A Day in the Life of a Salad Station Franchisee with Director of Franchise Operations Garrick Robert

Garrick Robert, The Salad Station’s director of franchise operations, is an owner of two locations himself in Metairie and Kenner, Louisiana. Robert is proud to hail from the area, growing up in the New Orleans area and now living just a few minutes away. He got his start in the restaurant industry helping out at his mom’s restaurant at only 9 years old.

• We like people who are very hardworking, said Robert, but franchisees don’t necessarily have to have a background in business or restaurant ownership. We have some great examples of people in our network who come from entirely different industries, but are thriving with The Salad Station.

The Salad Station, as a family- and community-oriented brand, seeks out franchisees who are hands-on, involved and dedicated. We really like people who are involved in their community, said Robert. We feel like that brings an added level of commitment to the business. If someone is looking for absentee ownership, we ask they have an operating partner who is very involved in the business. We want to make sure there is someone who is invested in the brand and community and who will be a great ambassador for the brand.

In exchange, The Salad Station offers franchisees a level of support for quality-of-life and business growth that is unique to the industry. From the moment a franchisee signs on, The Salad Station’s corporate team is with them every step of the way. Starting a business of any type is kind of like having a child, said Robert. Those first few weeks after opening are going to be hard work to get the business up and running, but if we’ve all done our homework and the franchisee has invested their time and money properly in their team and the business, those things start to pay off down the road.

The benefits of ownership with The Salad Station start to shine through really quickly, said Robert. You can have a great lifestyle not only financially, but from a family and scheduling standpoint. If they are coming from the corporate world, from a demanding job with inconsistent hours or even from another restaurant position, The Salad Station franchisees often find that they now have the time to do things that maybe they weren’t able to do before.

The busiest and most lucrative hours of a Salad Station operator are typically during the lunchtime rush, allowing franchisees more time, and more flexible hours, during both mornings and evenings. The beauty of our business model from an owner-operator standpoint is that your business comes in during the middle of the day, Robert continued. You don’t have to wake up too early, and you don’t have to stay terribly late at night.

If you have children, you’re home with your kids at night and you can bring them to school in the morning—all while still having time to actively lead your business. The Salad Station is built around being with family, said Robert.

There’s even another added perk. Because of the brand’s commitment to community, family and its franchisees, all of The Salad Station locations are closed on Sunday. All of our locations being closed on Sunday allows for guaranteed time off for both franchisees and employees, said Robert. It not only gives operators more freedom, but offers an added incentive to employees, making the job more desirable for employees and allowing operators to have an advantage in recruiting over other restaurant concepts.

Above all, The Salad Station wants franchisees to use restaurant ownership as an opportunity to enjoy a fulfilling and healthy lifestyle. We want to franchise with people who are passionate about what the brand stands for, said Robert, whether that is healthy eating, family or giving back to their communities.