Guzman y Gomez has an obsession with food that runs as deep today as it did when the brand launched 20 years ago. 

Because it’s all about food at GYG. Exceptional, fully-flavoured, fresh meals that prove food served fast can be healthy – no short cuts, no compromises. 

The Mexican cuisine powerhouse has been on a ‘clean’ pathway (free from artificial flavours, colours, and added preservatives) since 2016, an evolution that has brought franchisees and suppliers on the journey.

Nikki Richardson, director of franchise operations at GYG, says “It’s been a really exciting evolution as a brand, and it has resonated with the consumer base. It’s what we stand for – that fast food can be good for you.”

GYG is a dynamic brand, loved by guests for the energetic vibe and sense of fun shown in its 280+ restaurants across Australia, Singapore and Japan. And the brand’s appeal stretches across the ages, and across different demographics.

“It has universal appeal, and it’s a highly-relatable brand,” Nikki says.

At GYG, a customer order isn’t just a transaction, it’s an opportunity to provide a first class guest experience.

And that starts with people.

“We invest in talent, and we get the right people on board as franchisees,” Nikki says.

The right people will drive the business

“The best franchisees for us having been eating our food for years, and understand the vision,” Nikki says.

Potential franchisees can find out early on in the discovery process whether or not the complexity of the business is right for them. Beyond the Burrito is a three-to-four-hour restaurant visit with a senior operations manager that provides a behind-the-scenes look at what’s involved in leading a GYG franchise.

“A lot of our franchisees are families, couples with kids, and this is a real decision on how this business interacts with their lifestyle,” Nikki says.

“We want franchisees to do their due diligence, to talk to franchisees who have struggled, those who are successful, and understand what keeps them awake at night and what they would do differently.

“Our recruitment process is an intentionally long process, for all the right reasons. We are not looking for a business sale, we are looking for long term partners who will be with us for 10 or 20 years,” she says.

Franchisees have no surprises when it comes to signing the contract. Once a franchise buyer is committed to the brand, and GYG allocates a restaurant site, there’s a 12-month process to progress their provisional sign-up to a fully-fledged franchise contract.

Robust recruitment lays the foundations for success

The first eight weeks franchise candidates spend working as restaurant crew on their own time.

“After that we onboard and pay them as a crew person,” Nikki explains. 

Potential franchisees spend the first 12 weeks learning restaurant stations. The second three-month spell is a deep-dive into how to run shifts and manage the flow across dine-in, drive-thru, takeaway, online and app ordering.

Another three months introduces candidates to restaurant manager systems, inventory, rostering and stock rotation. In the final 12 weeks, they learn how to recruit and train staff, set up payroll, and get set to open their business.

This is a business model designed for hands-on operators. It suits individuals who can lead large teams and love a high-pressure, highly-accountable environment. 

“This is a high-revenue, fast-paced business. If we don’t think someone can manage food safety, manage a crew team, or lacks the leadership and influence they need to drive a restaurant business, we have an honest conversation,” Nikki says.

“We want to bring on people we think will be successful, which aligns with two of our core values – ‘Be real’ and ‘Got your back’,” she explains.

There’s a focus on identifying potential multi-unit owners who can grow their own teams and develop talent depth within a restaurant. 

“Multi-unit franchisees grow managers, who then become general managers and with a robust organisational structure, there’s a better experience for everyone,” Nikki says.

“One of the clearest signs of success is franchisees putting up their hands for more restaurants.”

Tech and franchise support underpin the values-driven business

With the right people on board, technology becomes the differential, she says.

“We have an inhouse tech team of 40 who are building bespoke systems to support the complexity of fast food operations. Systems and processes are crucial.”

Support is not just a culture statement, it’s a value, Nikki says.

And alongside this, a genuine focus on accountability and agency.

“The franchisees are accountable, but so are we,” she says.

“Another value is ‘It’s up to us’. If we want to bring GYG to life, to dominate the healthy Mexican food space, it is up to us. This is something we talk about at every level of the business,” she adds.

Authenticity is an important pillar of the business. 

“We don’t do gimmicks, we are real in our marketing campaigns and our communications with franchisees. We are honest and respectful but we say what we mean.”

Fostering transparent communications allows for a strong flow of ideas, and a collaborative environment between the GYG head office team and its highly-engaged franchisees.

“We have great leaders, great people, great owners, systems and tech. We have a no-compromise approach to food, and that resonates with guests.

“Everything we do comes back to food. With any change, we ask ourselves ‘What’s the impact of this on the food?’ We hold true to the value of quality, fresh food, made in the restaurant, prepared daily, and to make every guest love us,” Nikki says.