Food dominates the franchise world. Here, we rank the strongest brands in 14 tasty categories.
This article was originally published in Entrepreneur on 8/4/20. It has been edited to fit this format.
Even as the franchise model has expanded into just about every industry imaginable, food remains the largest and one of the fastest-growing industries in the franchise world. Thirty percent of the 1,105 companies that applied for Entrepreneur’s 2020 Franchise 500 ranking were food-related franchises, and new concepts continue to come on the scene every year.
Food is also one of the most durable franchise industries. While running a restaurant can certainly be challenging, there’s a reason [top] brands are still around today—they know how to earn loyalty, and they know how to adapt to keep that loyalty strong even in extreme situations. As dining rooms were shut down in response to the coronavirus pandemic, food franchisors rose to the occasion, quickly finding ways to keep serving customers and communities and help their franchisees survive—and, in some cases, even thrive.
[With our Top 200 list] we celebrate the strength and resilience of these companies with our list of the top 200 food franchises, ranked within their respective categories. This ranking is based on the scores each company received from our Franchise 500 formula, which evaluates more than 150 data points—collected last summer (2019)—in the areas of costs and fees, size and growth, franchisee support, brand strength, and financial strength and stability.*
Twin Peaks is honored to make this prestigious list of top food franchise opportunities.
*This ranking is not intended as a recommendation of any particular company by Entrepreneur magazine.
Sports are back, and Twin Peaks is still the winning spot for fans to enjoy delicious, made-from-scratch menu items as they cheer on their favorite teams. However, if sports fans want to stay at home, Twin Peaks has these new kits available for delivery, online ordering or curbside pickup at participating locations that will enhance the sports viewing experience:
Twin Peaks Wing Packs – Boneless, bone-in naked, bone-in breaded or smoked and grilled wings, served in packs of 96 with choice of wing sauce or rub and dressing for dipping. Add on a side of French fries or sweet potato fries for a small upcharge.
Twin Peaks Party Packs – Family-style packs that serve four to six. Each comes with choice of protein, four side items, family-size House Salad, six dinner rolls and butter. Protein options include Sirloin Steak, Chargrilled Salmon, Sweet n’ Smoky Ribs, BBQ Combos, Chicken Tenders, Smoked Half Chickens and more.
To add to the excitement, now that Twin Peaks’ doors are back open, guests can enjoy these innovative items that feature craveable smoked meats from in-house smokers:
Smoked Half-Chicken – In-house smoked half-chicken brushed with garlic parsley butter, served with house-made garlic mashed potatoes and sautéed green beans.
Smoked Brisket Tacos – In-house smoked shredded brisket, chipotle mayo, avocado smash, an all-new salsa verde, pickled red onions, queso fresco and cilantro, all in a flour tortilla, served with chips and choice of salsa.
The Smokestack – Burger topped with in-house smoked pulled pork, smoked mozzarella, pickled red onions, pickled jalapeños, tomato, pickles, cilantro, smoky sweet BBQ sauce and black pepper aioli, served with French fries.
Chicken Quesadillas – Modified to be made with in-house smoked pulled chicken.
Double Stacked Nachos – Modified to offer three protein choices, all smoked in-house: pulled chicken, brisket and pulled pork.
Along with its smoked sensations, the ultimate sports lodge also refreshed its extensive beverage menu with the addition of these handcrafted cocktails:
Aviation Gin Corpse Reviver – Aviation Gin, triple sec, Capano Antica Dry Vermouth, Peychaud’s bitters and lemon juice.
Buffalo Trace Sour– Buffalo Trace, simple syrup and lemon juice, topped with a red wine float.
Martell Sidecar – Martell Cognac, Patrón Citrónge and lemon juice.
Tito’s Sparkling Lemon – Tito’s and Fever Tree Lemon.
Dobel™ Pineapple Paloma – Maestro Dobel Diamante Tequila, agave nectar, fresh grapefruit, pineapple juice and lime juice.
Smoky Herradura Margarita – Herradura Silver, Sombra Mezcal, triple sec, agave nectar and lime juice, served with a charred lime wheel.
Disaronno Amaretto Sour – Knob Creel, Disaronno, lemon juice and Luxardo cherry.
Knob Creek Blackberry Smash – Knob Creek, Blackberry Mint Marmalade, lime juice and mint.
The Godfather – Disaronno, Monkey Shoulder and orange bitters.
“We are always looking for ways to ensure sports fans can root for their teams with mouthwatering food and delicious drinks in front of them,” said Twin Peaks Executive Chef Alex Sadowsky. “Twin Peaks continues to be the perfect place for watching the game, whether you’re watching it at home with our Tailgating Kits or enjoying tender smoked meats and tasty cocktails in one of our restaurants.”
Guests at Twin Peaks can now enjoy their favorites through online ordering, curbside pickup, delivery, contactless ordering and more.
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.
