How do you ensure your franchises remain engaged and beneficial to the local communities they serve?

How important is it for restaurants to get involved in their local community? When we asked multi-unit franchisees about this aspect of their business, we received a near-unanimous response that it was a core philosophy, and they provided a list of ways in which they incorporate it into their daily operations.

Community involvement is good for business. It can boost visibility and create a favorable impression of the restaurant, potentially attracting customers. It goes beyond that, however, by signaling the restaurant is part of the fabric of the community and is helping to support the people who live and work in that area.

Restaurant operators shared a variety of programs they incorporate to support local groups like schools, churches, youth sports teams, and first responders through fundraisers, sponsorships, and food drives. Even though many of these activities may result in a slight financial loss, the favorable impression of the brand and the personal relationships developed can be invaluable.

Being able to ingratiate a business into the community is especially important for a franchise. Many customers have the perception that a franchise restaurant is just part of a big-box national brand without realizing it is owned by a local member of the community. Supporting area programs and groups can help change this thought process and help “localize” the business.

In keeping with this theme, we asked each of the 2025 MVP (Most Valuable Performer) Award winners about the importance of community involvement with their business. All stressed the need to support organizations in their area through national programs or assistance on the local level. See their responses in Franchisee Bytes to learn more about how the most successful restaurant operators are becoming an active part of their local community.

Stan Kramer

Company: North by Northwest LLC

Brands: 10 Qdoba Mexican Grill

Years in Franchising: 16

We keep an open line with local schools and churches, and we are especially involved with the local chamber of commerce for each store. We work with them and help support them with any events. A mantra my son Doug and I hold close to, both in our personal lives and how we operate our franchise business, is that the support you receive comes from the support you provide.

Jake Alleman

Company: Cojak Investments, LLC

Brands: 6 Another Broken Egg Cafe

Years in Franchising: 17

Keeping our franchised restaurants connected to and supportive of their local communities comes down to a few key practices. Hosting events like charity fundraisers and food drives has been a great way to build stronger ties and encourage community involvement. We make it a priority to actively listen to guest feedback and adapt our services to better meet their needs. Our sustainability efforts have also resonated well with the communities we serve, showing that we’re serious about doing the right thing. Additionally, we partner with local schools, sports teams, and nonprofits, not just to boost visibility, but because we genuinely care about supporting the communities in which we operate. All of this has helped us build strong, lasting relationships and grow in ways that make a meaningful impact.

Bryan Paquin

Company: Three Alarm Subs dba Firehouse Subs

Brands: 8 Firehouse Subs

Years in Franchising: 19

Community engagement is central to our operations. We actively participate in and sponsor local events, such as Touch-a-Truck initiatives, and support first responders through donations and partnerships with schools and suppliers. Our franchisor facilitates engagement through social media campaigns, geo-targeted offers, and loyalty programs. These efforts foster goodwill, strengthen community ties, and enhance our brand's local presence.

Lucas Bergeson

Company: Mooyah Burgers, Fries, & Shakes of Wisconsin and Layne's Chicken Fingers of Wisconsin

Brands: 5 Mooyah Burgers, Fries & Shakes, 2 Layne’s Chicken Fingers  

Years in Franchising: 10

Community involvement is a big priority for us. My dad is especially good about getting involved in the community, handing out student incentive cards, or partnering with local sports teams. We host regular spirit night fundraisers, where 15–25 percent of our sales go back to the organization. Our policy is pretty simple: if a local group comes to us with a request, we’re ready to support them, whether it’s with raffle prizes, teacher appreciation, or a youth sports sponsorship. As an example, we partner with a youth baseball organization in Madison called MHCA Baseball every summer, offering free kids' meals and gift cards for all the coaches. The organizers have become good friends of ours through the initiative, and it has been a wonderful way to get our name out into the community.

Robert Zufall

Company: Harts Ventures Hospitality

Brands: 7 Moe’s Southwest Grill  

Years in Franchising: 16

There’s always something on the horizon, whether it is tariffs, inflation, or shifts in the labor market, and we’ve learned to stay proactive rather than reactive. One of the biggest advantages of being part of a platform company like GoTo Foods is having access to enterprise-level support across supply chain, labor planning, and vendor partnerships. That synergistic infrastructure allows for powerful data insights, negotiation of favorable vendor contracts, and implementation of smart labor strategies without compromising the guest experience.

Because of this support, we’re able to focus on our mission of staying connected to our community in a genuine way, while also contributing to GoTo Foods’ larger goal of feeding people and potential with craveable experiences. Our strong catering foundation adds a layer of predictability and resilience to the business. By staying active in local chambers and business communities, we’re able to keep a finger on the pulse of market changes and stay one step ahead.

Franchisee Bytes

How important is community involvement to you and your company?

It is a big part of what we do as a company. We encourage all our team members to participate in their local communities and bring forth any ideas of how we can better support these causes and leverage our scale and resources appropriately. This can range from supporting local charities and community organizations to hosting back-to-school supply giveaways and fundraisers in our stores. Some of our best community involvement ideas have come from our field-level team members, and we love participating in these events.
-Phong Huynh, Co-Owner, Fuego Investment Inc., 30 El Pollo Loco

We have a community giveback policy where we say yes to every request for help in fundraising. It can come in the form of supporting huge corporate events to providing gift cards for a youth hockey raffle. We donate to hospitals and sponsor youth teams in the area. We find a way to help each group that asks us for help.
-Carrie and Josh Ayers, Owners/Operators, 6 Playa Bowls

My father was a genuinely humble person who always believed in giving back to the community. He taught me the importance of giving without expecting recognition, and we’ve carried that lesson forward. When it comes to donations, our answer is always “yes.” We give with compassion, staying true to the values my father instilled and helping others quietly and with a sincere heart.
-James Brajdic, President, Customer Maniacs and Green Bay A Dub, 13 A&W

It is very important to us. Many of our KFC locations regularly donate food to local churches, soup kitchens, and food banks. The KFC Foundation offers educational, financial, and food donation programs, and we encourage our teams to contribute to those as well.
-Sam Chand, CEO, Jasam Enterprises, 25 Checkers & Rally’s, 35 KFC

This is extremely important to us. We try to help as many schools, churches, and nonprofits as we can and believe that giving back to the communities where we own and operate businesses is a top priority. We also support No Kid Hungry on a national level and raise funds for the program throughout the year through sales roundups and donations in the cafe and on our app.
-Nick Crouch, Co-CEO, Dyne Hospitality Group, 118 Tropical Smoothie Cafe

Very important. We partner with Make-A-Wish Foundation, Wingstop Charities, Salt Lake City Mission, and the Hydrocephalus Association. Lend-A-Hand is a Sizzling Platter program to help its team members and the communities in which we serve.
-Chad Given, Brand President, Sizzling Platter, 361 Little Caesars, 107 Little Caesars Mexico, 185 Wingstop, 92 Jamba, 33 Jersey Mike’s Subs, 31 Dunkin’, 7 Sizzler, 5 Red Robin, 1 Cinnabon