In 2022, there has been a lot of discussion surrounding work-life balance for frontline employees, and rightfully so. Something that has inspired fewer headlines is the work-life balance of franchisees: Now more than ever, franchisees are often working long days to help fill in where a restaurant is short staffed.

Maybe that’s why The Toasted Yolk is receiving so many franchising inquiries. Founded in the Houston metro area in 2012, the 23-unit brand is open just 56 hours a week. Franchisees and employees alike love the 7 a.m.–3 p.m. schedule that reliably gets them home in time for dinner. And yet, franchisees report profits on par with restaurants with much longer hours. It’s the best of both worlds, says Bret Baumgartner, who owns two locations in the Beaumont, Texas, area.

“When I was with (a previous restaurant brand), I was working 70–80 hours a week,” Baumgartner says. “That can take a toll on you as far as family and personal time goes. Don’t get me wrong, I still have to put in the hours, but now I’m home well before dark.”

So how does a brand like The Toasted Yolk, only open eight hours per day, have 65 more units in the pipeline? CEO Chris Milton believes it starts with a menu that is designed to appeal to suburbanites living in the areas carefully targeted by the brand. The Toasted Yolk offers a balance of indulgent and healthy options, with everything from Churro Donuts, to Southern Fried Arnold (the brand’s take on eggs benedict), to a Southwestern Breakfast Bowl—Milton’s personal favorite. The menu—and overall concept—obviously appeals to the masses, as The Toasted Yolk’s AUV is a robust $2.21 million.

And there are other key differentiating factors, too. The Toasted Yolk records almost 40 percent of its sales during the lunch daypart. Further, the brand has a full bar that pads the average ticket size in a big way—the average check is $17 per person.

“When we started the concept back in 2010, we always had a great balance of breakfast and lunch options,” Milton says. “The bar was always a focal point of the restaurant and that really resonates with guests—we really believe we are pioneers in the space because of those things.”   

Milton also points out that The Toasted Yolk was a pioneer in adding certain technologies into the full-service brunch segment. For example, the brand was one of the first to let patrons be added to a waitlist without leaving the house. It’s little things like that that make Baumgartner proud to franchise with The Toasted Yolk.

“So much of the choice of who to franchise with comes down to ‘Do you believe in this brand?’” Baumgartner says. “Between being able to offer those amazing restaurant hours to your people and the scratch-made, high-quality food you’re serving to the neighborhood—this is something I really, truly believe in and love being a part of.”

For more on franchising with The Toasted Yolk, visit thetoastedyolk.com/franchise-opportunity.