In 2005, childhood friends Robert Maynard and Brian Burchill were tired of the usual greasy-spoon breakfast restaurants, where most of the food was frozen or processed and the customer service was subpar. So, the duo devised a solution — a gourmet breakfast and brunch brand that would serve “famously fresh” food made daily and ensure all guests felt like “every server is your server.” After opening in Huntersville, North Carolina, and ultimately moving to a larger storefront in nearby Davidson, the Famous Toastery brand was born.
Today, Famous Toastery is a 26-unit better breakfast, brunch and lunch franchise with locations all over the Southeast. Over the past year, Famous Toastery has been emphasizing a new mantra of “be famous,” perfecting a business model that encourages franchisees to quickly become locally famous as pillars of their communities, providing not only uncompromisingly fresh and decadent meals, but a hub for friends, families and neighbors to come together.
As part of this strategy, the Famous Toastery team recently decided to revamp and refresh the flagship location in Davidson. “Coming out of the pandemic, we were really looking for a new identity,” said Burchill, Co-founder and Chief Culture Officer of Famous Toastery. “The Davidson store specifically is nearly 15 years old, and the building itself is over 100 years old, so we thought it’d be a great place to start. It is also one of our busiest locations, so we wanted to really double down on that ‘be famous’ model.”
Burchill says most of the upgrades were cosmetic, including new paint colors, a more modern and “farm-chic” look and a brighter, more vibrant layout to promote daytime traffic. “We wanted to update the colors, look and feel of the restaurant, but also wanted to stay true to the atmosphere that has allowed us to become so important to the community over the years,” said Lorna Martinez, Famous Toastery’s Director of Marketing. “For example, we added new colors, but also exposed a beautiful brick wall that showcases the history of the building and the community at large.”
The New, Revamped Menu Focuses On The Local Customer
Similarly, Martinez says the Famous Toastery team wanted to revamp the menu, while also sticking to the classics that customers already love. “Customers can expect the same level of quality, ‘famously fresh’ food, but with new and exciting additions to the menu,” she said. For example, Martinez says the Davidson menu will now include a Protein Power Bowl for those looking for a healthier option, and will also bring back an old staple in the Shrimp and Grits. The location is also partnering with local vendor Abby’s Better Nut Butter for a new nut butter toast option.
“We want to show the community that we are listening to their needs, and we love hearing their feedback,” said Martinez. “These new menu items are a product of the feedback that we’ve heard and options that may have been missing before. We really want to tailor our menu to our guests.” All of these new upgrades, Martinez says, are about spearheading the message of “be famous” across every aspect of the Famous Toastery experience. “It is not just about making the brand famous, it is about making everyone in the restaurant feel famous as well, including the staff, the customers and the franchisees,” she said. “We want to pay homage to the Davidson community and show people that we are always there for them.”
Overall, Burchill says the new-and-improved Davidson location — which reopened to the public in July — is a huge milestone for the Famous Toastery brand and will set the standard for all new locations moving forward. “As the flagship location, this is a really meaningful moment for the refresh of the brand,” said Burchill. “It has been an incredible journey in Davidson over the past 15 years, but we knew it was time to bring a new vibe and build off of the amazing foundation we have in the community. We’ve learned a lot over the past two years of the pandemic, and we are ready to usher in a new era of Famous Toastery with that ‘be famous’ model behind it.”
Ready To Own Your Own Famous Toastery Franchise?
The cost to open a Famous Toastery franchise ranges from $575,500 to $999,500, including a franchise fee starting at $45,000. To learn about franchising opportunities, please visit www.bestbreakfastfranchise.com.
