In 1974, George “Jig” Warren III and Gary “Moe” Meszaros partnered to open a restaurant with signature food and service, bringing families and friends together to celebrate the best of America’s car-making history. In an abandoned gas station in Sharon, Pennsylvania, Quaker Steak & Lube was born.
From one restaurant, Quaker Steak & Lube has grown into an award-winning, casual-dining franchise known for its Best Wings USA and more than 20 sauce varieties, with nearly 50 locations across the U.S. and Canada. Collectively, the company serves more than 80 million wings annually, along with burgers, ribs, steaks, salads, sandwiches, kid’s meals, and more. The Blowout Beverages menu features hand-crafted, hand-shaken beverages, including the award-winning Bar Jar.
The company had a notable year in 2011 with the opening of six new restaurants, signed franchise agreements to develop more than 35 new restaurants, and plans to open 12 more in 2012, making Quaker Steak & Lube one of the fastest-growing restaurant chains in the country.
“There’s always something happening at The Lube” is the brand’s mantra. The restaurant hosts ongoing SuperCharged events, theme nights, and fun promotions geared around the unique motorsports theme, setting The Lube apart from the crowd. The cult following draws loyal Lubies for special events from Cruise-ins to All-You-Can-Eat Wing Nights, creating a “WOW” dining experience.
The concept’s fun culture, unique automotive décor, and crave-able menu attract a wide demographic. “We say our guests range from two to 82. Our research indicates our guests are equally split between female and male, and we’ve been recognized for our family fun environment,” says CEO John Longstreet.
The company is looking for passionate people with restaurant experience to help grow the brand. “We are looking for people who are philosophically aligned with our values,” says Zeb Hastings, vice president of franchise development. Candidates should have operations experience and a thorough understanding of the restaurant and hospitality industry, and the willingness to develop multiple locations. Financial requirements include $1 million liquidity and a $3 million net worth.
“We have one of the best average unit sales volumes in the industry. We are 75 percent franchised, with a focus on servicing both the guest and the franchisee. The brand management team is committed to assisting with each restaurant’s success,” Hastings says. “Our unit economics, driven by our industry high average unit volumes and guest checks in excess of $16, make Quaker Steak & Lube a compelling franchise opportunity.”
Quaker Steak & Lube supports franchisees with its Fuel-Injected Training, a system Longstreet says rivals the support of the biggest companies in the business. “It’s important to us that the restaurants get built with our DNA in order to generate the most revenue. It’s all about helping franchisees make money,” he says. “We also get high marks on our technology support systems and field marketing structure, critical to delivering a great Lube experience.”
“We haven’t found an area the concept doesn’t work in,” Longstreet says. “We have exclusive territories available, and we know how to travel with the concept, with national distribution capabilities in place to get proprietary products into any market.”
The company offers flexible real estate development options, including free-standing, end cap, in-line, and nontraditional opportunities. Each site is designed in The Lube‘s brand DNA, including the neon EAT arrow and signs, old-fashioned gas pumps, the “Vette VVVroom,” and more trade dress, making the brand unique in the industry.
“One of the beauties of the brand,” Longstreet says, “is that franchisees don’t have to put capital into the restaurant to reposition the brand every five to seven years the way other brands do. Our brand is timeless.”
Quaker Steak & Lube is a franchise built to last.
This information is not intended as an offer to sell, or the solicitation of an offer to buy a franchise. It is for information purposes only.
These figures reflect the average restaurant revenue of ten of our 26 restaurants operated by our franchisees in the fiscal year ending January 2, 2011, for their Classic I and Classic II Restaurants that were open and operating for at least 18 months, based upon royalty fee reports submitted by these franchisees as published in Item 19 of our Franchise Disclosure Document amended October 3, 2011.
For more information about franchising opportunities with Quaker Steak & Lube, visit www.lubefranchising.com.