Franchising FAQ
3 RECIPE FRANCHISEES SHARE THEIR START-UP SECRETS
IMPORTANCE OF LOCAL RELATIONSHIPS
Being engaged in the community and creating relationships is important and part of my success. It’s going back to grassroots, which involves talking to and meeting guests everyday within the restaurant. These guests will then share their positive experiences with others - driving loyalty and more business. Additionally, being involved and engaged in the community, creating relationships not only inside but also outside the restaurant, will only benefit the restaurant and lead to success for the owner, guests and teammates.
CLAUDIO FORESTA
Kelseys and Montana’s Franchise of Partner of 25+ Years
PASSION FOR PEOPLE CREATES UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCES
Make sure you love hospitality, you love teamwork and you love building an experience that's memorable. People aren't only here because of the food. They're not only here for the service. They're here to make memories and we have a gift and a responsibility to bring that to life. So, if that's something that really resonates with you and that you're passionate about, then I think that you will succeed and you'll find all the right drive and all the right ingredients to make that come to life.
SYLVIA CORNING
Montana’s Franchise Partner of 20+ Years
BUILD A STRONG PARTNERSHIP WITH YOUR BRAND SUPPORT TEAM
I didn’t grow up knowing I was going to run a business. I didn’t go to school for business or finance. My connection to all of the answers that I need comes from my BDM (Business Development Manager). He is my first point of contact and my main connection to head office. I’ve never had somebody who I can reach out to and get an answer from so quickly. I can trust him to always give me a sincere and honest answer. He has become my mentor.
LAURA DICKSON
Harvey’s Franchise Partner of 15+ Years
Franchising Journey
The first step is to submit an inquiry, which will grant you access to more details about our franchise opportunities. When you are ready, we encourage you to submit an inquiry form to begin discussion with our franchising team. Once you have submitted your inquiry form, our Franchising Team will reach out to you within 2 business days.
After submitting your inquiry form, you’ll begin our discovery and approval process, which takes on average four to seven weeks. Depending on your province or territory, an additional 2-week Franchise Disclosure Period may be applicable.
After you complete the approval process and are committed to becoming a franchise partner, we will work with you to find the ideal site in your territory. Our team will guide you through each step along the way.
Experience & Training
While prior experience in the restaurant or hospitality industry can be helpful, it is not a requirement to become a successful franchisee with us. We’re looking for passionate, driven individuals who are committed to operational excellence and delivering a great guest experience. Our comprehensive training programs, ongoing support, and proven systems are designed to set you up for success, whether you're an experienced operator or new to the restaurant business.
Strong leadership skills, a willingness to follow a proven model, and a dedication to team development and customer service are important skillsets in operating a successful restaurant. Many of our top-performing franchisees came from diverse professional backgrounds and have built thriving businesses by leveraging our support and their own entrepreneurial spirit.
Comprehensive Franchisee Training: Your Path to Success
Our training program gives you the skills, knowledge, and confidence to run a thriving restaurant from day one. You’ll learn everything you need to know to operate efficiently, deliver exceptional experiences, and lead a high-performing team.
Training program highlights:
- Operational and business training from frontline to management
- In-depth menu knowledge, including ingredients and preparation methods
- Management skills: staffing, scheduling, inventory, and financial oversight
- Food safety and health & safety best practices
- Hands-on, in-restaurant experience
- Flexible online training modules
At Recipe, training isn’t a one-time event, it’s a competitive advantage. We invest in your success with ongoing learning in leadership, finance, hospitality, and technology. Delivered through virtual, in-person, and on-demand formats, our programs keep you and your team ahead of the curve, so you can focus on what matters most: running a thriving restaurant
Investment & Fees
We charge franchisees an ongoing Royalty Fee of weekly sales. Franchisees also invest a portion of weekly sales into an Advertising Fund. Royalty and advertising fund rates may vary depending on the specific concept within our portfolio. Our fee structures are tailored to each brands’ market positioning and support needs. Here is a general overview:
| Brand | Royalty Rate | Advertising Fund Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Harvey’s | 5% | 4% |
| Swiss Chalet | 5% | 4% |
| State & Main | 5% | 2% |
| Montana’s | 5% | 3% |
| Kelseys | 5% | 3% |
| East Side Mario’s | 5% | 3% |
| Original Joe’s | 5% | 2% |
| New York Fries | 6% | 2% |
| The Burger’s Priest | 5% | 2% |
| Blanco Cantina | 5% | 2% |
These fees help fund essential services including brand marketing, national advertising campaigns, operational support, technology upgrades, and ongoing training—ensuring each franchisee benefits from strong brand visibility and a scalable system.
Exact fees and terms will be outlined in the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) specific to each brand. We encourage you to connect with our franchise development team to review the FDD and discuss which brand is the best fit for your goals.
The initial cost of a quick-service restaurant starts from $0.5M, while a full-service restaurant starts from $1.1M. Investment levels vary by concept and by whether the site is a new ground up build, a conversion, or a non-traditional format. As part of this initial investment, franchise partners must also provide a minimum cash contribution starting from $200,000 for quick service and $350,000 for full-service restaurants. Please contact us to learn more about franchise costs and financial requirements.
Pre-opening costs should be considered when you prepare your location for launch and ensure a strong start. Pre-opening expenses may include, initial inventory and smallwares, hiring and training staff, local marketing and grand opening promotion, utility deposits and setup fees, pre-opening rent.
These costs will vary depending on the brand, market and the size of the location. You’ll find a full breakdown of the expected pre-opening costs in the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD), and our team will work closely with you to plan and budget accordingly
Growth Markets
We are expanding across Canada and we’re excited about the potential.
Click here to see available markets and locations.
Operations
To succeed, franchise partners start by taking an active, hands-on role - getting to know the business, guiding their team, and helping daily operations run smoothly, especially in the early stages of the business. Over time, many partners transition into more of an oversight role as their team grows in capability. Throughout your journey, our proven tools, technology and systems make day-to-day tasks easier and provide the support you need to run your business with confidence.