Entrepreneurs looking for a business opportunity in the food industry can understand why QSR, or quick-service restaurants, are an appetizing option. Although the 2020 shutdowns hit the restaurant industry hard, those restaurant models set up for customer convenience, takeout, drive-thru, online ordering, and delivery are thriving. And those models are, by definition, quick service, sometimes referred to as fast food.
What is QSR?
Simply put, QSR, or quick-service restaurants, present customers with food as quickly and efficiently as possible. You won’t see waiters providing table service. Instead, food is cooked to order; quickly. Industry standards say in order to be titled QSR, requirements are a fast dining experience, with drive-thru or takeout orders, simple dining in, and optional delivery. What likely comes to mind are fast-food burger joints. These are also very typically franchises, and there are literally thousands for investors to choose from.
Franchise Investment
Good investment? The numbers tell the story. The fast-food restaurant industry is a nearly $280 billion industry in the United States this year, with a nine percent growth rate. The popularity is undeniably a reflection of our on-the-go society needing cost-efficient, convenient meal options. So, what’s the recipe for success?
Success today, in any industry, depends on adaptability to trends. In the restaurant business, especially now with the influence of the pandemic, that means two key points. First, providing convenience to your customers, and secondly, providing healthy alternatives. Before you partner with a brand, check for these qualities and more when deciding on a QSR franchise to own.
Healthy Food Franchise Opportunities
After all, there are many quick-service restaurant industry franchise options out there. The niche seeing tremendous growth is healthy food franchise opportunities. Here’s why. Even before the pandemic, there was a more mainstream desire for healthy eating. Traditional fast-food brands started offering healthy choices like soups, salads, or fruit as a side instead of fries, milk instead of soda, and grilled chicken in place of a greasy burger. But even more than that, restaurants dedicated to only healthy food on the menu started challenging the big brands. This year alone, health and wellness is a $52 billion industry here in the U.S. — and gaining momentum.
If anything, the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the growth, making healthy QSRs more successful with greater promise for the future. The pandemic propelled the concern about personal health and wellness. People are seeking out healthy food options for many reasons, including boosting immunity, losing weight, dietary restrictions, and consciousness about food sources. The healthy food industry is booming, and we are leading the way. We are SoBol, an acai bowl and smoothie bar café dedicated to providing clean, wholesome meals to our customers.
The SoBol Franchise
It’s a perfect time to get on board with us because healthy eating is not a fad; it is a trend becoming mainstream. You might be asking, is a smoothie bar considered QSR? Absolutely. In fact, we may be the best QSR franchise model on the market right now. You can order takeout online or through our mobile app or come in and eat and hang out a while in our cozy, friendly dining room. We see customers from every age group, and they like our product for any number of reasons. Some like our allergy-sensitive options, some come for a post-workout boost, and others are trying to make better food choices. No matter the reason, our customers keep coming back, and that traction means SoBol is growing! We have 50 stores, and we’re just getting started!
Franchise Requirements
We are very transparent with our franchisees. Our model requires a $30,000 franchise fee, and we ask our partners to have liquid assets from $225,000 to $250,000. We look for like-minded partners in this venture willing to grow as we do. We collaborate with high-energy entrepreneurs who are looking to make a difference by bringing healthy food options to their community; because healthy eating should not be a chore.
We prove that. Our customizable acai bowls, green bowls, and smoothies use fresh-cut fruits and veggies every day, along with our special sauce and our homemade granola. Healthy eating can be good for you, filling, delicious, affordable, and created in a jiffy, making our franchise a very appealing quick service restaurant model.
Recipe for Success
If a healthy franchise like SoBol combines all the ingredients for the success that you’ve been looking for in a QSR franchise, sign up, and let’s chat about making your dreams of business ownership a reality.