RESTAURANT FRANCHISING: WHY IT’S HOT & WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE YOU BUY
Entrepreneurs and successful business leaders know timing is everything. The QSR pizza category has outperformed most other restaurant types recently and sales dominance is expected to continue. For savvy investors, now is the perfect time to consider adding a pizza franchise to diversify your portfolio. At Marco’s Pizza, we have a unique franchise opportunity with special incentives designed to benefit multi-unit operators and developers. Learn why now is a great time to buy and what you should know before you do.
IS NOW REALLY THE RIGHT TIME?
The pandemic greatly impacted the restaurant industry footprint with many locations closing or filing bankruptcy. Those restaurants that were flexible, tech-savvy and nimble survived and in fact some thrived, creating more opportunities for expansion and growth. Here’s are some reasons why now is the right time to buy a restaurant franchise – particularly a Marco’s Pizza franchise.
Plenty of commercial real estate. Due to companies embracing the work-from-home life, more space is becoming available for rent or purchase. A bountiful supply of space gives buyers more leverage when negotiating costs. Franchisees may also want to consider smaller spaces. Nowadays, consumers are looking at “grab and go” options versus dine-in which is why at Marco’s we are designing stores with less square footage to accommodate the needs of our guests.
Innovation and new trends. Restaurants are looking at technological advances to help them operate more efficiently and provide better experiences for customer and employees. Marco’s Pizza has started to adopt new operations equipment like dough rounders and dividers to help cut down on prep time since we make our dough fresh every day in each store. We are using AI and other technologies to improve the guest experience. For example, we use AI to provide automated promise times so guests know exactly when their pizza will be ready and are piloting voice-to-text ordering.
Delivery, curbside pickup and drive-thru save the day…or year(s). Food franchises with pickup, drive-thru and delivery options had an advantage during COVID and continue to see an increase in traffic. At Marco’s we seek end-line and end-cap real estate to accommodate all service methods. Many franchisees grew their sales by adopting third-party delivery and online ordering apps to expand their customer base and make purchasing more convenient for consumers.
Value from investment. Due to the multiple ways consumers can indulge in their favorite foods, restaurants are able to enhance their value and get the most out of their investment. For example, the estimated initial investment range to open a Marco’s Pizza from 2020 is $183,408-$552,713, and the average unit volume (AUV) is $1,059,571*.
BUT, WHY A PIZZA FRANCHISE?
You may be surprised to learn that pizza is still increasing in popularity, with the market projected to increase by 5.3% in the U.S. According to IBISWorld, the pizza restaurants industry is valued at $53.8 billion. Owning a pizza franchise, like Marco’s Pizza, has a number of benefits.
Pizza is a popular product. It’s estimated that in the U.S. alone, 350 slices of pizza are consumed every second. That’s quite a lot of pie! Perfect for lunch, dinner with the family, parties and special occasions, pizza is a convenient food for any age – and even your pickiest eaters.
Profitable and growing industry. According to PMQ Pizza Magazine, the pizza market is expected to be valued at $50.7 billion by 2023.
Brand recognition. A huge benefit of restaurant franchising is the ability to use a brand name for your business – attracting a strong clientele from the minute you open. At Marco’s we have a national, multi-channel advertising campaign which highlights our great product and special offers.
MARCO’S PIZZA: THE FASTEST-GROWING PIZZA FRANCHISE
At Marco’s Pizza, we’ve been experiencing incredible growth over the last 10 years. Ending 2010 with over 200 stores, we just opened our 1,000th location in 2020 and plan to increase our unit count to 1,500 by the end of 2023. We’ve got plenty of room to grow, both domestically and internationally.
Having been named No. 99 on the Franchise Times Top 400 list in October 2021, Marco’s Pizza is an award-winning franchise. Our brand was also included on Entrepreneur Magazine’s 2022 Franchise 500, coming in at No. 2 in the Pizza category.
With more than 40 years in the pizza business and over 1,000 locations open, Marco’s Pizza has carved out a niche in the industry for our high-quality pizza, dough made from scratch for a craveable golden crust, freshly mixed herbs and spices for a sauce worth savoring and three fresh signature cheeses for a perfect, melty bite. In addition to pizza, we offer a mix of pizza bowls, subs, salads, chicken wings, desserts, and our delicious CheezyBread. Beyond our great quality products, our business model centers around People First and Hospitality Always. Our executive team has more than 200 years of collective experience in the food service industry.
Restaurant franchising may seem like an unlikely opportunity, but if you find the right franchise to invest in, you’ll reap the rewards. To learn more about the franchise opportunities at Marco’s Pizza, download our franchise information report.
*Based on the Average Unit Volume of the top 50% of our Franchised Stores for fiscal year 2020. Based on fiscal year 2020, 142 of 369 Franchised Stores in the category (38%) met or exceeded this average. This information appears in Item 19 of our 2021 FDD – please refer to our FDD for complete information on financial performance. Your results may differ. There is no assurance that you will do as well.
