The Quiznos Franchise: Too Good to be True?
December 14, 2006 by Sean Kelly
Filed under Business
The Quiznos Franchise seems to good to be true? Is it?
Take a look at the stories behind these links, and tell me what you think!
Start with the satirical Franworst.Com article that awarded Quiznos its first Franchising Hall of Shame award!
Then take a look at some of these stories.
But be prepared. There’re some very, very sad stories behind these links:
TSFA post on the passing of Quiznos franchisee Bob Baber
Alleged suicide note/letter by Quiznos franchisee Bob Baber
Tampa Tribune story on Quiznos
Discussion of Quiznos on Blue Mau Mau
Janet Sparks’ commentary on Quiznos franchise terminations
Quiznos memo regarding suicide of their franchisee (Blue Mau Mau)
Quiznos Termination notices for TSFA Board Members (Blue Mau Mau)
Toasted Subs Franchisee Association
Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family of Quiznos franchisee Bob Baber. To donate to the Bob Baber Memorial Fund, please visit the TSFA website.
Quiznos is as bad as advertised. The Q socks it to franchisees; from the $25,000 franchise fee, to the 35% food cost, to the mandatory and artifically low pricing, to an ad fund run with no franchisee input.
Quiznos learned early on the real money was in the franchisee and every effort is made to suck as much as legally possible. That goes for food, paper, supplies, and discount equipment sold at premium prices. Recent equipment sales by bankrupt franchisees who paid $70,000 netted less than $15,000 one year later.
Forced delivery is another example; it costs franchisees thousands to buy in, buy insurance, and pay drivers with no ability to ever make that money back.
And then the Q sticks it to franchisees who try to make changes to survive. The ham-handed tactics include threats of default to those in California and other high cost regions who try to price their sandwiches at a profitable price and suing individual franchisees who complain and try to get the truth about these modern day outlaws out.
The meatball sub costs franchisees nearly 40% food cost at $2.99. And if you think the meatball is ground beef, think again. It’s low grade pork and chicken paste. Who took the premium out of premium sub shop? The Q Scum.
For those of you considering a Q, you’re better off putting the $250,000 build-out cost in a bank cd and finding a $10 job at Walmart. You’ll sleep better and will never have to file a Chapter 7.
Greg is all to kind in his assessment of Quiznos. That “giant sucking sound” Ross Perot referred to was not NAFTA, it was what a franchisee comes to know, all to well, the day he lays his money down with Quiznos. Run from anybody trying to sell you one of these bottomless money pits.