Opening a food business, whether it is a restaurant, café, or a fast-food place is a lifetime dream of many entrepreneurs.  While this may be an exciting venture, up-front starting costs, finding suppliers, training employees, etc., may be a bit overwhelming.  If you are considering this type of business, the best solution may be to buy into a food franchise.

Buying a food franchise allows you to bypass many of the operational concerns such as branding, menus, marketing, and other operational aspects, and skip to the rewarding part – running your own successful food business.

Types of Food Businesses        

Of all of the types of food business options, these are the most popular ones:

• Full-service restaurants:  Classic dining establishments with a host, proper seating, wait staff, a bar, etc. are a desirable option for many entrepreneurs.  Even though they may require higher initial start-up costs, full-service restaurant franchises offer a variety of brands, cuisines and styles.
• Fast food restaurants:  As a comparison to full-service restaurants, fast food franchises are frequently less expensive to open and operate.  They are typically not as profitable as full-service restaurants, however fast-food franchises can be a great opportunity.  Most fast-food franchises offer a decent cash flow in exchange for higher profitability.
• Cafés and bakeries:  In urban areas with a lot of foot traffic, cafés and bakeries are popular food businesses.  They are not as expensive to operate as full-service and fast food restaurants and they generally produce a stable cash flow.
• Pizzerias:  Pizzerias typically have a straightforward operation.  Owners are usually able to handle an increase in sales, work or output in a cost-effective manner.  Pizza delivery places are in demand in suburban areas, while take-out pizza is popular in urban neighborhoods.
• Ice cream and frozen yogurt parlors:  Ice cream parlors typically have a loyal following, especially in the summer months.  Frozen yogurt places typically appeal to customers who are more health conscious.
• Juice and smoothie bars:  As people adopt healthy lifestyles, fresh squeezed juice and smoothie bars are becoming popular.  Opening a juice and smoothie bar could be a relatively inexpensive opportunity to capitalize on a growing trend.

All types of food franchises can be great opportunities, however full-service restaurants and fast-food restaurants continue to be the most popular.  Franchise Business Review has assembled a list of their recommendations for the best and most profitable full-service and fast-food business franchises in 2022.

Full-Service Food Business Opportunities 

1. East Coast Wings + Grill

Restaurant Type:  Full-service wing restaurant

Investment:  $434,268 - $982,275

East Coast Wings + Grill presents a personalized, casual family dining experience to wing lovers with their collection of more than 60 chicken wing recipes and their ward-winning, nationally recognized wing sauces.

Profitability of each location is managed through supply chain optimization, financial transparency culture and monthly profit/loss reviews.

East Coast Wings + Grill is one of the most profitable food business franchises in the United States.

2. Another Broken Egg Cafe

Restaurant Type:  Upscale brunch café

Investment:  $811,000 - $1,203,000

Another Broken Egg Café has a unique, chef-inspired menu that provides a creative twist to classic breakfast, brunch, and lunch dishes.

This brand has a priority to maintain a high standard of dining experience and a commitment to open and manage at least three locations, which commands a relatively high initial financial investment.

Another Broken Egg Café is a fast paced growing brand and one of the most profitable food franchises.

3. Taziki's Mediterranean Cafe

Restaurant Type: Mediterranean cuisine café

Investment: $468,000 - $831,000

Taziki’s Mediterranean Café is a casual, family-friendly dining restaurant that offers dishes made with fresh and healthy ingredients.

This brand’s rapid growth and community involvement make it an exciting and profitable food franchise opportunity that is enticing to entrepreneurs who wish to give back to their communities.

Fast-Food Business Opportunities

According to Franchise Business Review, below are the three of the most profitable fast-food restaurant business franchises in 2022.

1. Checkers & Rally's

Restaurant Type:  Drive-in fast-food restaurant

Investment:  $724,523 – $2,009,400

Checkers & Rally's is the largest double drive-in restaurant chain in the United States.

This brand is known for the unique modular design of its buildings, which allows the restaurants to be partially prefabricated off-site and installed in a short period of time.

Checkers & Rally’s is among the most profitable fast-food franchises in the United States, due to its low footprint, high-efficiency and high cash flow business model..

2. Wetzel's Pretzels

Restaurant Type:  Take-away pretzel shop

Investment:  $153,100 - $471,350

Wetzel’s Pretzels business model extends from brick-and-mortar storefronts to food trucks and mall kiosks.  This brand is a great opportunity if you don’t have quite as much capital on your hands.

Wetzel’s Pretzels fast-food franchise is a cost-effective food business.

3. Culver's

Restaurant Type:  Specialty fast-food restaurant

Investment:  $2,398,000 - $5,432,000

Culver’s specialty burgers and signature frozen custard desserts is a fast-food staple in the Midwest.

Culver’s has a unique franchise system, which features a comprehensive list of requirements, guidelines and training, making it one of the most profitable fast-food franchises.

For more information - Culver's

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