Established in 1919 in Lodi, California, A&W Restaurants has become a cornerstone of American fast food, renowned for its draft root beer and classic fare. The brand's inception dates back to when Roy W. Allen opened a roadside root beer stand during a homecoming celebration for World War I veterans.
In 1922, Allen partnered with Frank Wright, leading to the creation of the A&W name, derived from the initials of their last names. A&W began franchising in 1925, pioneering the concept of restaurant franchising in the United States.
The menu features a variety of American classics, including burgers, hot dogs, and their signature root beer floats. The brand distinguishes itself by serving its famous root beer in frosty mugs, offering a nostalgic experience that harkens back to its origins.
Here's what you would need to invest if you were to start this franchise. These costs are provided by the franchisor in the Franchise Disclosure Document.
A&W Restaurants offers 3 types of franchises:
We are summarizing below the main costs associated with opening a A&W Restaurants Freestanding franchise.
For more information on the various types of franchises and its costs, refer to the Franchise Disclosure Document (Item 7).
The franchisor provides comprehensive training programs designed to ensure that franchisees and their staff operate the restaurant in alignment with the company’s standards and methods. Here are the key elements of the training:
The franchisor does not guarantee absolute territory protection for its franchisees. While a franchisee may be assigned a specific trade area, the franchise agreement generally allows the franchisor to establish other locations or sell franchises within or near the assigned area.
This means that the franchisee may face competition from other franchised or company-owned outlets, even within their immediate geographical vicinity.
Furthermore, the franchise agreement typically includes clauses that permit the franchisor to reserve rights to market or distribute products or services through alternative channels, such as online platforms, within the franchisee’s trade area.
KEY FRANCHISE STATS
All you need to know about this franchise
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Below are some of
A&W Restaurants
key competitors in the
Burger
sector.
213
$30,000
$299,000
$1,640,000
n.a.
$1,037,000
$xxx,xxx
70.0%
n.a.
13.6%
n.a.
Wayback Burgers
$200K - $500K
131
$35,000
$209,000
$703,000
n.a.
$0
$xxx,xxx
n.a.
n.a.
n.a.
n.a.
BURGERFI
Over $500K
93
$45,000
$610,000
$1,043,000
n.a.
$1,319,000
$xxx,xxx
67.9%
n.a.
n.a.
n.a.
Wahlburgers
Over $500K
106
$40,000
$1,140,000
$2,755,000
n.a.
$0
$xxx,xxx
n.a.
n.a.
n.a.
n.a.
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JL Beers
Over $500K
3
$50,000
$1,223,000
$3,308,000
n.a.
$1,440,000
$xxx,xxx
n.a.
n.a.
n.a.
n.a.
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