How do you own a diner franchise without the long hours and extensive menus most of these eateries implement? Learn the strategies we use to avoid the typical dining hours.
History of the American Diner
The traditional American diner has its roots in newspapers. In 1858, Walter Scott started selling sandwiches and coffee to men’s club patrons and night workers to help his widowed mother earn money. Eventually, he landed a job as a pressman and relied on his foodservice business to supplement his income. The business flourished and by 1872 he was selling his fare from the back of a horse-drawn carriage outside the headquarters of the Providence Journal. Over time, the lunch wagon industry evolved and the modern-day, stationary diner was born.
Long hours, extensive menus, and revolving dessert displays are still the hallmarks of most diners in the United States. Customers turn to diners for a late-night food fix or an early-morning breakfast. Diners serve as community gathering places where teenagers hang out and refuel and seniors come together to talk shop over coffee and pie.
Breakfast Daypart Strong
Demand for breakfast is strong as customers place high importance on health and wellness. In recent months, the morning daypart was a bright spot for the foodservice industry as it posted the highest growth in traffic, as reported by the NPD Group. While quick-service restaurants are making significant inroads in the morning daypart, demand for full-service breakfast restaurants remains strong. The breakfast restaurant and diners market is forecast to generate $11.5 billion in 2023, up 3.5% from last year. Brunch is no longer reserved for the weekend; the trend of working remotely is blurring the lines of traditional dayparts, making brunch a daily option.
Egg-ceptional Diner Franchise Alternative
If you are interested in restaurant breakfast ideas but are reluctant to tackle a restaurant with long hours and a lengthy menu, Scramblers provides an egg-cellent alternative.
Scramblers is a brunch chain featuring seasonal items and comfort food fare. Phil Buerk and his son Shain founded the restaurant in the late 1980s. As the chain added additional locations in the Midwest, we streamlined operations and began a franchise push. Scramblers has 25 locations and we’re targeting new markets for growth, including five locations in Florida over the next five years.
Franchising allows our restaurant business model to provide entrepreneurs with a successful business offering brand recognition, proven procedures, training, and support. For an initial investment of $450,000-$850,000, including a $40,000 franchise fee, you have a turnkey breakfast and lunch restaurant with a history of profitability.
Here are a few ways we separate ourselves from the competition and offer an alternative to a traditional diner.
- Limited hours. Unlike traditional diner franchises, our concept provides work-life balance and flexibility. Limiting hours from 6:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. offers a better lifestyle for owners and staff while staying true to the breakfast tradition.
- Comprehensive support. Scramblers takes steps to ensure our franchise owners have the tools they need to provide customers with a quality experience. Our support team offers guidance on site selection and buildout, and comprehensive training to keep the operation running smoothly. All of our franchise owners attend a two-week immersive training at our corporate headquarters in Columbus, Ohio, and we hold quarterly meetings with our entire franchise system. We have an online training portal to facilitate hiring and a custom-built, online “coop” that houses information franchisees need for daily operations.
- Food focus. Scramblers’ menu is built on customer feedback, ingredient availability, and sales data. Before adding a new menu item, we make sure the dish is priced right and can be prepared by cooks with the equipment they already have in the kitchen. We also do our best to minimize food waste and offer customers both comfort food and healthy choices to cater to a variety of palettes. Our seasonal sensations give regular customers variety and provide local flair.
- Territory availability. We cornered the market on the breakfast daypart in the Midwest and we are ramping up expansion across the country. We have a wide variety of territories available for entrepreneurs interested in pursuing a future in breakfast.
Multiple revenue streams. Scramblers understands consumer trends and stays abreast of current events. Our restaurants offer online ordering, pickup, and delivery at all of our locations. We also provide additional revenue streams for our franchisees through our “Evening at Scramblers” program. Our franchise owners open their doors to customers who want to host an affordable event in the evening. We have a flexible dinner menu for our evening events and customers receive undivided attention from the staff.
Connect with Scramblers
Get started learning more about an alternative to a traditional diner franchise and discover more about opening a brunch eatery today.