Abe's Restaurant

Abe's is a restaurant concept started by a couple of guys who have worked in the restaurant industry for over 20 years. Currently, Abe's is unique to Alberta with its first operating restaurant in Airdrie. Read more about Abe's on our home page.

"Abe's ushers in a new wave of fast-casual food" - John Gilchrist, Calgary food critic

Abe's restaurant is establishing itself as a premier destination for a fast casual dining experience. With our award winning food and cutting edge online ordering system, Abe's is pioneering a new dining experience based on a foundation of local, fresh quick-service food served in a cool modern environment. 

Fast. Fresh. Food.

Abe's award winning food is prepared daily in house from well guarded recipes and serves fresh modern North American comfort food. Abe's menu is ever-evolving and is based on a foundation of freshness and speed of execution. Coupled with an exclusive organic coffee offering, an extensive fresh-bar service and a selection of real fruit smoothies, Abe's food is always fresh.

Financial Investment

The financial investment required to open and operate an Abe's Restaurant includes the cost to build out the entire restaurant as well as a one-time franchise fee. Interested parties wishing to apply for a franchise must have a minimum of 75% of the overall cost in unencumbered cash or liquid assets. The remaining 25% of the investment can be financed through a small business loan or chartered bank. Additional details can be found on our frequently asked questions page.

Partner Commitment

Opening and operating a fully functional restaurant is hard work. Abe's values itself based on many factors including its unique atmosphere and award winning menu items. In order to qualify as an Abe's franchise partner, you will be required to operate the restaurant as a full-time owner/operator which requires a minimum of 40hrs/week. Abe's is a kitchen driven restaurant and as such, interested franchise partners must have the ability to execute the menu and speed of execution without compromising the integrity of the food and restaurant experience.

Costs

How much will it cost to open an Abe's Restaurant?

An initial franchise fee of $25,000 is required for each location. Construction cost to build out the restaurant space is $350,000. This does not include operation costs, inventory and payroll. A minimum additional amount of $50,000 is required to support and float the operation costs, inventory and payroll. Minimum cost to open an Abe's Restaurant is $425,000.

What is included in the cost?

• Access to the Abe's brand
• Abe's will provide assistance in selecting the best location for your franchise
• Furniture, kitchen equipment, POS and Abe's signage
• 30 day training program
• Access to Abe's well guarded recipes
• Ongoing support from Abe's Restaurant Group Inc.

Does Abe's offer financing?

Abe's does not offer financing. Upon completing the Abe's franchise application form, we will notify you if you qualify for a franchise. It is the responsibility of the franchise partner to secure the funds required to construct and operate the restaurant and it is the franchise partner's responsibility to secure small business loans or financing through an approved chartered bank.

How much net worth is required to start and open an Abe's Restaurant?

Abe's requires a minimum net worth of $350,000 and an unencumbered capital of a minimum of $75,000.

What are the franchise partner's royalty fees?

Abe's incorporates a monthly royalty fee of 8% of gross sales. This monthly fee pays for restaurant support, research and development of Abe's menu items and development of the Abe's franchise.

Menu Items

Can I create/add my own menu items?

Abe's strives to keep its recipes and food demands up to date. As a kitchen and food driven business, Abe's has perfected the menu after extensive research and as such has found the most optimal menu items to keep the menu fresh and ensure speed of menu execution. We do encourage creativity! If you have a menu item that you would like to incorporate, you must communicate this with Abe's. This menu items must be approved before it can be added to the menu as a feature or special. A franchise partner is not permitted to change the current menu item names and recipes.

Where/how do I order products for the restaurant?

Abe's will provide you with all the necessary contact information from our selected food vendors and local suppliers.

Is it possible to manage my own pricing?

No. Abe's pricing model is designed on the pricing strategy based on a variety of factors including market research and economic conditions.

Location

Will Abe's help me find the right location?

Abe's will have an initial meeting with you to discuss the location of your restaurant. Abe's has contacts with real estate companies that can hep narrow down the most suitable location. Once a suitable location is found, it will be necessary to review the lease and franchise agreements before proceeding with construction.

What does Abe's define as a suitable location?

Like any restaurant, location is key to success. There are many factors involved in finding the most suitable location. A few are listed below:

• Rental rates
• Space requirements
• Visibility
• Foot and vehicle traffic
• Parking
• Competition

Building an Abe's Restaurant

Am I responsible for designing the restaurant?

No. Abe's is unique in its design concept. We work with reputable architects and interior designers to give the restaurant the best feel for a dining experience.

Do I manage the construction of the restaurant?

Abe's will be a part of the initial meeting to ensure all parties agree and are aware of the construction requirements. Once everything is in place to start construction, it will be the franchise partner's responsibility to ensure deadlines are meat as per the lease agreement.

How long will it take to to build the restaurant?

Typically, the construction of the restaurant will take 8 - 10 weeks. This does not include architect drawings, design, building permits and the approval processes associated with the building process. Although construction times can vary, we recommend a 6 month building period timeline.

Training

What kind of training is involved in opening an Abe's Restaurant?

Abe's will provide training at our flagship restaurant in Airdrie while construction of your restaurant is under way. Typically, this training period will last 2-3 weeks. Once your restaurant is open, there will be an additional 2 week transition process to ensure everything is ready to go. After this time, it is the responsibility of the franchise partner to operate the restaurant.

General Requirements

What are the requirements for a franchise partner?

There are numerous requirements for an Abe's franchise partner:

• You must be a hard working individual - running a restaurant is a time consuming business and can be very rewarding. This will require a minimum of 40 hours/week.
• You must understand the restaurant industry - Food cost and labour cost can make or break your restaurant. A clear understanding of these factors are key to success.
• Positive attitude - Abe's restaurants operate with a fully open kitchen. Our customers can and want to see you working and making their food. This is what makes Abe's unique as a fast casual restaurant. Be aware that you are always on display.
• There are many other factors to becoming a franchise partner. If you need additional information after reading through the FAQ, please contact us or fill out the Abe's Restaurant Franchise Application

Application

How do I apply for an Abe's Franchise?

You can apply for a franchise after reading through the FAQ using the online application form here.

How long will the application process take?

The application process itself will take approx. 20 mins. Once submitted, Abe's will review your application and respond within 5 business days. Please fill out the form below to get the franchise process started.

Abe's Franchise Application Form

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