If you are looking to get involved in the franchised food industry yet want to steer clear of fast food brands, a casual dining franchise could be the perfect fit.
It seems there has never been a better time to invest in a franchise that offers customers a casual dining experience, as the industry is on the rise following a rather tumultuous five years.
IBISWorld’s Restaurants in Australia industry report (which refers to low-cost, middle-range and premium venues) reads “The industry is forecast to record strong growth over the five years through 2013-14 as it recovers from its lows in 2008-09.
“The industry’s performance will be lifted by the positive flow-on effects from the success of popular reality TV cooking shows that reconnect people with the pleasures of fine dining and eating out.”
The report goes on to state the industry will cash in on consumers’ demand for healthier alternatives and convenient mealtime options that complement their busy lifestyles.
“These factors combined are expected to result in annualised growth of 3.4 percent over the past five years to total $14.3 billion, with growth of 3.1 percent expected in 2013-14.”
COCO CUBANO
The founder of Coco Cubano, Tony Melham explains the bar-restaurant franchise is open around the clock, and it offers an extensive range of alcoholic beverages – something most fast food outlets do not do.
“We are open early for breakfast, we do lunch and dinner and late night tapas and desserts, and we transform into a bar that offers over 50 cocktails and an extensive rum list. We want people to be able to order whatever they like and accompany it with a wine or a cocktail.”
Coco Cubano aims to capture the real essence of Cuba, from the food and beverage offerings right through the d_cor of each venue.
“We roast our own coffee which is a Cuban blend; we have Cuban cocktails, Cuban cigars and Cuban single origin chocolate. The d_cor includes big comfortable leather chesterfield chairs and the photos within each store are of family and Cuba itself,” says Melham.
Ensuring customers are treated to a warm, Cuban-inspired dining experience is also high on the agenda.
“We are definitely a casual dining experience; we are not a grab-and-go venue. We are about people enjoying the full Coco Cubano experience when they dine with us. Our whole culture is about treating customers like friends and family so they feel welcome and as though they have walked into someone’s home,” he adds.
This is markedly different from fast food outlets, which are heralded by many for their drive-thru facilities and restaurants that facilitate quick dining options.
Coco Cubano offers a range of seating options to accommodate the different needs of its guests, another reflection of its desire to provide a great customer experience. “Our stores are quite large – anywhere between 150 and 300 square metres – which allow us to have a full kitchen and bar and enough space for people to lounge in.
“They can choose to sit at the bar, one of the communal tables, which are great for large groups, or one of the individual dining tables,” adds Melham.
He believes Coco Cubano is different in that franchisees will thoroughly enjoy their time with the brand. “Running a Coco Cubano caf_-bar is the most fun a franchisee can have while working on or owning a business.
“They are providing an experience to people who really want to be there – they are out for a bit of fun and don’t want to simply grab a burger and run off. They would rather sit down and enjoy the experience, which is really what the concept is about, getting to know our community and our guests.”
He adds the experience can be incredibly rewarding as franchisees play host to customers celebrating momentous and special occasions. “You get to see people coming in and enjoying themselves – many come in to celebrate birthdays and engagements, and a lot of people book events and functions with us, which means we get to share those great times with them.”
ROZZI’S ITALIAN CANTEEN
As its name suggests, Rozzi’s Italian Canteen specialises in Italian food at breakfast, lunch and dinner, however co-founder Dean Salomone explains it is more authentic and traditional than most.
“I don’t believe there is a chain out there that is playing in the same space as us – no one has really taken true Italian food and tried to take it to the masses like we have,” he says.
“Our lunch range includes 12 inch napolitana style pizzas which are all made using Italian tipo flour, and we use gourmet toppings such as gorgonzola cheese, truffle oil and porcini mushrooms. The premise about our pizzas is less is more, and they are cooked in Italian stone based ovens.
“When it comes to our pastas you won’t find any creamy sauces such as Carbonara, and we don’t do Bolognese because it is not traditionally Italian. We do a lot of premium olive oil and garlic based pastas, so they’re a lot lighter.”
Rozzi’s also offers a vast selection of alcoholic beverages, a move that, just like Coco Cubano, differentiates it from fast food outlets.
“We have local and imported Italian beer and wine in our establishments – we offer bottles of wine ranging between $20 and $50 and avoid selling more expensive bottles because we don’t want to be high end players,” he says.
Rozzi’s operates around a canteen model, where customers can find a seat; peruse the menu and then head up to the counter to place their order, or they can alternatively order their meal to take-away.
“We built this model because we don’t want to be in the same position as restaurants that offer full table service. If we did we did, we wouldn’t be able to keep our prices so reasonable.
“We want to provide a great product, but we want great value and the way we achieve that is around the canteen model – it helps to keep the labour costs down for our franchisees,” adds Salomone.
In a bid to evoke a true Italian dining experience, the d_cor of each Rozzi’s venue is designed to complement the food. “We want the venues to make customers feel as though they are entering a little Nonna’s kitchen, in the sense that we have European tiles on the floor and Italian quotes line the walls,” Salomone says.
The venue provides a number of different seating options for guests, which sees it attract a broad range of different people. “The venues are popular with young families as parents can get in and out very quickly, and then we get younger groups who spend hours chatting over meals and a couple of drinks.
“The stores have big tables for large groups, booths, smaller, more intimate tables and a bar so customers have a whole bunch of options to choose from – it is all about flexibility.”
Stay tuned for the second instalment of this story, which profiles two more casual dining opportunities.