Though Rising Roll Gourmet has risen quickly in customer popularity, the Atlanta-based sandwich company has applied the brakes strategically when it comes to franchising.
"When we launched the franchise opportunity in 2004, we made it very clear it was not a numbers game," said Mike Lassiter, Rising Roll president. "We weren't selling franchises; we were awarding them."
That principle — basing success not on numbers, but franchisee profitability — is evident in the qualification process that every prospect must undergo.
"We have a four-phase qualification process that requires the franchise prospect to really work to become a franchisee," he said. "We take the time to really qualify each person that we will allow in the system."
The strategy of careful growth seems to be paying off. Twelve stores are in operation, four are or soon will be under construction and another 36 have been sold. The concept also has branched outside of its home base in Atlanta, reaching markets such as Houston;
Charlotte, N.C.; Memphis, Tenn.; Tucson, Ariz.; and Charleston, S.C.
John Nowaczewski, owner of Rising Roll in Charlotte, said his location has thrived despite being a relative unknown when it opened in April 2006. He chalks up part of the success to a warm media reception — the restaurant received two writeups in the local newspaper, one of which featured the top 10 places to lunch in the city.
"We were No. 6," he said.
When considering a franchise, Nowaczewski, who had no restaurant experience, looked at eight concepts ranging from dry cleaning to Rising Roll.
"I was a banker for 30 years, so I was about as far removed from restaurants as you can get," he said.
But after attending a discovery day in Atlanta, the decision was clear.
"We actually got involved in the tasting of it and saw the fresh product in, fresh product out was really making the difference," he said. "That kind of clinched it for us."
On a roll
Rising Roll began as Uptown Gourmet Sandwich Co. in 1996 in Atlanta, when a father-and-son team, Jeff and Bob Weiss, opened the first facility in a 1,400-square-foot space in a shopping center.
Mike Lassiter, president of Rising Roll Gourmet, said the restaurant took off quickly after receiving local media exposure and brand validation, moving to a much larger store, and then opening a second location.
That's when Lassiter's company, Franchising Concepts, approached Rising Roll about franchising.
"We were big fans of Rising Roll," he said. "We were customers. And we had heard they were talking about franchising."
Despite a crowded sandwich segment, Rising Roll has thrived because of product quality, Lassiter said.
Every day, chicken salad, pasta salad, potato salad (which the Atlanta Journal-Constitution ranked as the city's best in 2006), tuna salad, egg salad and cole slaw are made fresh and served on French boules, or large rolls.
"So when you walk into Rising Roll, you see this awesome, 12-foot deli case with these made-from-scratch salads, no preservatives," Lassiter said.
Another difference comes in the form of gourmet recipes. Most customers wouldn't create such a sandwich at home on their lunch break, Lassiter said. Many of the recipes integrate cheeses, dressings and sauces that aren't found in a run-of-the-mill deli.
"Our turkey sandwich is not just turkey, lettuce, tomato, mayonnaise on bread," he said. "We've got a lot of variety of gourmet turkey sandwiches where we include blue cheese and unique sauces."
The sheer size of the menu sets Rising Roll apart from competitors, Lassiter said, as it currently boasts 73 choices broken down in four categories: salad sandwiches, gourmet sandwiches, hot sandwiches and grilled panini.
"We've got something there for almost everyone," he said. "We've got a little bit of seafood with the crab, we've got a muffaletta sandwich for people from the South or Southwest, and we've got some vegetarian items."
Nowaczewski agrees.
"Recipes are varied and they do grab your attention," he said. "There's something on that menu for everyone. It's a taste treat, believe me."
Seeking to serve
As Rising Roll continues to grow, Lassiter said it hopes to maintain a philosophy of service. The company has been Zagat rated for 10 consecutive years, most recently scoring 20 out of 30 in service — a feat Lassiter said is rare among fast casuals.
"We want to be best in class as far as the quality of product we serve with unmatched customer service," he said.
The high-quality service comes from active franchisees who are prominent in the dining room, helping customers navigate the menu or clearing their trays.
"Most of the time, we clear the customer's tray before they leave," Lassiter said. "Even though we're a fast-casual concept, we really want to add that extra service component."
Although it isn't possible to clear every tray in a restaurant with an average seating capacity of 65, Lassiter said the company strives for that goal for two reasons: introducing the franchisee to the customer and potentially creating a relationship, and "it's a nice thing to do."
Nowaczewski said the personal attention at Rising Roll helps establish the brand and sets it up for continued growth across the South.
"We have a regular crowd of folks that come in now," he said. "We're on a first-name
basis with maybe 30 percent of them. As people get to know us, it just takes off by
leaps and bounds."
