Two food franchises fighting back against the coronavirus crisis are taking steps to set up frameworks for a successful future.

The Sporting Globe Bar & Grill is poised to launch its very own delivery service on 20 April.

The move to bring delivery in-house will give the chain of seven franchised restaurant pubs more control over the food-to-table process. Customers will be able to order through the brand’s existing app.

Director James Sinclair was swift to switch up the hospitality business when pub venues were forced to close in March. The business has focused on its existing client base with a takeaway strategy to ensure business continuity.

“Takeaway is not a core product in sports bars but can be an ancillary offer if we do it at a high quality and offer a point of difference in the market,” Sinclair told Inside Franchise Business.

“We have a very optimistic, culture, we’re very determined, we never give in. We were ready to roll the sleeves up and give it a go.”

The business also operates TGI Fridays and in some locations has merged The Sporting Globe and TGI Fridays kitchens to reduce costs and improve efficiencies.

Food franchises fighting back

Christian Avant at the burger chain Milky Lane has also seen opportunity in the current coronavirus crisis. He is looking closely at costs as part of a general realignment of the business. “Every single cent and per cent matters right now so we are tightening things up, looking at our costings and seeing where we can improve gross profit on the products we sell. 

“We have an unknown period of time where our stores are operating on delivery and takeaway only, the Govt have subsidised our head office staff and we have a huge opportunity to work on our business model without the usual overheads.”

The team is using the time to work on what is being called MILKY LANE 2.0 .

“We are well aware of our flaws and the things we need to improve on. This isn’t “time off” or a break for us, it’s the opportunity we needed to become the company we always wanted to be.

“We are already speaking with leasing agents for new locations with intent to open a lot of new stores when this all dies down and things return to normal.”