Why franchise with Quiznos in 2013? “Quiznos has it figured out,” says Steve Bielewicz, vice president of development at Quiznos. “We offer opportunities. We know what will help franchisees succeed. It’s the experience of more than 30 years in the business, and it’s the brand. Our menu is inspired and created by chefs, setting us apart as the best in the category.”

Confidence in Quiznos is what the company looks for in its franchisees. Quiznos wants to expand into markets wherever they can find the best candidates for the brand. “We look for someone who understands the business and who has the personality and the passion to be in a service industry. Someone who has the discipline to come in every day and treat every customer like he or she is the best customer in the world, and then treat the next customer the same way. We can teach the mechanics of running the business,” says Bielewicz, “but it is difficult to teach that kind of philosophy.”

Besides that passion and drive, Quiznos looks for people with restaurant, hospitality or retail experience who want to be involved in their business. “We want to work with people who want to build their own businesses and who have an idea of what that involves,” says Bielewicz.

“We offer opportunities. We know what will help franchisees succeed.”

New franchisees participate in five weeks of training, which include online study, three weeks of hands-on experience at a regional store, and a final week of small business ownership training, which is held in Denver at Quiznos University. “I’ve worked in this industry for many years, and this training regimen is the best I’ve seen,” says Bielewicz. “And when a franchisee is ready to open a store, we have our field team there to assist them. Opening can be daunting if you’re on your own, but our field folks have done this before and are there to make the process easier. And of course, after opening, they are there to assist and support the store.”

Quiznos knows that to succeed locally, the stores need to have a local presence and ties to the community, ties that make customers realize that even though it is a national brand, the business is being run by one of their own.

“This is another way that Quiznos differentiates itself from other brands,” says Bielewicz. “Customers come in and interact with store personnel. Many of our franchisees are local to their areas and their neighborhoods. They know their customers. The best customers are repeat customers, and there is nothing better than walking into a restaurant and being greeted by name. That embodies the neighborhood feeling,” adds Bielewicz. “We have learned that you have to market to your trade area. This is a neighborhood business.”

Quiznos has also taken to social media to market the company. “Social media provides an opportunity every single day, all day long, to engage directly with our customers. It’s the perfect complement to our traditional advertising and promotions,” Bielewicz says.

“Our restaurants remain a good opportunity for the entrepreneur, for the person who understands the industry and customer service, for the person who works hard, has desire and passion. This is a great industry, and I think that Quiznos is a great entry into that industry.”

For more information about franchising opportunities with Quiznos, visit www.quiznos.com