Company leadership provides ongoing support for Great Steak franchisees from day one and beyond
Commercial mall owners have high standards for the tenants they sign on for their food courts, especially with a focus on upgrading their food offerings on the upswing, according to a CNBC article. Great Steak™ brings to the table the backing of trusted industry leader Kahala Brands™, which represents nearly 30 brands with 3,000 locations worldwide, making it an attractive food-court tenant in an increasingly competitive space. 
Great Steak – America’s Premier Cheesesteak® franchise owners and their teams have access to some of the most comprehensive training in the franchise industry. Franchisees learn everything they need to know to run their businesses, from how to manage inventory and back-office functions all the way through inventory control and the how-to’s of making an authentic cheesesteak. These are just a few of the reasons school principal Mark Coleman and his wife, Sara, who had no restaurant experience, chose to open a Great Steak in Fair Oaks Mall, an upscale retail shopping destination in popular Washington, D.C., suburb Fairfax, Virginia, where the median annual income is $115K.
There is still ample room for expansion into malls, lifestyle centers and stand-alone restaurants nationwide for Great Steak, according to Kari Combs, Vice President of Operations. “Great Steak has been prevalent in malls for more than 35 years. People are looking for that authentic cheesesteak experience, and there are not a lot of cheesesteak locations in every city. We haven’t saturated the market; the need for Great Steak is definitely out there.”
Consistent support sets franchisees on a path toward success
The Colemans in Virginia spent several years researching franchise concepts. They found lack of franchisee support to be a recurring issue with many franchise systems. And they soon realized this wasn’t the case with Great Steak. The support and training Kahala Brands provides to Great Steak franchise owners before, during and after launch was what made the couple confident that Great Steak was a sound investment.
“We really like that Kahala Brands focuses on developing franchises and working with the owners once they are up and running. And they stay with them through the whole process,” Mark says. “Kahala Brands supports franchise owners because that is what they do, and they do it so well. It’s been such a pleasurable experience having that support and safety net, knowing everything is being done correctly and on time.”
All new Great Steak franchisees complete a thorough 40 hours of training at the Kahala Brands headquarters in Scottsdale, Arizona, while build-out and construction of their food-court or freestanding restaurant is completed. The training covers everything they need to know to launch and run their Great Steak location, from food handling and safety to payroll processing and inventory management. Once their location is open, the corporate team works on-site alongside the franchisee and their employees to help ensure everything is operating smoothly.
“The simplicity of the Great Steak brand makes us a great choice for investors without any restaurant experience. We require low overhead, not very many products or prep, and a small staff. It’s so simple, and it’s easy to run,” says Kari Combs, Vice President of Operations. “Combine all of this with the support that Kahala Brands provides, and all you have to do is run the business.”
Our well-respected brand makes us a great mall or lifestyle center tenant
Great Steak has tremendous brand loyalty and offers shoppers a different route than the predictable burgers and pizza. Customers love watching their cheesesteak being made to order, and an authentic sandwich made with real Philly ingredients is a popular lunch or dinner choice — standing out as a unique option next to the predictable burgers and pizza offerings.
“These commercial properties are very interested in having a Great Steak cheese steak franchise on-site because they know what a high-quality brand it is,” Combs says. “They are looking for tenants with a good business history, as well as ones who focus on creating a positive customer experience that results in consistent foot traffic.”
Great Steak is a low-cost investment opportunity with a proven business model in the $19 billion sandwich industry. Since the brand’s founding in 1982, the Great Steak cheesesteak franchise family has grown to more than 50 locations nationwide as it partners with entrepreneurs who are passionate about bringing the classic American cheesesteak experience to their communities. Franchise owners enjoy the support not only of Great Steak’s top-shelf management team, but also that of Kahala Brands, one of the most trusted names in franchising with more than 3,000 premier locations nationwide. Whether you’re looking to bring authentic cheesesteak sandwiches to a shopping mall near you or wanting to open a friendly neighborhood eatery, Great Steak offers the right opportunity at the right time. There’s never been a better time to open a Great Steak.
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