Restaurants Took a Hit During COVID-19, But These First-Year MOOYAH Burgers, Fries & Shakes Franchisees Hit the Million-Dollar Mark

Ready for some good restaurant news since the pandemic hit? MOOYAH Burgers, Fries & Shakes has it.

The better-burger fast-casual chain announced that 18 of its stores joined the million-dollar club last year, including some that were still in their first year of operations.

“When we opened, our goal was to become a million-dollar store — a million dollars minimum,” said Emad Tawfik, who owns a MOOYAH franchise in the Cleveland market. His store opened four months before the first lockdowns hit. “But we didn’t change our goal, we just changed our focus on how we planned to achieve it.”

For Tawfik, MOOYAH proved well-equipped for the challenge. “We are not just serving great food and beverages,” he said. “We’re serving care and experience, and that means being an active part of the community.”

Tawfik’s team made it a priority to reach out to the community by delivering food to hospitals, catering to frontline workers, and offering free delivery to Guests, as well as offering discounts to police officers and medical professionals.

But Tawfik wasn't the only freshman franchise owner to break seven figures. The Baton Rouge, Louisiana franchise, owned by a husband-and-wife duo, LaVondra and Chas Coleman, also hit the coveted benchmark in 2020.

How did they do it? “It's a team effort,” said LaVondra. “As with everything that we do, when it comes to business and everything else in our lives since we've been together. I think that’s why we were so successful.”

More specifically, she credits their background in corporate management and as entrepreneurs as what helped them rise to the challenges of 2020.

“We did what we're used to doing: We made sure everything was in tip-top shape, that the brand’s high standards were always met and that we were staying on people’s minds,” she said. “And lo and behold, by being steady and consistent, we were able to make it a million-dollar restaurant,” said LaVondra.

Both Tawfik and LaVondra say that offering a better Guest experience helped them maintain their momentum when others were struggling.

“When customers come in, they feel very safe and comfortable,” Tawfik said. In addition to revenue, he also points to another indication that his strategy worked: Google Reviews. “Right now, we have 4.7 and 4.8 stars. We’re getting very good comments, very good reviews as soon as they leave the restaurant. It’s all about paying attention to the Guests’ needs.”

Chas Coleman agrees that Guest experience is key. “I think one of the things that kind of set us apart is that we actually tried to make the carryout experience fun,” he said. “When Guests would come in to get their food, we greeted them with a very loud, “Welcome to MOOYAH!” Then our Guest Service Specialist would come out and chat with them, give them free ice cream samples, and generally just try to lighten the mood.”

Tawfik said that the Leadership Team was instrumental in their success during the pandemic as well. “They did a phenomenal job. They were there for anything we needed,” he said.

Tawfik and the Colemans' success has made them eager to continue with the brand. The Colemans are opening their second location this month. “We really believe in MOOYAH, and we really believe in South Louisiana. MOOYAH is part of the fabric of Baton Rouge,” said Chas. “The MOOYAH brand stands for better quality, better food and better treatment of Team Members. If you commit to those three things, you can’t fail.”

Tawfik is looking to expand his number of franchises, as well. “As the only location in Ohio so far, we have customers drive over an hour just to come here. We have such demand, we’re getting excited to keep growing. I believe so much in this brand and this food quality. We can be the number one place in the Cleveland market. Nothing was going to get in the way of our success. Not even a pandemic. I don’t believe in excuses,” he said.

MOOYAH Burgers, Fries & Shakes is a fast-casual, “better burger” concept offering mouthwatering made-to-order burgers, french fries hand-cut from Idaho potatoes, and real ice cream shakes. Founded in 2007, the Plano, Texas-based company serves fresh, 100% Certified Angus Beef® Brand burgers, all-natural Jennie-O® turkey burgers and Dr. Praeger’s black bean vegan burgers.

MOOYAH's non-GMO potato and multigrain buns are baked in-house daily, and Guests can choose from five real cheeses, bacon, avocado and 20 free sauces and toppings made from garden-fresh veggies. MOOYAH Guests can choose from seven flavors of 100% real ice cream shakes, including vanilla, Hershey’s chocolate, Reese’s, Oreo and more. While many Guests dine in-restaurant, MOOYAH also offers online ordering, delivery and carry out for Guests on the go as well as a loyalty app.

In 2020, MOOYAH ranked No. 38 on Fast Casual’s Top 100 Movers and Shakers. In 2018, MOOYAH was ranked among Entrepreneur Magazine's Top 200 Food and Restaurant Franchises of 2018 and landed at No.

7 in the Top 10 Fast Casual Restaurant Franchises by FranchiseRankings.com. In 2017, MOOYAH was named to Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500 list, Franchise Times' Fast & Serious list of the smartest growing franchise brands, and was ranked #11 on Fast Casual Magazine’s annual Top 100 Movers & Shakers, a list the brand has been included on every year in the last ten years of rankings.

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