TL;DR
A&W Restaurants ranked eighth in Entrepreneur's 2021 Top Food Franchises, with a 9% comp sales increase in 2020. The brand plans to open 20 new standalone drive-thru locations this year.
In Entrepreneur’s 2021 Top Food Franchises, A&W ranked eighth in the category of Best Hamburger franchises. The 102-year-old brand, known for its high quality burgers and Root Beer, saw a 9% comp sales increase in 2020 and is using that momentum to leverage the growth of the standalone model in 2021. A&W’s success throughout the pandemic put it on the shortlist of quick service food brands coming out of the pandemic stronger than before, and the brand has plans to open 20 new standalone drive-thru locations this year.
A&W’s traditional business approach strongly resonates with guests who are looking for authentic brands, which can explain the brand’s renaissance with sales up 33% since 2011. A&W, which has 500-plus units across the country, is targeting the upper Midwest for growth.
The total investment to franchise with A&W Restaurants ranges from $276,000 to $1,397,000, including a $15,000 to $30,000 franchise fee.
In this story
This story was originally published in 1851 Franchise on July 13, 2021. Burnaze summarizes and links to the original reporting.
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