Each year, Grimaldi’s receives hundreds of inquiries and applications for International franchises, but only a select few will ultimately be granted rights to develop Grimaldi’s restaurants. Opportunities for international franchise licenses are incredibly competitive. All international franchises outside of the U.S. will be multi-unit developers, with most operating under licenses to develop the full market or territories in which they operate.
Specific requirements vary from country to country. At a minimum, qualified franchise candidates will typically have:
- A passion for food and restaurant operations.
- Comprehensive understanding of local culture, infrastructure, and how to do business in the market of interest.
- Demonstrated business success with multi-unit restaurant, retail, or hospitality sector operations – previous franchising experience is a plus.
- Sufficient liquid assets and capital to support the growth of a network of restaurants at a pace necessary to create a visible presence, support a sustained advertising program, and allow for economies of scale in the geographic area of interest. Capacity and willingness to develop whole territories, a ten store minimum, is strongly preferred.
- Access to and experience in developing real estate.
- Existing business infrastructure to leverage in the operation and management of your network of Grimaldi’s restaurants
- Ability to commit to an aggressive store development schedule
Meeting these baseline requirements does not guarantee franchise approval or that exclusive franchising rights will be granted.
Worldwide franchise partnering is our way of engaging, training, and supporting our franchisees, and is the heart of our “One System” approach. This allows Grimaldi’s to ensure the best possible matches of franchise, markets, and brand.
It is also how we help our franchisees achieve restaurant excellence, facilitate effective communication, provide evaluation and feedback, share best practices and develop a recognition culture. Through franchisee meetings, regional meetings, and local business review, Grimaldi’s provides a forum for franchisees to be involved in the development of the business and the brands. Periodically, Grimaldi’s surveys all franchisees to understand how our efforts and resources can be better deployed to help further grow the business.
Our One System Approach is based on three core principles:
- People
- Product
- Service
Our Culture is highly integrated into our core values. Our Culture consists of:
- Quality
- Hospitality
- Communication
- Energy
- Family
- Accountability
- Teamwork
- Integrity
We appreciate your interest in Grimaldi’s. As a prospective Grimaldi’s franchisee, you can expect to participate in a structured process designed to ensure that you are well-equipped to represent our brand, and have the knowledge and tools necessary to become a successful operator. Below is a description of our process:
- Complete the Online Registration Form to become a part of the Grimaldi’s family. Our development team will review your application and, assuming you meet baseline criteria, contact you to further discuss the opportunity.
- Schedule initial phone interview to further discuss your market of interest and potential next steps. Complete Grimaldi’s standard franchise application document.
- Attend a Discovery Day at our corporate office. This will provide you with an opportunity to tour a Grimaldi’s restaurant, speak with Grimaldi’s management, observe operations, better familiarize yourself with our menu, and speak with corporate staff about their experience. This will give you a more comprehensive understanding of Grimaldi’s as you begin preparing for your Business Plan.
- Prepare and submit a Business Plan per Grimaldi’s requirements, as discussed during the initial phone interview.
After an initial review of your business plan, our international leadership team will meet with you and your management team in your market of interest. We will then further assess the market opportunity and begin discussions on how we can take your plan from vision to reality. - Sign a development agreement and begin the Grimaldi’s training program.