The Meal Assembly Kitchen franchise concept continues to be as fresh and palatable as last month’s salmon.
Meal Assembly Watch has assumed the role of Meal Prep hospice and caregiver TuckerBox is keeping family friends, and acquaintances updated on the slow, painful death of the once-hyped franchise boondoggle.
In the 9/11 post  Store Closings and Meal Prep Failures Tuckerbox writes:
… the Back to School rush didn’t go so well since another 32 companies and a total of 115 stores have shut their doors. It seems the summer was not kind.
Previously, Dream Dinners and Super Suppers were neck and neck as they raced …read more

Unhappy Franchisee reader and ex-Dream Dinners customer Jennifer recounts the reason she no longer goes to Dream Dinners, but goes to a non-franchised meal prep kitchen instead. In complaining about the shrinking portion size, she sparks the idea that could save the meal assembly concept: Perhaps meal assembly places like Dream Dinners should become weight loss concepts! After all, no one has stepped up to replace Pure Weight Loss, or to pick up the customers the ailing L.A. Weight Loss is alienating.
I used to go to Dream Dinners in 2005. Back then you did save money. The …read more

(FranchisePick.Com) If a franchisee fails in the second year of their 10 year franchise agreement, odds are the franchisor can hold them responsible for the estimated future royalties on the remaining 8 years of the contract.
While rarely collected, the threat of “future royalties” can be a big stick used to demand a reduced farewell “failure fee,” a release from liability agreement and/or a confidentiality agreement (gag order) to make sure failed franchisees go away quietly.
Troubled franchise companies will sometimes offer some or all of their unhappy or struggling franchisees this type of deal… and the chance to buy …read more

(FranchisePick.Com)  “Quick growth does not equal profitability… This is a fad industry that grew way too fast.” Richard Rosen
FranchisePick.com has been focusing on the rise and fall of the meal prep franchise as it serves as a contemporary case study and cautionary tale of the “hot new franchise” phenomenon, and an example of the devastation that can occur when individuals allow themselves to be swept up in the hype of an unproven new idea.
In the recent article Taking On Restaurants And Grocers, Forbes reporter Melanie Lindner recounts the rapid rise of the meal prep industry, and some of the …read more

(FranchisePick.Com)  Also read:  Why is the Meal Prep / Meal Assembly Kitchen Franchise Failing? Part 1
Why is the Meal Prep / Meal Assembly Kitchen Franchise Failing?   Two words:
GREEDY FRANCHISEES.

That’s right.  Moneygrubbing,  materialistic franchise owners who don’t care what they’ve got to cook or who they’ve got to feed to get their oven mitts on more of their filthy lucre. 
These avaricious entrepreneurs tricked noble companies like Dream Dinners into letting them invest $250,000 to $370,000 under the false pretense of wanting to serve their communities.  In actuality, their insidious secret plot all along was to build profitable businesses!   In …read more

(FranchisePick.Com) It shouldn’t come as a big surprise that the Hot New Franchise concept called meal assembly kitchens or meal prep kitchens (or DIY dinners or Build-A-Meal Workshop) concept was served up to hungry franchisees like undercooked pork – and seems to be having the same effect. What is a big surprise is how such a far-flung concept even achieved Hot New Franchise status in the first place. There were many warning signs that would-be franchise owners can learn from and avoid the same trap – and failing meal prep franchisees can use if they need …read more

(FranchisePick.Com)  According to Courthouse News Service, Dream Dinners Inc. is being sued for $30M by fifteen franchisees. 
The “Meal assembly” (or “home meal prep,” as it’s called ) franchise owners claim Dream Dinners Inc. defrauded them by selling “home meal preparation” franchises that it falsely claimed would earn them $30,000 a month.
Among the misrepresentations, plaintiffs claim, was defendant Stephanie Allen’s showing them these misleading numbers, and saying, “in substance, ‘I know the lawyers say I’m not supposed to show this to you, but if you write fast, you can get it all down.’” 
Here’s the Dream Dinners franchise …read more

(FranchisePick.Com)  See related story:  Is Super Suppers for Stupid Suckers? And Other Meal Prep Franchise ???s
A common new business pitfall is the entrepreneurial tendency to become enamored so with a “solution” that one forgets to make sure it’s preceded by an actual need… and a need great enough to support multiple competitors who are also enamored with said solution.
Case in point:  “Meal prep” or “meal assembly” kitchen franchises.  This is where, to my hazy understanding,  ex-yuppie soccer moms with more money than time can go and slurp Merlot with other ex-yuppie soccer moms while assembling meals to bring home, freeze, and serve later to their families as …read more

(FranchisePick.Com)  Read related story:  NYT on the Meal Prep Franchise: Hot Concept Gone Cold?.  Get franchise information and review franchise opportunities at FranBest.com.
Do franchisees of Super Suppers feel like Stupid Suckers?  Has Dream Dinners become the Nightmare on Elm Street?  Will My Girlfriend soon be getting back her Kitchen?  Has time run out for Supper Thyme USA?  Will Pass Your Plate soon be passing THE plate?
Can the “Meal Prep,” or “Meal Assembly Kitchen,” or “Make It & Take It” franchise concept fail before we’ve decided what to call it?  Meal Prep franchise companies such as Entrée Vous!, Entrees Made Easy, Mr. Food, …read more

(FranchisePick.com)  Here is the press release announcing the appointment of Darin Leonard as meal prep franchise Dream Dinners CEO. 
The Meal Prep (Or Meal Assembly Kitchen) segment of franchising has come under increasing scrutiny, with commenters on FranchisePick.com alleging that stores are closing in large numbers, but the troubles are being kept quiet by the franchisors and groups such as the Easy Meal Prep Association. 
It’s curious that the press release writer seems to hint at industry troubles, and noticeably avoids mentioning the number of open Dream Dinners locations (which the Easy Meal Prep prep group lists at 233, …read more