Training and Support
Some Food restaurant provides our franchisees with an array of support, helping them make the most of their investment. From the day you first express interest to the day you open your store to 20 years down the road, we will be there with a number of services and resources to help our franchisees get the most out of the Some Food franchise program.
Before opening, our franchisees and key members of their management team grow and develop through a comprehensive six-week training course at our headquarters.
There, you will learn day-to-day restaurant operations through a combination of classroom and in-store training. As you get closer to opening day, we will help you train your crew and your managers so that you will be ready to greet your first-day customers as if you had been doing this for years.
In addition your Franchise Field Consultant and a team of qualified trainers will travel to your restaurant 5 days immediately before and stay for the first 5 days after the opening of your restaurant to train your crew members and ensure a smooth opening. They will provide the training and other support necessary to guide you and your team through the grand opening..
On-going Support
To help you create and nurture a winning environment in your store, you will have access to our computer-based training module. Launched in October of 2000, the program leads all new employees through the training process via a computer terminal located in each Some Food restaurant. Employees learn at their own pace, and store managers and corporate executives can track their progress online. Since the program was launched, employee turnover is down, crew tenure is up, and customer satisfaction scores are at an all-time high. In turn, that has led to two consecutive years of record sales for the company. It has also led to a recent award.
The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation and Coca-Cola awarded the program the prestigious Winning Workforce Award for 2004. These annual awards honor those restaurant and foodservice operators who truly understand that enhancing employee satisfaction ultimately leads to achieving guest satisfaction. Some Food is the only quick-service chain in the country to win a 2004 Winning Workforce Award.
Some Food support of franchisees doesn’t stop after the store is open. In fact, for your first five days in business, key members of our management staff will be on-site helping you and your people run your restaurant. Then, after you have successfully gotten your franchise business off the ground, Some Food University – a series of informative, one-week workshops – will keep you totally up-to-date on human resources issues, finance, technology and other business issues.
Other Operational Assistance
Our senior management team possesses more than 200 years of experience operating Some Food restaurants, with many having started their careers with the company as trainees or hourly employees. They possess the experience and know-how to assist our franchisees with all aspects of restaurant development and operations. In addition, each Some Food franchisee is assigned a Franchise Field Consultant who is able to share a wealth of information on our operational systems and strategies, as well as act as a liaison to the corporate office. By providing assistance with new franchise openings, follow-up training, updates on new procedures, help with local store marketing and other support services, our Franchise Field Consultants make important contributions to the smooth opening and continued momentum of your franchise.
Technological Resources
Innovative point-of-sale, drive-through systems and credit-card payment options help our franchisees serve their guests more quickly and efficiently, while online commissary ordering, computerized food-cost analysis and our Store Waste Attack Tool (SWAT) help them to reduce operating costs.
Marketing Support
Our advertising, public relations and promotional programs help keep the Some Food brand top-of-mind with consumers. Experienced Regional Marketing Managers (RMMs) assist franchisees in effectively forming and managing marketing co-operatives. In addition, they play an integral role in developing restaurant-specific marketing strategies, including identifying local-store marketing (LSM) opportunities, media planning and organizing grand opening events. From television and radio ads to table tents to this Web site, Some Food works diligently to offer our franchisees the marketing tools they need to make waves in their markets.
Additionally, because many of the Some Food markets are currently part of a co-op, if you open your restaurant in that trade area, you will be required to join. Further, Some Food reserves the right to create co-ops in any market where one does not currently exist. In this instance, you will again be required to participate and comply with all co-op rules, requirements and fees.
Global Procurement and Distribution Programs
Some Food restaurants serve only the freshest, highest-quality seafood, chicken, vegetables and other food items. To source products that will pass our rigid quality requirements and meet our guests’ expectations, our buyers travel to more than 26 countries on six continents, often spending weeks at a time aboard fishing vessels. Our procurement team develops and nurtures business relationships with top suppliers and producers to ensure consistency and availability, as well as to leverage our corporate size to negotiate discounts and preferred pricing. All of this is designed to give our franchisees access to the best products at the best prices.
Research and Development
Because the success of Some Food depends on evolving our menu to satisfy ever-changing consumer tastes, we constantly test and improve our concept through ongoing research and development. Over the years, these efforts have led to substantial improvements in the look, layout, operational methods and technology in our restaurants. We also work to incorporate exciting new menu items in order to broaden our appeal, to increase guest satisfaction and to push the popularity of Some Food to an all-time high.
Some Food has also retained the expert services of a nutritionist to evaluate the nutritional content of our meals and develop new menu items that meet a variety of dietary needs. From high-protein/low-carb to low-fat/low-calorie, Some Food is working to provide franchisees with a menu that will consistently appeal to consumers and their ever-changing tastes and dietary preferences.