Business World |
November 2014
24
The world is a big place and the franchise
system is ideal for expanding a restaurant
brand's global footprint. Of course, you have
to select the right franchisees," Whittle says.
Hooters is very careful to ensure prospective
franchisees have the finances and operating
acumen to successfully run the unique casual
dining concept.
"Qualifying franchisees is important in
any market, but because of the distance spe-
cial attention must be paid to vetting inter-
national franchisees," Whittle says. He takes
it as a great sign that during this time of re-
newed unit growth, Hooters international
AUVs have increased almost 50 percent over
the past three years.
Hooters believes locally owned and oper-
ated restaurants deliver a better experience
for customers in markets as culturally diverse
as China, Brazil or South Africa. But that
appreciation for a local touch doesn't mean
that the franchisor isn't paying attention.
The home office is involved with site selec-
tion and store design, and Whittle says the
company strives to “reach out and touch” its
franchisees several times a year, in the form
of with operational support visits to the res-
taurants.
“We offer a large amount of support to
the franchisees,” he says. “Ideally, a customer
