Explosive growth marks birth of Dagwood`s Sandwich Shoppes, 367 restaurants under contract in less than 90 days
Released on = August 15, 2006, 8:36 am
Press Release Author = Kara Hamilton
Industry = Food & Beverage
Press Release Summary = Intranet to pipe "Blondie" comics and news into stores every day to create' a unique 'come-back' experience.
Press Release Body = Explosive growth marks the birth of Dagwood's Sandwich Shoppes, a restaurant franchise company launched in May. In only two months, 356 restaurants have been contracted for development in the Southeast - and Dagwood's CEO anticipates announcing scores more in the coming months around the country.
Investors, called market partners, have purchased the rights to sell franchises to individual store operators and agreed contractually to open stores in the following eight territories: Tampa, South Tampa, Jacksonville, Orlando and West Palm Beach in Florida; Mobile, Ala., and the Florida Panhandle; northern Louisiana and Knoxville, Tennessee.
"We expect these to open quickly," said Lamar Berry, Dagwood's CEO. "Our market partners agree contractually to open restaurants within specific time frames and we provide almost turn-key assistance from site selection to store installation to support individual store owners."
Dagwood's is a joint venture of Dean Young, the creator of the popular "Blondie" comic strip since 1973 and son of the strip's originator, and Berry, a veteran franchising expert. "Blondie" appears in more than 2,300 newspapers around the world, and Dagwood's signature skyscraper sandwich is so well-known that a "Dagwood," defined as "a multi-layered sandwich," is even included in Webster's Dictionary.
Creating a come-back experience for guests is a key secret to profitability in the restaurant field, and Dagwood's intends to ensure that every Market Partner, store owner and employee is steeped in its guest-focused corporate culture - first, through Dagwood University's Market Partner College and later with daily programs piped into every restaurant over the company intranet.
Dagwood's also will lead the quick serve category by structuring daily training programs at the store level - a first in restaurant franchising, continued Oberle, a restaurant-industry consultant and head of Walt Disney Company's executive training and business seminars for 27 years.
"Using the company Intranet, we'll pipe five- to seven-minute programs into each store filled with Dagwood news, training tips and, of course, new "Blondie" comics to air on the stores' giant plasma screens," she said.
"The show" is the way that Oberle describes the warm atmosphere and hospitality she intends to instill in all DSS franchise operations around the country, and employees are the "performers."
"It is everything you experience when you walk into a Dagwood's - the sights, the smells, the sounds, the entire experience," said Oberle. "Although there obviously will be cultural differences in many locations that will come into play, there absolutely will be consistency when it comes to the show, the image, the ambiance and the food."
Dagwood University begins its first Market Partner College "must-attend" training program for territory owners and their operations directors Sept. 18 in New Orleans. It will be offered every month as new Market Partners come aboard.
During the first week, they will learn about the culture of Dagwood's food and menu as well as marketing and sales processes. The participants will return to their businesses for a week, then convene in Clearwater, Fla., for a second week of training. That session will focus on the financial side of the business as well as the human resources programs that will be used to recruit and train future employees and create a quality guest experience.
"You don't get to great guest services if you don't treat your performers well," Oberle said. "You can have a beautiful restaurant and delicious food, but performers will create the critical 'come-back' experience."
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