Teriyaki Madness got its start in Seattle, where the founders spent years perfecting the city’s signature style of hearty, made-to-order teriyaki before deciding the rest of the country deserved a taste. Since joining as CEO in 2016, Michael Haith has helped grow the brand from a handful of shops into a 220-location franchise system spanning more than 40 states, with independent franchisees now operating the vast majority of locations.
In this Q&A, Haith discusses what sets Teriyaki Madness apart in a crowded quick-service landscape, how the brand maintains consistency as it scales, and why sustainable growth matters more than chasing a headline unit count.
Franchise Chatter: Can you give us a brief overview of Teriyaki Madness’s franchise journey? When did the concept start franchising?
"If I were considering buying a franchise today, checking territory availability would be one of my first steps. Yet most buyers leave it until last." — Ambrosio, Franchise Chatter
🎯Find Best-Fit Franchises Still Available in Your Target Area (Free Tool)
When I owned a UPS Store, I learned firsthand how much your ZIP code shapes your outcome. I sold my store at a premium because my territory was in a high-value area. The best areas go first, and once they're gone, they're gone. Enter your ZIP code, and a territory specialist will walk you through the franchises still available near you, drawing on information that isn't publicly accessible — saving you months of wasted research.Haith: Our teriyaki love affair started in Seattle. Our founders spent years mastering marinating, grilling, chopping, and wok-ing before deciding the rest of the country deserved a taste of hearty, delicious teriyaki too. I joined as CEO in 2016 and got to lead the charge on growing this thing the smart way.
Since then, we’ve gone from a handful of shops to a nationally recognized brand with 220 locations across 40+ states. And through all of it, we’ve never lost sight of what got us here: serving up huge bowls of awesomeness, taking care of our franchisees, and building a business that’s scalable without losing sight of quality or culture.
That growth comes from obsessing over the Teriyaki Madness concept — the one customers crave and franchisees can run with confidence. Nailing that combo is what lets us expand while holding onto the energy, personality, and operational muscle that makes the Madness, well, the Madness.
Franchise Chatter: How many locations do you have now, and what portion is run by franchisees?
Haith: Today, we’re sitting at 220 shops, and the vast majority (217, to be exact) are owned by independent franchisees. We may be the franchisor but this brand is powered by our owners.
"I've seen too many serious franchise buyers fall in love with a brand only to discover their territory is gone by the time they contact the franchisor. This tool was built to prevent exactly that." — Ambrosio, Franchise Chatter
⏳Find Out Which Franchises Are Still Available in Your Area Before It's Too Late
Most franchise buyers spend months researching brands and building excitement — unaware that their preferred territory could be snapped up at any moment. By the time they contact the franchisor, their preferred territory may already be taken. Enter your ZIP code to see which franchises are still available near you — before someone else claims that territory.Franchise Chatter: What qualities does Teriyaki Madness look for in its franchisees?
Haith: We look for people who are coachable, committed, driven, and genuinely excited to follow a proven system. What matters most is a willingness to learn, lead teams, and execute the same way, day in and day out. We also want owners who actually want to be part of their communities, not just set up shop in them.
A culture fit is just as big. Teriyaki Madness is a fun brand with a ton of personality, but behind that fun is a serious commitment to doing things right. We want owners who can live in both worlds: people who enjoy the ride but aren’t afraid to roll up their sleeves and get to work behind the wok.
Franchise Chatter: What sets Teriyaki Madness apart from other franchise concepts, especially other QSR Asian concepts?
Haith: Plenty of brands can brag about great food or strong support. What sets Teriyaki Madness apart is that we’ve got both.
"No time to attend live? Register now and we'll send you the full recording the next day." — Ambrosio, Franchise Chatter
🔴Free Webinar: 6 Under-the-Radar Franchise Concepts That Serious Buyers Should Know
Every month we feature 6 standout franchises that could be the opportunity you've been looking for, each evaluated on disclosed financials and matched to the type of buyer most likely to succeed with it. You'll walk away knowing exactly how to analyze franchise fit. Join us live on October 27 at 6PM ET — or receive the recording the next day. Reserve your spot here.On the customer side, Seattle-style teriyaki is still a relatively untapped category nationally. That gives us a rare shot at introducing guests to something familiar enough to try but different enough to stand out. Our menu is full of fresh ingredients, endless customizations, craveable flavors, generous portions, and plenty of protein — exactly what the people are after when they want quality and value.
On the franchise side, we’re not looking to just be a brand our owners invest in. We want to be a real partner, and we’ve built the team to back that up with roughly one HQ team member for every three shops in the system. Our franchisees get serious, ongoing support across real estate, construction, operations, marketing, technology, training, and business coaching. Not just leading up to opening day, but for the entire ride.
Our shops work well in a small footprint, which keeps labor, complexity, and costs lower compared to a lot of other quick service and fast casual concepts. A big chunk of our sales comes from “outside the four walls” — takeout, third-party delivery, catering, and curbside. And because the concept is straightforward to run, much of our growth comes from existing franchisees opening more shops and those same happy owners sending their friends and family our way to join the Madness. That’s the kind of validation you can’t buy.
Franchise Chatter: How does Teriyaki Madness maintain consistency across all shops while continuing to grow — adding new franchisees and locations to the roster?
Haith: Consistency starts way before a shop ever opens its doors, thanks to the systems and processes we have in place. Every new franchisee runs through our comprehensive training and launch process, so they open already knowing exactly what the Teriyaki Madness standard looks like.
Once a shop is open, we keep that consistency humming with ongoing coaching, regular communication, purposeful technology platforms, supply chain management, and field support. We track how shops are doing through shop visits, customer feedback, and scorecards, so we can spot a coaching opportunity the second it pops up. And we lean hard into our franchise community, getting owners connecting and collaborating so the best practices spread across the whole system.
Maybe most importantly, we’re picky about who joins our franchise family. Growth is exciting, but we care about sustainable growth, so we only bring in owners who are all in on protecting and promoting the brand. By pairing strong franchisee selection with strong operational support, we keep things consistent while we keep on growing.
Franchise Chatter: Teriyaki Madness seems to be having a strong 2026 thus far in terms of sales — what would you attribute that to?
Haith: A lot is working in our favor right now. Customers keep gravitating toward protein-forward meals that are fresh, flavorful, customizable, and convenient, and Teriyaki Madness checks all of those boxes while still delivering serious value. Guests walk away full and happy with high-quality ingredients and plenty of ways to make it their own, whether they’re dining in, ordering online, or feeding a crowd through catering.
We’ve also poured a lot into digital ordering, local shop marketing, catering, loyalty, and giving our franchisees smart technology. When you combine strong operators, support systems that actually work, and food people genuinely crave, good things tend to follow.
Franchise Chatter: What key aspects have driven Teriyaki Madness’s growth over the years?
Haith: The biggest one is that we’ve stayed laser-focused on delivering value to both our customers and our franchisees. For guests, that means fresh, healthy food that stands out from the usual lineup of burgers, sandwiches, and burritos. For franchisees, it means a scalable business model backed by a team that actually knows its stuff and is all in on the franchisee’s success.
We’ve also benefited from growing interest in Asian-inspired food. And with Seattle-style teriyaki, our menu is approachable, customizable, and downright craveable.
But honestly, I credit much of our growth to the culture we’ve built. One where franchisees never feel stranded on an island after signing an agreement. At Teriyaki Madness, long-term growth happens when our owners win and keep opening more shops, so we’ve invested heavily in the people, systems, and resources it takes to have their backs at every step.
Franchise Chatter: How many locations do you anticipate Teriyaki Madness having one year from now? Three years from now? Five years from now?
Haith: We’re feeling really good about where we’re headed. Our development pipeline is strong, interest from prospective franchisees is high, and we keep seeing big opportunities both in markets we already know and markets that haven’t met Teriyaki Madness yet.
A year from now, we expect to have more than 300 shops open, with a good chunk of those coming from existing owners adding to their roster. If we stay on this trajectory, we’re looking at 550+ shops in three years and 700+ in five.
"Multi-unit ownership is where the real wealth in franchising is built. It starts with one key decision: choosing a brand with enough territory runway to grow into." — Ambrosio, Franchise Chatter
📈Dreaming of Multi‑Unit Success? Lock In Prime Territories Before They're Gone.
Colin started as a team member at 21 and now owns 6 locations in Tampa Bay. Lisa came from marketing and built 21 in San Diego. The most successful multi-unit owners move early and secure markets with room to grow. Use our free tool to search multiple ZIP codes and find franchises where you can still stack locations — before someone else does. A franchise specialist will be in touch to present what's available.That said, we’re way less interested in chasing a number for a headline and way more interested in opening great restaurants with great franchisees. We’d rather award ten shops to the right owners than thirty to the wrong ones to ensure our system stays healthy. With every new shop, another community gets to find out what the Madness is all about.
🏆Professional Athletes: Build a Franchise Empire That Outlasts Your Playing Career
The most successful athlete investors don't wait until retirement to build their next chapter. Franchise ownership gives you a proven system to deploy your capital and competitive mindset, creating lasting wealth and a legacy that outlasts any contract. Enter your ZIP code to explore franchise opportunities still available in your market and start building something that works for you long after the final whistle.The Best of Franchise Chatter
🥇The Most Profitable Franchises of 2026
🥈Franchises Ranked by Average Revenues
🥉Franchises Ranked by Average Profits
🏆Franchise Winners, Survivors & Losers
Subscribe Now or Log In
Franchise Chatter is reader-supported. We may receive a commission for leads generated from affiliate links and banners on our site.
Leave a Reply