3 Reasons You Should Invest in a Tony Roma’s Ribs Franchise in 2017

Our iconic baby back ribs and steakhouse concept seeks experienced operators as we ramp up national expansion

The New Year is often a time to set new business strategies in motion. For experienced investors seeking their next venture to round out their portfolios, there’s never been a more optimum time to open a Tony Roma’s. Our international brand recognition and world class leadership set us ahead of the pack in the upscale casual dining arena and we are poised for growth.

“Tony Roma’s has been serving the best ribs in the world for 45 years, and we look forward to creating memories for future generations for the next 45 years,” says Stephen K. Judge, President and CEO. “There is tremendous pent-up demand for our brand and our Tony Roma’s 2.0 restaurant remodel in Orlando at our popular International Drive location signals a revived surge of domestic growth for our iconic brand.”

Tony Roma’s is THE place for RIBS. Our fans have been rolling up their sleeves and enjoying our mouthwatering, craveable ribs for nearly 45 years. Today our iconic brand is stronger than ever, with a new restaurant design and a popular new innovative menu. We’ve stayed loyal to the core DNA that has made us famous worldwide, and we’re attracting the next generation of loyal Tony Roma’s customers as we work toward the goal of 250 new locations over the next decade. We offer a lower initial investment than many upscale casual dining, full-service restaurants.

If you are an experienced operator looking for a strong investment, here are a few reasons it’s a great time to join Tony Roma’s.

Our global brand affinity is unmatched

Ask for a Tony Roma’s story at any social gathering, and you’ll be met with an onslaught of positive memories of celebratory moments shared with family and friends. Tony Roma’s evokes an emotional connection like no other restaurant brand. Guests drive out of their way to visit our restaurants, seek out the nearest Tony Roma’s when on business trips or vacations and many visit several nights in a row — enjoying the nostalgia along with our world-famous ribs.

There are few brands on the market with such strong loyalty and appeal to a broad spectrum of customers. Whether it’s for a dinner with the boss or a family birthday celebration, we encourage our guests to roll up their sleeves, put on a bib and get messy while they enjoy our mouthwatering ribs.

“Our legacy brand conjures up images of positive memories from childhood,” says Stephen. “Do not underestimate the brand affinity of Tony Roma’s.”

New ribs franchise design is faster to build out and less costly

When Tony Roma opened the first Tony Roma’s in North Miami in 1972, the original concept featured an interior with dark wood tables and booths, dim lighting and a steakhouse ambience. Today our new restaurant design, featured at our flagship International Drive location in Orlando, has a modern, open flow. Select new locations also feature an expanded outdoor patio dining area with ample seating for social gatherings, as well as plenty of TV screens for watching sports and outdoor fireplaces for added coziness.

Not only is the new open floor plan more aesthetically pleasing, modern and elegant, but it is also a better buy for investors. The newer layout features a smaller kitchen, dining area and bar, which translates into a lower initial investment. Newer restaurant designs also feature a private dining room to accommodate business functions and social gatherings for an added revenue stream. The bar layout is a draw for business travelers and groups stopping in for happy hour.

We have also changed our preferred building model from freestanding to an in-line, end cap or mall location. These restaurants are more flexible to locate and allow franchisees to get closer to their core customer base. Because these models typically involve a lease, the launch process is simplified — minus building permits, contractors and other building processes. This new model is significantly less expensive and is also faster to build; your Tony Roma’s location can be open in almost half the time of a freestanding build.

Our wave of domestic expansion is just getting started

After years of building our footprint internationally, our new company leadership is poised to strategically grow Tony Roma’s in the United States and Canada. With more than 150 locations in more than 30 countries, Tony Roma’s offers significant room for growth in major metropolitan areas, shopping malls and secondary markets.

The U.S. and Canadian markets are wide open, and we are targeting 250 new locations over the next decade. “The opportunity is phenomenal with plenty of untapped territories. We have a lot of opportunity in terms of geographical span in both Canada and the United States,” says Jonathan Benjamin, Vice President of Development for U.S. and Canada.

Learn more about Tony Roma’s Ribs Franchise Opportunities

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