How to Choose the Burger Franchise That's Right For You

Running a burger franchise could be the opportunity you’ve always dreamed of. From overseeing the day-to-day aspects of running your own QSR business to being given responsibility over the key decisions, becoming a burger franchisee is an excellent way to take control of your career. But how do you choose the burger franchise that’s right for you?

Starting a new chapter with a burger franchise comes with no guarantees, but if you’re looking for the next challenge to test your skills, this could be the next one for you. But in a vast, diverse and competitive sector full of lots of different franchises with different specialties, how do you pick the one that’s right for you? 

Why make a career change with a burger franchise? 

Since the first flagship stores started opening their doors in the UK, burger franchises have quickly become one of the most popular QSR businesses in the country. Accounting for a market value of over £3 billion [The Caterer], burger restaurants are going from strength to strength now that the worst trading restrictions are behind us.

So not only is there plenty of demand to take advantage of, but franchising helps you cut straight to the chase. While as a sole or independent trader you’ll need to use extensive resources to build a trusted brand and demographic base, as a franchisee you’ll already have plenty of customers looking for you. Jump the queue and become a franchisee, and you’ll quickly be able to start enjoying the benefits of running an excellent business without the years of struggle.

How to choose the burger franchise that’s right for you

There are lots of different burger franchises with their own niches . While they may all each have their own excellent business propositions, they won’t all be the right fit for you, your needs or your interests. So how do you go about choosing the right burger franchise for you? 

1. Start a burger franchise 

The traditional burger franchise works in the same way you would expect most businesses in the QSR industry to operate. Normally operating out of a fixed premises restaurant, with smart decor, seating and in-house staff, these stores can process tens of millions of customers in a single day [Fiscal Times].

While you can expect to be busy from the minute you open your doors, nothing feels as good as a hard day’s work. So if you were looking to open a bricks-and-mortar burger franchise, delivering delicious food and excellent service to thousands of customers, why not look more into The Butcher? 

This franchise has been making waves since it first opened in Amsterdam. Now looking to the UK market for more opportunities, you could be the next franchisee to join this renowned burger franchise. For a minimum investment of £150,000 +VAT, you’ll benefit from the detailed and thriving concept restaurant that The Butcher has perfected – and with plenty of support and training to go with it, you can rest assured that you’ll be anything but on your own.

2. An American burger franchise 

American burger franchises aren’t just more of the same. Having already developed trusted brand reputations across the States, American burger franchises started moving over to the UK market a few decades ago – and have been reaping the rewards ever since. 

Famous for their distinctive interior decor, musical setting and all-American menus, these franchises come with a whole host of culture and tradition. So if you want to bring a touch of that authentic American diner to your local area, why not consider a franchise like Rocket’s? 

This fast-casual, better-burger brand with an urban edge was developed by some of Ireland’s leading burger restaurant entrepreneurs. Bringing a distinctive American diner format to the UK burger scene, you can be a part of this exciting opportunity for a minimum investment of £170,000 + VAT.

3. A remote burger kitchen

But whoever said you need a kitchen in the first place? High overheads and falling footfall on the high street are making many burger franchises consider whether they need a shopfront at all. So-called ghost or dark kitchens operate out of a fixed location, delivering either through their own systems or food ordering apps like Deliveroo and Uber Eats. If you’re reluctant to plough your hard earned cash into a fixed premises store, why not consider going remote or looking into a van-based franchise?

As these franchises are a different proposition to a traditional bricks-and-mortar store, you’ll need to make sure that your best franchising skills are up to scratch. For that reason, ask yourself how good you are at the following:

• Organisation
• Business sense 
• A willingness to build a long-term business proposition
• A belief in the ethics and ethos of the business 
• A good way with people
• Some minimum qualifications to make sure you can follow cooking and storage best practices. 

While the life of a franchisee is always rich and varied, having a good base set of skills will undoubtedly help you be prepared for the challenges ahead.

Find a burger franchise that’s right for you and start a new challenge

Franchising will test and challenge you, but when you come through the other end, you’ll have the incredible rewards, satisfaction and financial payoff that your efforts deserve. If you’ve always dreamed of being your own boss and running a rewarding business in the QSR sector, it’s time to find a burger franchise that’s right for you. 

But if you’ve decided burgers aren’t quite the right thing for you – don’t worry. Franchising is a business model that applies to all sectors and industries, so to find one that’s right for you, have a look at the UK franchise directory.