Twin Peaks CEO Joe Hummel announced today the launch of the brand’s first-ever franchise incentive program, with zero franchise royalties, designed to drive development nationwide.
The aggressive new program waives franchise royalties for franchisees during the first year of opening a new Twin Peaks restaurant.* This program is available to all qualified developers that meet Twin Peaks’ then-current criteria at the time of execution of an Area Development Agreement.
“Twin Peaks is back and better than ever,” Hummel said. “We came out of the gate incredibly strong in early 2020 and we look forward to continuing that momentum as we rapidly expand in 2021. We created this progressive program to attract new franchisees, incentivize existing ones and increase brand awareness in states where Twin Peaks doesn’t have a presence. Currently, with all the open real estate opportunities, now is the optimal time for converting a restaurant into a Twin Peaks. We are seeking franchisees who are excited about bringing our brand to new markets. We believe our franchise incentive program is the true testament in showcasing the level of support Twin Peaks has for its franchise business partners and its first step in fueling our brand’s footprint across the country.”
Sports-themed restaurant Twin Peaks is changing the way they do business amidst COVID-19. In March 2020, all 78 of their U.S. locations had temporarily closed to adhere to individual state social distancing guidelines. To reopen, the franchise corporate office enlisted the services of restaurant tech company OneDine to quickly implement online and curbside ordering, and a multi-use QR ordering component.
The reopening of their restaurants meant investing in completely new technology and establishing a new customer journey to keep their team members and guests as safe as possible. From a reduction in physical contact points and an increase in new off-premise food offerings, such as Fantasy Football carry out and delivery packages, customers have more options than ever to continue the Twin Peaks experience, even at home.
Prior to COVID-19 the only option for Twin Peaks customers to order food for takeout was from the bar area inside the restaurant. Now, in at least 24 locations with others coming soon, customers have additional contactless options, including:
Park – Order – Pay
Online Order Ahead
Contactless payment options, including: Text-to-Pay and Scan-to-Pay
Their new Park – Order – Pay curbside pickup and Online Order Ahead programs have been instrumental in establishing the brand’s off-premise program. Set up in about 24 hours, Twin Peaks has turned their parking spaces into easy-to-use, touch free takeout zones.
Twin Peaks’ technology platform of choice quickly integrated with their existing POS system and is EMV and PCI compliant, eliminating 100% of fraudulent chargebacks. Their hardware investment was minimal (or in some cases, not needed), and no guest app is required.
“Doing what’s best for our customers and our team members has always been our top priority. When we were planning how to reopen to our guests, we wanted to reinforce our commitment to cleanliness and change the dining experience at Twin Peaks to focus on safety, quality, and guest engagement,” said Joe Hummel, CEO, Twin Peaks.
About Twin Peaks
Founded in 2005 in the Dallas suburb of Lewisville, Twin Peaks now has 78 locations in 24 states. Twin Peaks is the ultimate sports lodge featuring made-from-scratch food and the coldest beer in the business served by friendly and attractive Twin Peaks Girls surrounded by scenic views and the latest in high-definition TVs. Folds of Honor – a nonprofit organization that provides educational scholarships to spouses and children of America’s fallen and disabled service members – is the national charity of Twin Peaks. For more information, visit twinpeaksrestaurant.com. To inquire about franchising opportunities, visit TwinPeaksFranchise.com or call 972.941.3160.
About OneDine
OneDine® is the leader in contactless ordering, payment, and mobile menu solutions. For restaurants operating with today’s heightened expectations the platform optimizes labor, eliminates fraudulent credit card chargebacks, enables guest-side ordering and payment with no app required, features tableside EMV and PCI Compliance with P2P encryption, and enhances merchant marketing efforts. It syncs with existing restaurant POS systems and allows restaurant leadership to survey customers and gain data and real-time insights on operational improvement, menu modification and more. OneDine is proudly developed in Plano, Texas by innovators with decades of experience in the hospitality industry. (www.onedine.com)
The past 15 years have been incredibly rewarding as we have worked together with our franchisees to build our brand into the #1 sports bar concept in the country. Our growth has been driven by focusing on the key tenets of the Twin Peaks brand DNA — our innovation, our evolution, and our continuing commitment to structuring our business to be built to last.
Twin Peaks would not be where it is today, ready to continue to build on our success and lead in the industry if it were not for the hard work and dedication of our franchise owners, their employees, and our legions of loyal customers.
We at Twin Peaks are eternally grateful for the ongoing support we receive – especially during this challenging time. Our mission is not to simply survive but to thrive, working together as we always do to continue to be the best.
Whether you build from scratch or convert an existing location, Twin Peaks is the ultimate sports lodge concept that serves up a unique experience for customers while creating happy and successful franchisees.
The Texas-based chain has grown to more than 78 locations in 24 states, shaking up the casual dining industry and most recently winning the 2020 Zor Award for Best Sports Bar by Franchise Times. Here’s some of what Twin Peaks has to offer franchisees:
Unique Local Experience With Local Craft Beer & Specials
Primetime Matchups Are Always On Our Most Advanced A/V System
Exclusive Below Freezing Cold 29° Beer
Hearty Made-to-Order Comfort Food
All-Female Wait Staff
Twin Peaks’ has created a successful conversion program that has allowed numerous franchisees to join the brand by converting their existing restaurant locations into Twin Peaks. Most recently, franchisees in Altamonte Springs, Florida, and Knoxville, Tennessee, have done just that with remarkable results.
“An overwhelming number of our locations are successful conversions,” says Joe Hummel, CEO for Twin Peaks. He says the program works well for second-generation restaurant locations along major roadways within heavily traveled retail corridors. The areas should also have populations of more than 150,000 and average household income of at least $60,000, among several other factors. Other franchisees have built their own locations.
Burgess had no prior franchising experience when he and his partner signed on to open their first restaurant. But he had figured out that the alcohol sales component was profitable, the unit economics were good, and he loved the idea of bringing a ski lodge atmosphere to South Florida.
They opened their first location in the Sunshine State in 2015 and have gone on to open three more restaurants with two more under construction. It’s been a good match for Burgess who now has the first, second, and third-best performing stores in the chain.
“I learned that a successful restaurant was not just about how the food tastes, it’s about delivering an experience that you can’t get at home,” said Burgess. “I was talking to my partner Jack and said, ‘How cool is it to build essentially a ski lodge in South Florida that’s flat as a pancake and hot?’”
Across the country in Arizona, Carolyn Vengelos arrived at Twin Peaks from a different path. She had worked with California Pizza Kitchens and Buffalo Wild Wings and understood the benefits of the franchising business model.
She says she and her husband wanted to become franchisees but weren’t sure which brand was right for them. But when they met a Twin Peaks sales rep at a conference in 2012, it began to become clear. A year later they opened their first Twin Peaks location, then a second after the company sold them a Scottsdale store in 2016. They now have a fourth under construction set to open this year and they’re already plotting stores five and six.
Vangelos says the corporate office at Twin Peaks has provided outstanding training and marketing along the way. “We thought about doing a breakfast concept, a café concept, and we kept getting drawn back to the fact that Twin Peaks is a sports bar,” Vangelos said. “There’s just something very special about it, and I still believe it to this day.”
This information was originally published on Restaurant News in 2020.
The 2020 Top 500 Chain Restaurant Report has been announced by Restaurant News, and Twin Peaks has once again made this prestigious list.
Top 500 highest-grossing restaurant chains recorded their best overall performance in five years in 2019. Chicken had a moment, tech made another leap, and the biggest chains got bigger. This annual report, in partnership with Technomic, highlights the data, trends and brands that defined the year. It is a measure of the largest restaurant concepts by U.S. systemwide sales, based on results from the 2019 calendar year.
Relevant information is accrued using a combination of public company financial filings, direct operator surveying, franchise disclosure documents and proprietary valuation algorithms. Technomic Inc. believes that its sources of information are reliable but does not assume any liability for the accuracy or comprehensiveness of the information published.
The 2020 Top 500 Chain Restaurant Report identifies the leading and fastest growing chains. Twin Peaks is honored to once again be recognized as a top restaurant franchise option.
This article was originally published in Franchise Times on 2/20/20.
With thousands of brands to choose from in an ever-expanding array of industry segments, researching franchises can prove an especially daunting task, particularly for first-timers. That’s where the Franchise Times Zor Awards project comes in.
Designed to cut through the sales jargon and marketing speak, the Zor Awards, now in its fourth year, provides a top pick and three runners-up in each of 10 categories. We focus on return on investment in this project, which means profitability for the operator rather than topline sales.
Interviews with top-performing franchisees provide honest insight and advice, and prospective owners can learn what it takes to drive sales and ultimately achieve success in each system. We also pull back the curtain on the franchisor-franchisee relationship as operators share what works and where they’d like to see improvement.
Use the Zor Awards to help put the pieces of your franchise puzzle in place.
Twin Peaks is honored to win the Franchise Times Top Franchises to Buy Zor Award for Top Sports Bar.
If you are considering converting your current restaurant location, consider converting it into a Twin Peaks. An overwhelming 90% of our locations are successful conversions.
Altamonte Springs and Knoxville locations converted from TGI Friday’s.
WHAT IT TAKES
Trade Area Characteristics
Residential population of +150K within 5-miles
Daytime working population of +100K within 5-miles
Average household income of +60K preferable +75k
Site Criteria
Freestanding 2nd generation restaurant building or pad space along major roadways within retail corridors
6,000 to 8,000 sq. ft. 150+ available parking spaces (patio space is a plus)
Excellent visibility and sign options
Excellent site ingress and egress, preferably with a traffic signal
Traffic Generators
Lifestyle or power centers with big box anchors
Retailers that attract male customers such as Home Depot, Bass Pro Shop, Cabela’s, etc.
Nearby limited service, midscale business hotels, and multifamily homes
Movie theatres and other destination attractions
Nearby healthcare corridors
Contact us today to discuss how we can turn your existing location into a peak performer!
Twin Peaks Restaurant is leading a culinary revolution with the potential to earn its franchise owner impressive returns. It takes a trailblazer to continue creating the delicious and innovative cuisine that exceeds clients’ expectations. And for that reason, we are pleased to introduce to you Alex Sadowsky, executive chef at Twin Peaks. He’s a thoroughly experienced chef, and renowned for helping restaurant brands grow beyond expectations.
New Investment For Franchise Owners
Alex has a Bachelor’s degree in Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management from the Culinary Institute of America. His years of experience involves working in numerous highly ranked restaurants in St. Paul, Minnesota, such as Gabes by the Park, and the Blue Plate Restaurant Company.
In 2015, Alex joined the Whiskey Cake as the Chef de Cuisine, where he went on to develop their menu leading to astronomical success. Then, he became the Interim Regional Chef, and while holding that position, managed to launch multiple other Front Burner Restaurant brands.
As the new executive chef and menu curator at Twin Peaks, Alex has undergone rigorous training to prepare him for the operational research and refinement of the culinary department that will continue as the brand grows. He will also continue to perform extensive site visits to multiple franchise locations to assess their operations, food quality and service, as well as meet one on one with franchisees to gain insight from their ideas and gather suggestions for future menus.
Since joining the company in late 2018, Alex’s goal has been to craft delicious and innovative meal options that will push the boundaries for the bar and grill segment. He prides himself on providing guests with an extensive selection of not just new entrees, food categories and appetizers, but also desserts, drinks and cocktails.
Having already worked with Twin Peak’s Brewing Co.’s brewmaster, Alex has recently helped create a limited edition Mexican lager, called La Guera, that has the potential of becoming a full-time tap on option in the future. He is also in the process of rolling out the latest Twin Peaks kitchen innovations, such as the Cubano Sandwich, Pork Rinds, and Spinach Artichoke Dip.
With the anticipated new flavor introductions under Alex’s culinary leadership, guests can look forward to a new experience whenever they come in. But even with the excitement of new and innovative flavors, Twin Peaks takes pride in the consistency of everything that comes out of their made-from-scratch kitchen, which keeps guests coming back for their favorites.
Twin Peaks’ unique lodge atmosphere featuring wall to wall TVs, creates the authentic, ultimate sports lodge environment the brand is famous for. Plus with every championship game, title match, fight, local rivalry and race always on, guests stay constantly up to date with their favorite teams. Couple that with signature 29° draft beers and robust cocktail menu, and guests are likely to find everything they’re searching for.
Twin Peaks seeks to ensure that franchisees experience return on investment within a few months of setting up. The brand also assists new franchise owners to minimize operational costs by guiding them on how best to organize their location, which in turn translates to higher profit margins. Twin Peaks also prides itself on generating foot traffic to each location with effective and efficient targeted marketing. The franchise process required is simple. Start by filling out the request form. After one discovery meeting and processing the application, qualified candidates will finish by signing the area development.
Once a new franchisee joins Twin Peaks, they are linked to an in-house representative to walk them through the entire set-up process. Twin Peaks also offers comprehensive training to all new franchise owners to enable them to avoid any costly initial mistakes. Request more franchise information and embark on a journey towards financial success.
In an extremely competitive, but often highly profitable industry, opening a restaurant franchise offers future eatery owners better odds at becoming more successful with a pre-established brand. As with starting or opening any type of new business, there’s necessary research involved, including several facts and stats that should be carefully weighed before investing.
There are a plethora of pros and cons to examine before choosing a franchise over an original restaurant concept, and vice versa. There are piles of make-or-break numbers in need of crunching prior to purchase. Here’s a quick breakdown of some of the crucial things to consider during the all-important, pre-purchase process.
Past the Price Point
Most franchises require purchasers that have a certain amount of in-cash reserves along with a minimum net worth. Smaller franchises will require less, but these amounts are still substantial. For example, Wendy’s needs $500,000 in liquid assets and $1 million net worth. Meanwhile, more sought-after, higher-end establishments like the Twin Peaks’ franchises require $1.75 million in liquid capital and a minimum net worth of $5 million.
With bigger investments, often franchise owners will reap better results with a higher ROI. In the case of Twin Peaks, they recently reported 2018 was one of their most successful with YOY (year-over-year) sales, increased traffic overall and major improvements in guest experiences. By the numbers, this upscale sports lodge revealed a 6.7% increase in their YOY sales and a 3.25% rise in traffic.
More Intelligent Locations
Inside most franchise agreements, purchasers aren’t able to simply pick a spot where they want the new restaurant to appear and it will be approved. This is actually great news for investors because in many cases franchises have already done the homework about the real estate and market characteristics in the immediate area.
Think of it this way, the majority of new franchise locations are conversions of former dining locations keeping construction costs down. Other important location-based strategies pertinent to the approval process include:
A minimum daily traffic count of tens of thousands of cars per day with direct access to the restaurant
Areas with strong employment presence given a heavy daytime work population
Standout perks like outdoor patio space, buildings with larger square footage,and plenty of parking
Leading high-population areas with mid-scale and preferably higher-end hotels and apartment complexes nearby
It’s simple math when you consider it’s often much easier and faster to sell ten items for $10 rather than 100 things for $1 a pop to reach the same goal. With an already larger population in place with more money to spend, odds sway in favor of reaching higher profit margins.
Openings and Experience
Another requirement for many franchisees is they already have business management experience and preferably a restaurant background. Depending upon the particular franchise, the type and length of these experiences may vary. Opening multiple locations in a specific time frame is also a common requirement.
In the case of Pizza Hut and Taco Bell, these franchises both require a minimum of three new restaurants within three years and Dunkin’ Donuts wants a minimum of five new locations after opening an eatery. Some requirements may offer a bit more wiggle room, with Twin Peaks asking for between three and five new establishments in some of their franchise agreements.
Confidence and Trust
Remember, this investment is a two-way street since the franchise is counting on the investor’s success to continue with their own, and vice versa. Be sure the corporation you choose to partner with is there for you in every way. If you have any questions about becoming a franchisee, please reach out and call the Twin Peaks franchise office today at (972) 941-3160.
Whether you’re choosing us or one of our competitors, we’re so confident in your choice we’ll be happy to educate you on the process. We’ll show you how the path to Twin Peaks is the best option for your hard-earned investment dollars. We’re truly here for you and are behind your investment 100%, because we believe in you as much as we trust in our brand.
With over 20+ years of training and development experience in the industry, Lexi Burns is our go-to resource to ensure all Twin Peaks franchisees are as successful as possible. Twin Peaks is known to customers around the country for absolutely amazing food and, even better, girls. But what happens behind the scenes for investors looking to start a franchise? We sat down with Lexi to talk about her role with new Twin Peaks franchisees, as well as the training that her team has developed and has been perfecting over the years.
Who is Lexi Burns?
Lexi is the VP of Talent Management for Twin Peaks. She has been instrumental in creating successful HR practices, on-boarding, and learning and development programs. With close to 70 restaurant openings she has been able to perfect her craft of ensuring success. Lexi is right there by the side of all new franchisees and investment groups from day one. Whether it is helping with on-boarding or answering common questions, like how to hire and retain the best talent, she will be there to guide any new franchisee in the right direction.
Let’s dive right into the interview so we can get to know the woman behind the talent management for Twin Peaks.
Twin Peaks: Tell us about your role and how you work with Twin Peaks franchise owners.
Lexi Burns: My role is to develop best-in-class Corporate HR and Training processes and programs. I work with franchise partners in many ways as they join the brand, and our relationship is ongoing. I assist in support of manager training, new store openings, certifying franchise training locations, and ongoing employee development for the Twin Peaks brand.
TP: When does a new franchise partner start working with you?
LB: I am fortunate enough to meet and work with our franchise partners from the very beginning. Our franchise partners are a main priority for us. The support that we give from day one is something we pride ourselves in.
TP: How has your role helped franchise owners have a smooth transition and be set up for success with Twin Peaks?
LB: Our brand is very structured. Twin Peaks has numerous systems and tools for a franchise group to operate successfully. As we on-board and train new groups, our follow up is consistent to ensure each member is receiving an experience that exceeds the standard. Additionally, I am always available if a group or individual needs assistance.
TP: How do you support franchise owners through pain points that may arise such as getting acclimated when starting out, staffing, etc.?
LB: We work with and encourage the franchise group to simply follow the playbook. Twin Peaks has best practices for every facet of the brand. If a franchise finds themselves in a position where they need support, we will guide them to the best practices we have in place to get them back on track.
TP: Tell us about Twin Peaks “Discovery Day.” What does it entail?
LB: The Twin Peaks Discovery Day is one of my favorite times spent with a potential franchise group. All departments put a great deal of effort into making this day special. I get the opportunity to walk them through the life of a Twin Peaks manager and what our training looks like at all levels. We discuss the new store opening process in length and how our teams will work together to make their restaurants operate at the highest level.
TP: Based on your past experience or feedback you’ve received from franchise partners, what makes Twin Peaks “Discovery Day” unique or better than any other franchisor’s program?
LB: Our Discovery Day is not only extremely informative and well prepared, but it is FUN. Our support center has a great culture and a really cool vibe. When our potential partners come to our offices, they feel like they are inside one of our restaurants. It is a very unique experience.
Editor’s Note: Here are some key takeaways from Discovery Day that Lexi wanted to point out to prospective franchisees:
They are personally introduced to every department head in the company to start developing relationships as early on as possible.
Get a first-hand look at new food and beverage innovations within the company.
Experience the day-to-day operations by taking a restaurant tour around the Dallas / Fort Worth area. Lexi also likes to point out exciting new enhancements, such as the cigar bar in Addison.
And, of course, the ever-popular Twin Peaks SWAG Bags are given to potential investors.
TP: What are some common questions you address with new franchise partners during their on-boarding process?
LB: When it comes to my area of expertise, the questions typically range from from how to hire and retain the best talent to the structure of training programs, which includes training timeframes for each role.
TP: Based on your experience with on-boarding and training new franchise partners, what’s one piece of advice you would give them that you have seen helps other franchise partners be on the road to success?
LB: Have a competitive business advantage when it comes to selecting and hiring talent. Take time to hire the right people for your business. Staffing is key in all areas in order for our brand to excel. Use the tools that are in place. We have the recipe for success.
It is certainly no secret that Lexi is not only good at what she does, but is also extremely passionate about her work. Lexi, and the Twin Peaks corporate staff, want to ensure that all of our franchisees are as successful as possible. Partnering with such a fun and successful brand is one of the smartest moves an investor can make. Prospective Twin Peaks franchisees can learn more about the process or view our franchise opportunities.
