Shane’s Rib Shack has filled a niche in the fast-casual category with its authentic home-style BBQ, and now the brand is looking for more franchisees to help it grow.
Great BBQ used to come only from mom-and-pop roadside restaurants, and that’s how Shane’s started out—literally as a shack. Founder Shane Thompson quit his corporate job and enlisted his family to help build a restaurant around his grandfather’s secret sauce recipe, which is still used by the brand today.
“Shane is a great guy,” says Bret Eldridge, vice president of operations and franchise support for the company. “People are drawn to him. He gives the brand so much personality.”
As part of Raving Brands, which includes seven other concepts—like Planet Smoothie and Boneheads—he was able to carve out a unique place in the fast-casual market.
“We think we have the potential to be the leader for a category that’s going to rise,” Eldridge says. “We feel that we’re on the cutting edge at the very beginning, and there’s a lot of opportunity there.”
The chain’s shabby-chic atmosphere and family focus are great, and the food is even better. Baby-back ribs, hand-chopped pork sandwiches, and chicken tenders make up the core offerings, and Southern sides like baked beans, potato salad, and mac and cheese round out the menu. There’s also a kids menu, as well as party platters, box lunches, and drinks available for catering.
“The food is outstanding,” Eldridge says. “It’s all about the food.”
This year, Shane’s Rib Shack will open its 100th store, and the brand is going to keep on growing. The company has been expanding at a rate of about 30 to 50 restaurants per year, creating lots of opportunity for potential franchisees. The Atlanta-based company has a strong presence throughout the Southeast, and focus markets for growth currently include areas of Virginia, upstate New York, Arizona, northern California, and the Northwest.
Investment-wise, Shane’s has a very low entry point, and franchisees get help every step of the way.
“We think Shane’s Rib Shack can be a 300 to 500 unit system and still maintain integrity,” Eldridge says.
Investment-wise, Shane’s has a very low entry point, and franchisees get help every step of the way. A company liaison guides them through site selection and the construction process, and franchisor support through business consulting begins as soon as a lease is signed. Raving Brands University provides them with industry and concept specific training to show franchisees the ropes. All systems are designed to help franchisees realize their goals.
“We have tremendous tools and guidance that lays it out very much like a playbook,” Eldridge says.
Shane’s Rib Shack is a great opportunity for positive people willing to focus on showing customers a great time.
For more information about franchising opportunities with Shane’s Rib Shack and other Raving Brands concepts, visit www.ravingbrands.com.