In this Franchise Chatter Q&A, we get to learn about Grumpy’s Restaurant from its CEO Daniel DeLeon.
Franchise Chatter (FC): For those who may not be familiar, what is Grumpy’s Restaurant?
Daniel DeLeon (DD): Grumpy’s Restaurant is a full-service, traditional Americana-style diner that has been serving award-winning breakfast, lunch and brunch options since 1999. We pride ourselves on excellent home-style cooking, attention to detail, sweet southern hospitality and serving a hungry person’s portion at a working-class price.
Grumpy’s offers fresh, made-to-order and always-made-from-scratch menu items everyday while closing at 2:00 p.m., providing the ultimate family, work and life balance for our employees.
FC: Tell us about your background. What attracted you to Grumpy’s?
DD: I have owned and operated multiple franchise concepts in the restaurant industry and have grown six local and diverse businesses from the ground up. After a successful career as a multi-unit franchisee for various restaurant concepts and large franchisor representative, I felt that I had the skills necessary to develop and launch Grumpy’s as a franchise opportunity. I took the lessons I learned from the very beginning of my career and used them to amplify my strategies in creating a better franchise brand.
FC: Earlier this year, you were voted one of the most influential CEOs in the country by Nation’s Restaurant News. What do you contribute your success to?
DD: I wouldn’t be nearly as successful if it wasn’t for my team at Grumpy’s, our great franchise partners and all of our loyal customers! I am really proud of how far Grumpy’s has come and I am thankful for the opportunity to help it grow. Grumpy’s Restaurant was born out of passion and love for bringing family and friends together over great diner food, and we have always taken that very serious.
FC: What awards has Grumpy’s recently won?
DD: Grumpy’s has recently won multiple Bold City Best 2021 awards for Best “Restaurant Overall,” “Breakfast,” “Brunch,” “Family Restaurant,” “Pancakes,” “Bang for the Buck Restaurant,” and Jacksonville Business Journal’s “Best Place to Work” award. In addition, Grumpy’s has also been awarded FSR Magazine’s Next-Gen Restaurant Brand 2021, TripAdvisor’s Travelers’ Choice Award, and Jacksonville Business Journal’s Fast 50 Company 2021.
FC: What sets Grumpy’s apart from its competition?
DD: Our passion and love for bringing family and friends together over great diner food. Our award-winning kitchen is sure to have something everyone will enjoy – from our traditional dishes to our daring and universally appealing new ventures of diner foods, such as our strawberry cheesecake waffle, a waffle that’s topped with a whole slice of cheesecake. We always make sure No One Leaves Grumpy!
FC: What makes Grumpy’s a strong business opportunity for franchise owners?
DD: Being a Grumpy’s franchisee comes with a lot of responsibilities, but with hard work and a commitment to excellence the rewards are unlimited! At Grumpy’s, we want to see all of our franchisees succeed, so we are committed to guiding and helping them develop the best possible Grumpy’s in their neighborhood. We provide complete and continuous training and support to ensure all of our franchises are successful and meet high expectations.
FC: What qualities do you look for in potential franchisees?
DD: We look for franchise partners who can carry out Grumpy’s’ mission to support others and create a welcoming, family-focused community staple restaurant. We seek out hardworking, responsible business owners to join our family. Our franchisees must have a passion for customer service, a commitment to excellence and experience working in the restaurant business is great, but not necessary.
FC: Where is Grumpy’s looking to expand in the near future?
DD: We are currently working on expanding Grumpy’s south of Jacksonville, Fla. and throughout our home state of Florida. We are also looking to expand across the Southeast including Georgia, South Carolina and Alabama.
FC: What is the typical investment to open a Grumpy’s?
DD: Including a franchise fee of $40,000, the initial investment necessary to open a single location ranges between $414,200 and $998,000.
FC: How can our readers learn more about franchising opportunities with Grumpy’s?
DD: To learn more about ownership opportunities with Grumpy’s, please visit https://grumpysfranchise.com/
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