than the ones we're posting starting with Black Friday and ending, without fail, on Cyber Monday. We'll be publishing the deals one at a time for twelve hours on social media or our loyal blog readers can get a sneak peak at all twelve Black Friday Restaurant for Sale specials at this link.

Our sellers are ready to get deals on the table before the year ends and they have offered incredible deals we have never seen before.  We reached out and asked if they wanted to be included in Black Friday specials and boy, were we surprised by the response.  Shhh..we haven't published to social media yet but here's a sneak peak.

Our seller of this Ohio pizza restaurant for sale said to blow it out the door and priced the business to move at just $39,0000.  We're not talking about a basic restaurant here.  This one is fully equipped, open and operating.  Ideal to flip to a different concept or keep the same.  This is an unmatched opportunity.

We have an Dairy Queen and Orange Julius restaurant for sale  opportunity in the western suburbs of Minneapolis priced at $115,000 and the seller will pay the closing costs if he gets a deal by Monday.  The earnings on this one are more than $50,000 per year so you're buying a just over two times earnings for a fantastic two-brand package.

One of our most unbelievable deals of the day is a 7-store package of franchise restaurants for sale in Denver Colorado.  The mile-high market is one of the most active nationally for fast casual brands and this is a national brand.  The entire group is reduced $350,000 (that's right - -not a typo), $350,000 off if an offer is received by Cyber-Monday AND the seller will pay closing costs.

Another deal in our Black Friday restaurant for sale lineup is a frozen yogurt franchise for sale in Raleigh, North Carolina.  Buyers become part of a franchise with almost 200 locations nationwide and adding more all the time. They have their own loyalty program powered by a fantastic rewards card and smart phone app guaranteed to have customers coming back again and again.

Two Firehouse Subs franchise restaurants for sale  in Pennsylvania come with a bonus on Black Friday in deals offered by We Sell Restaurants.  The seller will pay the closing costs if you bring an offer by Cyber-Monday.

Looking for big savings on the asking price?  How about a $50,000 price reduction on a Hungry Howie's Pizza Franchise for sale?  This open and operating location is generating good cash flow and is ready for a new owner in North Carolina where the seller is grossing over half a million in sales per year.

Colorado restaurants for sale are not going to be left out of the mix.  The listing agent has generated a "no closing costs" deal on two different pizza restaurants for sale.  One is priced to move at $125,000 and the other is just $99,000. 

Forget a stocking stuffer! You can get an Atlanta restaurant for sale for just $55,000 in this Black Friday deal offered by We Sell Restaurants.  Click this link for more details. This seller is ready to accept offers during the holiday weekend.

This is just a partial list of all the deals offered by We Sell Restaurants for Black Friday through Cyber Monday!  Don't miss out on these restaurant for sale deals all available at this link.

 

 

It’s that time of year again where Americans celebrate those who have served this country in the military. Sunday, November 11 is Veterans Day (though it will be observed by banks and the postal service as Monday).  Many of the franchise restaurants and corporate owned stores we represent at We Sell Restaurants are offering veterans a free meal or discounted service. We looked online and found over 80 that we listed below.  We're sure there are even more.  For those who sign up to spend months away from their families securing our freedoms, this seems like a nominal gift.

These are the franchise restaurants and independent and corporate stores we’re aware of (though there may be more) who will be offering either discounts or free meals to veterans and active duty military personnel.  If you are in a restaurant next week where this offer isn’t in place, you could always offer to take care of the check on behalf of those who take care of our freedom.

Active duty military and veterans with ID will get free or discounted meals at most of the following. Confirm locally before ordering.  Offers usually do not include alcohol or gratuity and can’t be combined with other discounts or coupons.  Check with the individual franchise restaurants listed below for the specific offers which range from free entrees up to a certain price point or a complimentary item from a fixed menu.

Here’s the list of franchise restaurants we’ve put together so far at We Sell Restaurants.  The exciting news is that this list is so extensive ranging from a free draught beer at World of Beer to full complimentary meals at Chili’s Bar and Grill.  If you know of others, post them in the comments section of our blog. Let’s get the word out so our veterans get a meal on the house! 

• 54th Street
• Acapulco Restaurant Y Cantina
• Applebee’s
• Arooga’s Grille House & Sports Bar
• Back Yard Burgers
• Bagger Dave’s
• Bakers Square.
• Bar Louie.
• BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse
• Boston Market
• Buffalo Wild Wings
• California Pizza Kitchen
• Cattlemens Steakhouse.
• Chevys Fresh Mex
• Chicken Salad Chick
• Chickie’s & Pete’s
• Chili’s Grill & Bar
• Chipotle Mexican Grill
• Chompie’s
• City Barbeque
• Claim Jumper Restaurants
• Cotton Patch Café
• Country Cookin
• Cracker Barrell Old Country Store
• Dunkin Donuts
• Eat’n Park
• El Torito
• El Torito Grill
• Famous Dave’s
• Farmer Boys
• Fatz Southern Kitchen
• Firebirds Wood Fired Grill
• Fogo de Chao
• Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers
• Friendly’s
• Glory Days Grill
• Gold Star Chili
• Golden Corral
• Green Mill Restaurant and Bar
• Grub Burger Bar
• Hamburger Stand
• Hickory Tavern
• Hooters
• Hoss’s Family Steak & Sea Company
• Hy-Vee
• Jon Smith Subs
• K&W Cafeteria
• Kolache Factory
• Kinds Family Restaurant
• LaMar’s Donuts
• Little Caesars
• Logan’s Roadhouse
• Lucille’s Smokehouse Bar-B-Que
• Main Event
• Max & Erma’s
• McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood & Steaks
• McGrath’s Fish House
• Melt Shop
• Menchi’s Frozen Yogurt
• Mimi’s Café
• Native Grill & Wings
• Nekter Juice Bar
• Ninety Nine Restaurant & Pub
• O’Charley’s Restaurant + Bar
• On the Boarder
• Pilot Flying J
• Primanti Bros.
• Red Lobster
• Red Robin Gagnon
• RibCrib BBQ & Grill
• Rock & Brews
• Romano’s Macaroni Grill
• Ruby Tuesday
• Sagebrush Steakhouse
• Scoter’s Coffee
• Shane’s Rib Shack
• Shoney’s
• Sizzler
• Spaghetti Warehouse
• Taco Mac
• Tap House Grill
• Texas Coral
• Texas de Brazil
• Texas Roadhouse
• Wienerschnitzel
• Wild Wing Café
• WingHouse Bar & Grill
  World of Beer

Remember to take a moment and thank a veteran you know or someone you see in uniform this Veteran’s Day or any day.  Better yet, step up and buy them a meal.  It’s the least we can do

Where are the latest franchise restaurant sales taking place and what are the new store openings planned in the industry?  We Sell Restaurants has been tracking the deals across the nation from press releases, announcements and online posts. 

We’ve assembled the latest openings here which includes everything from healthy food concepts to artery clogging Mac and Cheese. Pizza and pasta had a big month while both emerging concepts and well-established brands add a lot of units.  From emerging concepts to those that are well-established, these are the franchise restaurant sales you should know about.  We Sell Restaurants has scoured the press releases and online announcements to bring you the deals we've see hit this month.

Six new units of Tropical Smoothie Cafe are in the works with owners Kevin and Mike Couchman. They have signed a deal to develop the stores in Ohio and are starting in Columbus in the summer of 2019. The team currently operates 17 Jet’s Pizza franchise locations.

15 new Dunkin' Donuts units have been inked for development in Colorado along with three multi-brand stores with both the Dunkin/Baskin-Robbins brands. existing franchisee group Sizzling Donuts will develop seven Dunkin' locations around Denver, with the first slated to open in 2019.

• A brand new franchisee group Avalanche Coffee, LLC signed a four-unit deal to bring three Dunkin' and one Dunkin'/Baskin-Robbins units to Evergreen and areas further west toward the Rocky Mountains.
• Colorado Coffee Company, LLC, led by existing 'zee Josh Blanchard, signed a four-unit agreement to open Dunkin' stores throughout the Denver area.
• Lastly, First Cup, LLC franchisee group has a two-unit agreement for one Dunkin' and one Dunkin'/Baskin-Robbins to open in Montrose and Grand Junction. Existing franchisee Douglas Redman signed for an additional Dunkin'/Baskin-Robbins location in Denver.

That's a lot of franchise activity for Colorado where it appears Dunkin Donuts is serious about expansion.

Dickey’s Barbecue Pit is heading north of the border.  The largest barbecue franchise in the world, announced they will expand into the Canadian market for the first time in late 2019, bringing Texas barbecue to 20 stores in Edmonton, Alberta, Calgary, Alberta, Regina, Saskatchewan and Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.  This is after opening their first international locations in Abu Dhabi recently.  In addition to expanding into Canada and across the Middle East, Dickey’s Barbecue Pit is opening six new locations in October across the U.S., including Hawaii for the first time.

I Heart Mac & Cheese, a fast-casual concept specializing in customizable, made-to-order macaroni and cheese, grilled cheese and specialty salads has sold three brick-and-mortar stores in South Florida to Hector Gonzalez, the company’s former general manager.  The first store is slated to open February 2019 and will be located at the Shoppes of Deerfield Beach at W. Hillsboro Boulevard and Powerline Road. The two remaining stores will open in 2019.

B.GOOD, a concept billing itself as "the industry pioneer in providing great tasting, locally sourced burgers, bowls, salads, smoothies and more," has announced the opening of three new stores in the Chicago metropolitan area.  These are their first stores in the Midwest.  The farm-to-table restaurant will open its doors in Vernon Hills in late October, followed by openings in Schaumburg and Naperville in mid-December.  the Boston-based company proudly serves “Food with Roots” – sustainably-grown, fresh and wholesome food prepared fresh in-house.

B.GOOD currently has 70 locations across the globe, with more than 50 in the U.S. alone and additional openings slated in the greater Albany and Charlotte markets later this year.

Jon Smith Subs, a restaurant serving hot, grilled subs featuring high-quality marinated sirloin steak and chicken, is opening at 9375 Emerald Coast Parkway West in Miramar Beach, Florida.  The brand offers freshly prepared subs, sandwiches, and award-winning crispy fries.  Jon Smith Subs, has 16 locations in Florida, Nevada, Ohio, Texas, and Virginia with 15 upcoming openings in 7 different states.

MOOYAH Burgers, Fries & Shakes, owned by seasoned franchisee and Ben & Jerry’s Orlando CEO Tareq Qarman, is moving into a 4,200 square foot space formally optioned by Hogan’s Beach Shop in Orlando’s Mango’s Tropical Cafe in 2019.  Voted Best Nightclub, Best Latin, Best Place to Celebrate, Best Live Music, Dinner Show of the Year and countless other recognitions, Mango’s Tropical Café Orlando is the largest restaurant, banquet facility and nightclub destination in the Southeast and International Drive’s newest, award-winning dining, entertainment and dance club with live entertainment nightly.   

 Chicken Salad Chick is showing strong activity with multiple openings.  The are expanding to Arkansas with their newest restaurant in Jonesboro, marking the brand’s first location in the state. The company grew its unit-count by 27 percent in 2017 and is continuing that momentum this year by expanding the concept into four new states including, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kentucky and Missouri..

The Jonesboro restaurant is owned and operated by first-time Chicken Salad Chick franchisee and Arkansas native Melissa Hardcastle of NEA Chick, LLC. Hardcastle has decades of experience managing operations and business development across a variety of industries. 

Chicken Salad Chick also announced expansion into Texas with its newest restaurant in Spring. The new restaurant marks the brand’s first in the Houston area, with a second restaurant in Conroe near The Woodlands and a third Houston location slated to open next year. Located at 21630 Kuykendahl Road, the Spring restaurant will open on November 7th and is owned and operated by franchisee team Jake Alleman and Cody Gielen of Cojak Enterprises, LLC.

Chicken Salad Chick is also expanding in Tennessee with its second location in the Knoxville area, marking the brand’s 10th location in the state. Chicken Salad Chick has continued to establish Tennessee as a prime market for expansion, with this new location coming on the heels of restaurant openings in Spring Hill, Memphis and Knoxville earlier this year. Located at 726 Watkins Road, the Maryville restaurant opened in early October.

Chicken Salad Chicks isn't the only concept growing.  Cowboy Chicken, the Dallas-based rotisserie chain known for its wood-fired chicken and handmade side dishes, opened in Bakersfield California in October.  TEXACAL Foods owners and operations partners Roche and Phil Fontes joined with Cal Capitol Investment Group’s Daniel and Doug Shaffer to bring the growing Cowboy Chicken brand to the Golden State. Born and raised in Bakersfield, both Fontes and the Shaffers still live in the area and look forward to doing business in their community. Roche, an industry veteran and California native, experienced Cowboy Chicken in Texas while at lunch with a friend and instantly fell in love with the great food and the friendly atmosphere. TEXACAL Foods and Cowboy Chicken have signed the largest franchise agreement to date, with 30 Cowboy Chicken locations planned across California.

From chicken to bars, breweries and alcohol themed concepts, a few locations with a strong emphasis on alcohol are opening or planned as franchise restaurant sales are announced nationwide. 

Brusly, Louisiana is the site of the newest Walk-On’s Bistreaux & Bar.  The popular Baton Rouge-based brand opened an 8,100 square foot restaurant in early October.  Walk-On’s is renowned for its signature Louisiana-inspired menu.  This is the 24^th store for the brand. Following a record-breaking year of franchise expansion, Walk-On’s has captured the top spot in two categories of Technomic’s 2018 Top 500 Chain Restaurant Report.

Old Chicago Pizza & taproom, a full-service restaurant known for its world class beer list full of local and regional craft beer offerings, combined with its delicious, hand crafted pizza and taproom fare, opened its latest location in Columbus Georgia this month.  The new store is at 6581 Whittlesey Blvd. This is the first Old Chicago in Georgia and the 109th location nationwide.

The Brass Tap is expanding its presence in Texas, signing a five-unit deal in Dallas.  Franchisee Sid Patel, who currently owns a Brass Tap location in Allen, Texas, will own and operate the new locations and has plans for more. Patel owned and operated a beer and wine shop in McKinney, Texas before signing on with The Brass Tap, making the jump to franchising when he realized the rate at which Dallas-area craft breweries were appearing.

Pizza and Italian are definitely expanding with announcements from Pizza Inn, Mountain Mike's, Pie Five, Fazoli's and Stoner's Pizza, all announcing growth in units.

Mountain Mike’s Pizza,  a leading California-based family-style pizza chain known for serving “Pizza the way it oughta be! ®,” has announced it has reached a major milestone with the opening of its 200^thunit. The milestone location is in Sacramento, where the brand currently has 20 restaurants. With 12 new restaurants opened in multiple markets this year and four slated to open within the next few weeks, the Mountain Mike’s system has accelerated its growth pace and has plans to surpass 300 units within the next few years.

Pizza Inn has re-opened its doors in Lewisville Texas.  Robert and Denise Wrestler, first time franchisees opened the store earlier this month.  This is the Wrestler’s first restaurant and first-time franchising. Denise has 15 years of experience in the medical device field and Robert has been in finance for 20 years. They have been working with Pizza Inn to bring the restaurant back since 2016.

 Pie Five Pizza today announced that the fast-casual pizza chain has executed an Area Development Agreement with two new franchisees, set to open restaurants in Murphy and Prosper, Texas, later this year.

Charlie Clark of Pie Squared Investments Murphy, LLC signed an agreement to bring Pie Five to Murphy, Texas. Clark has several years of restaurant experience, including working with well-known pizza brands Mr. Jim’s Pizza and Cicis Pizza. Clark owned a Mr. Jim’s in Sherman, Texas, for 12 years and has managed three Cicis Pizza locations. Clark’s Pie Five restaurant is expected to open in November at 109 Murphy Road.

Shelia Afzal of Goldberg Funding, LLC signed an agreement to bring Pie Five to Prosper, Texas. Goldberg Funding owns five other Pie Five restaurants in the DFW metroplex in addition to franchising other restaurant concepts in the Dallas area. Prosper’s new Pie Five is projected to https://www.fazolis.com/open in December.

Fazoli’s, a QSR Italian chain, has announced the signing of two multi-unit development agreements for eight new locations in Georgia and Arkansas.  The brand is capitalizing on recent momentum and record-breaking performances of grand openings across the country. The company has successfully opened nine new restaurants this year, with the most recent being a conversion of a former Ruby Tuesday’s in Prattville, Alabama. They are on track to achieve the highest number of openings in nearly 10 years.

The Georgia stores are being developed by Lamont Brooks and his partners at Arriba Restaurant Group.  They are current and former multi-unit and multi-concept owners of Pizza Hut, Dunkin Donuts, Subway, Burger King, Fuddruckers and Quiznos throughout the U.S. and South America. The group plans to open their first of five restaurants in the first half of 2019, targeting Snellville, Gainesville and Peachtree City for development, with further plans to develop the concept in the future.

Junior Das, Linda Bradley and Andy Patel of Pasta Joint, LLC signed a three-unit deal agreement to further expand the concept throughout Central Arkansas, targeting the Benton, Conway and Searcy areas for development. Local residents of Jonesboro and multi-concept franchise owners, the group has a combined 25+ years of foodservice and hospitality experience, the group’s current portfolio includes Dairy Queen, Smoothie King, Schlotzsky’s, Perkins and Uncle Maddio’s Pizza. The new franchisees plan to open their first of three locations in 2019, with continued development efforts over the course of the next few years.

An emerging brand, Stoner's Pizza Joint has announced six locations in Texas as part of its first development deal since launching the franchise brand in July.  The stores will be operated by Hafeez Dhanani and business partner Rezwan Mirza of the DhaMir Group, franchisees of the Burger King brand.  

Founded in 2013, Stoner’s Pizza Joint was recently purchased by the experienced restaurateurs behind HHI Hospitality, which owns and operates several proprietary restaurant concepts in Hilton Head, South Carolina, including Charbar Company and ¡Holy Tequila!, among others. The partners have spent the last few months preparing Stoner’s Pizza Joint to launch its national franchise opportunity. Currently, Stoner’s Pizza Joint has six corporate locations throughout Georgia and South Carolina. By the end of 2018, Stoner’s Pizza Joint plans to have three franchised locations in development, as well as ten additional commitments secured.

While Americans still show their love for pizza, healthy concepts continue momentum as well.  Nékter Juice Bar, the pioneering champion of the modern juice bar movement, has signed its largest Area Development agreement with 2^nd Harvest LLC to open 30 restaurants during the next few years in existing markets of Florida and Tennessee and in two new markets, Maryland and Washington, D.C. Based in Miami, 2^nd Harvest LLC plans to open its first Nékter Juice Bar in Florida by the end of Q1 2019.

The multi-state franchise agreement comes as Nékter Juice Bar continues to grow rapidly across the country. Now with 120 restaurants across 13 states, Nékter plans to open an additional 20 restaurants before the end of this year, with another 75 scheduled to open in 2019, and an additional 175 in varying stages of development.

Based in Miami, 2^nd Harvest is led by three fitness and wellness industry veterans, Gerry Norman, Jon Norman and C.J. Bouchard. Bouchard is the current COO of Excel Fitness Holdings, which controls more than 60 Planet Fitness locations in Texas, North Carolina, Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Virginia. Previously, he was an operating partner of 17 Planet Fitness locations in North Carolina and a co-owner of Zaniac Learning Center also in North Carolina. Jon and Gerry Norman were successful Planet Fitness franchisee owners in Miami, Florida.

Other announcement include openings and franchise restaurant sales from Dickey's Barbecue Pit, Urban Wok and Peno Grill.

Long time Dickey’s Barbecue Pit franchisee, Rob Ray, opened his third Dickey’s location in Pearland, Texas this Fall. Originally from Louisiana, Rob, has brought two Dickey’s Barbecue Pit locations to the Bayou area. He and his two investors have loved watching their business grow and wanted to open more locations in the Houston area.

Urban Wok has announced the opening of its St. Paul, Minnesota location.  The store opened in the Lowertown neighborhood of St. Paul and features an approachable menu of Asian-inspired cuisine. Their technology features include self-ordering kiosks through a partnership with Toast in addition to text-based communications with guests when their order is ready.  Announced as a menu built on "simplicity, customization and flexibility to give customers complete control of the dish they want to create."  The menu consists of nine signature sauces and hot sauces that are made from scratch and in-house daily, and a proprietary sauce blend. The Urban Wok will operate in a completely cash-free environment and will accept credit cards and mobile payments. 

Peno Mediterranean Grill, or Peno Grill, opened their latest unit in Jacksonville, NC only days after the devastation from one of the worst hurricanes to hit the region in decades. Their Charlotte, North Carolina location is also on the verge of opening.  Peno Mediterranean Grill is based out of Wilmington, NC and has been rapidly expanding across North and South Carolina. The new Peno franchisees in Jacksonville are two retired Marines, Mike and Ed and their wives, Judi and Ina.

Overall, franchise restaurant sales show continued strong growth and commitment to capital on the part of franchisees.  What does that say about the overall health of the industry?  While sales are inching up, new competitors and new units seem willing to push onto the scene and either disrupt existing market share or carve more customers. 

Are you in the market for a franchise restaurant?  Check out our listings online at this link.