by Will Robinson, Chief Marketing Officer, Ledo Pizza
In franchising, there’s rarely ever a one-size-fits-all business solution. Every franchisee is different, every market is unique and all new locations have strengths and weaknesses. Franchisors must offer development strategies that are adaptable and offer potential franchisees flexibility for their unique circumstances.
At Ledo Pizza, we understand the ever-changing business climate demands options when it comes to restaurant protypes. We work with franchisees to merge their needs with our own refined business strategy to best position them and our brand for the future. This way, everybody wins!
To remain ahead of the franchising curve, we’ve created flexible business models that include three different prototypes – the limited-service model, a casual service model and larger full-service model – all with their own unique features.
Here are three things we’ve considered when developing prototypes for our franchise system:
The real estate market.
Rent matters, and offering flexible prototypes can be a valuable cost-effective solution to offset lease payments. Our limited-service model is carryout-focused with a very small dining room, and we usually recommend this prototype for franchisees who want to operate in urban markets. For rent, the price per square footage is higher in populated areas, making a smaller footprint a big step in cutting costs on rent. On the flip side, a franchisee could go with a much larger space if they want to operate in a suburb. Our mid-size casual service model – about 2,000-square-feet – and larger model – about 3,000-square-feet – are both perfect options for suburban development where real estate is less expensive.
Consumer trends.
Consumer trends can fluctuate by market. Franchisees can choose a restaurant design that will capitalize on market-specific consumer behavior. For example, the carryout model is great for urban markets because it caters to the busy, on-the-go consumer. Our full-service model focuses heavily on dine-in and features a full bar. This model thrives in suburban markets where guests have more time to sit down and enjoy dinner and drinks with their friends and family. When the pandemic forced dining rooms to close, we leaned on our prototype flexibility by utilizing the limited-service models that rely heavily on carryout options. As consumers begin returning to in-restaurant dining, we are able to offer a more full-service experience.
There are always new business opportunities.
The pandemic taught us that you never know what’s going to happen next. The best we can do as restaurant brands is be flexible and open to new opportunities. Our prototypes are well established, but that doesn’t mean we aren’t open to developing additional models as the restaurant space evolves and new opportunities arise. We have two airport locations right now, and we’re looking into the possibility of opening additional airport locations, as well as locations in rest stops, virtual kitchens and more.
At Ledo, we work diligently with the prospective franchisee to find a restaurant design option that’s beneficial for their market and our brand. If the last year has taught us anything, it’s that flexibility can be a superpower for a brand like ours to stay connected to our guests. It also gives our franchisees the option to tailor their restaurant to their community, giving them the best opportunity for success. And in franchising, that’s the name of the game!
To learn more about franchise opportunities with Ledo Pizza, please visit:
https://ledopizza.com/franchising/
