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Sometimes in life we wish we could have a do-over. Decisions we make may be an outright mistake, or with the benefit of hindsight, we can later see how we could have approached a situation differently.
When it comes to the many decisions that come with restaurant ownership, nobody is going to bat 1.000. We asked several experienced restaurant franchisees to think about one decision they regret and any lessons they learned as a result of running multiple locations. Perhaps more important than minimizing the number of mistakes we make is recognizing and learning from those missteps.
The most common regret shared by these franchisees was in how they scaled their restaurant brands. Some of the challenges they faced came with site selection, local market demographics, and increased management and employee staffing and training. Over time, these franchisees can see how they would have made different decisions to positively impact their restaurant operations. These franchisees are looking back and sharing those decisions as a cautionary tale in which others can learn and better lead their business.
Just as these franchisees are providing advice for our readers, we asked other multi-unit restaurant operators to tell us about the best advice they have received. While some important words of wisdom are about business, many of the responses are core philosophies that can be applied to life in general. See below for valuable suggestions from several successful multi-unit restaurant franchisees.
[SPLIT]
Company: Tycor Management
Brands: 11 Beans & Brews Coffeehouse
Years in Franchising: 20
I don’t think it’s a regret as much as a learning experience. I think as you scale, you begin to understand what’s going to work and what won’t regarding site selection. While we rely on analysis as well as demographic and market data, it’s important to also listen to what your gut is telling you. A location might look great on paper, but if it doesn’t feel right, it’s worth waiting for a better opportunity.
Company: iServ LLC
Brands: Sonny’s BBQ (28), Giovanni’s Pizzeria & Kitchen (5)
Years in Franchising: 6
One decision I’ve come to regret was expanding beyond our established geographical footprint without a clear understanding of the capabilities and integrity of the local leadership in those new markets. Should opportunities arise to grow into new regions in the future, we will take a more intentional approach by assigning a trusted leader to embed themselves in the area for an extended period to ensure our culture is properly established and upheld from the outset.
Company: Northcott Hospitality
Brands: 18 Perkins, 2 Houlihan’s
Years in Franchising: 23
After Covid, we had to lay off many of our employees including a regional manager. In looking back, I would have kept that regional manager or hired another right when the business fully opened. We had many new managers that needed training and development. With the regional manager missing, it slowed the progress of getting our managers up to speed on the learning curve to run the financials as expected. With multiple locations, it is crucial to have the right amount of support for those locations.
Company: iHeartCoffee, LLC
Brands: 8 Scooter’s Coffee
Years in Franchising: 5
As we expanded our business portfolio with multiple Scooter’s Coffee locations, I wanted our team to have a dedicated training facility. The goal was to take employees out of the fast-paced coffee shop environment and provide a focused space designed for training. However, we learned that many of our employees were driving 40 minutes out of their way to reach the facility. This unintended consequence ultimately undermined our efforts to create a seamless training experience.
Company: Yogurtland
Brands: Yogurtland (19)
Years in Franchising: 17
I truly wish I had opened more Yogurtland locations sooner. The biggest thing I learned is that going from one to two locations was possible to do on my own. But once I opened my third, I found I was spread too thin. That’s when I realized that after three units, you’ve got to scale quickly and build a strong multi-unit management team. You need leaders who can handle day-to-day operations while also carrying forward your mission, vision, and values. Doing that gave me the time and space to work on the business, not just in it. And that shift? It’s what would have helped me grow even faster.
Company: Milan Pizza
Brands: 7 Hungry Howie’s
Years in Franchising: 29
Growing too fast. I rushed into opening my second and third locations without fully preparing my team. Now, I take my time building strong foundations, training my staff, and ensuring each store is ready before expanding. Proper preparation makes all the difference in long-term success.
One of the best pieces of advice I've received is, “You will one day look back and laugh about what you're going through today.” It reminds me that challenges are temporary, and each hurdle is a stepping stone that builds resilience. What may seem challenging today can become a lesson, story, or memory that can be beneficial in hindsight.
-Yousuf Nabi, Owner & CEO of Gotham IP Inc., Gotham Cookies Inc., DBA Mrs. Fields Cookies, 10 Mrs. Fields, 10 Sbarro, 4 TCBY
My late mother always told me to try my best to achieve a perfect 100% score, not just a 97% because 97% was not good enough.
-Sam Chand, CEO, Jasam Enterprises, 25 Checkers & Rally’s, 35 KFC
My dad always preached delayed gratification, saying, “Work hard now, so you can play hard later.” I live my life by that rule.
-Jerome Johnson, Multi-Unit Franchisee, John Cove Management and Jbar Inc., 4 Sonic, 10 Dunkin', 4 Baskin-Robbins, 1 Jersey Mike's Subs
The best advice I've ever received is that business is fundamentally about relationships. Whether it's with guests, employees, vendors, or fellow franchisees, it's the relationships you build and nurture that drive success and create new opportunities. Establishing trust, open communication, and mutual respect can take you further than any strategy or sales pitch. Admittedly, it's been an interesting experience to learn this principle when my management style is so results-oriented. I try to apply this principle in every aspect of my business, ensuring that both internal and external relationships are prioritized.
-Jacob Webb, Franchise Owner, MPUT Holdings LLC, 22 Marco's Pizza, 4 Tropical Smoothie Cafe
Life isn’t fair: Get over it, and move forward. Give it all you’ve got, and pursue your dreams as none of us get out of this life alive.
-Phong Huynh, Co-Owner, Fuego Investment Inc., 30 El Pollo Loco
Invest in yourself and your team.
-Phillip Scotton, COO, Primo Partners, 23 Ben & Jerry's, 2 Starbucks
Manage your time well. Surround yourself with people who have the desire to win and groom them into your future leaders.
-Nadeem Saleem Bajwa, CEO, Bajco Group, 275 Papa Johns
Focus on what's within your control and let go of the rest. Celebrate small wins throughout the week, and make sure you're doing something you truly love. I made the shift from brokerage to the restaurant industry for this very reason.
-Mike James, Founder/Managing Partner, Guernsey Holdings, 122 Sonic, 20 Zaxby's, 3 Take 5 Oil Change