Refreshing and New: Arby’s expands its presence after a brand revamp

Last year, Arby’s celebrated its 50th anniversary, which it marked with a substantial revamp of its brand. The move is giving them considerable momentum in 2015. “Arby’s is an iconic brand that’s well-positioned for continued growth,” says Maureen DiStefano, director of development at Arby’s Restaurant Group, Inc. “We have an improved brand positioning, strong new product pipeline, and a cutting-edge new building design inspired by the brand’s core values.”

In 2014, Arby’s experienced a same-store sales increase of 5.7 percent, outpacing the rest of the quick-service restaurant industry by 4.9 percentage points, according to The NPD Group, Inc. “We have a compelling vision for the Arby’s brand and a clear system-wide business strategy in place,” DiStefano says. “The initial results have been very positive and the business is continuing to gain ground.”

Arby’s, which has nearly 3,400 locations globally, is looking to grow nationwide, with opportunities in almost every state in the U.S. It is also considering international inquiries for 50 or more restaurants. Its most qualified candidates have restaurant experience, as well as a minimum of $250,000 in liquidity per restaurant and $500,000 net worth per restaurant. The Brand is looking for a minimum commitment of three restaurants per development agreement.

Once a franchise agreement is signed, it can take anywhere from two to six months to bring a new franchisee on board and open his or her first restaurant. Franchisee training involves seven weeks in an Arby’s Certified Training Restaurant, and team members also receive additional guest service training. “At Arby’s, we always want to ‘Inspire Smiles Through Delicious Experiences,’ so opportunities are offered continuously to enhance guest service through our Brand Champ program, a half-day, off-site training for team members to better understand the brand’s mission, purpose and core values, and how to ultimately deliver a better guest experience,” DiStefano says.

Arby’s also offers continuous support to franchisees in the form of ongoing training programs for team members and management, including the Development from Within program to encourage and promote leadership, an online learning management system called Arby’s eTrain, and Arby’s Brand Activation Kits to support new product and operational rollouts.

With its robust, constantly evolving menu of Fast Crafted™ sandwiches and innovative sides and desserts, as well as its strong franchise management team, Arby’s is proving to be an attractive choice for those looking to expand their quick-service portfolio in 2015.

For more information about franchising opportunities with Arby’s, visit www.arbys.com