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Marco Pierre White’s top 5 ways to supercharge your franchise

Sarah Stowe

High profile British chef Marco Pierre White shares his tips for serving up a brilliant hospitality business.

In November White announced plans to bring his restaurant chains to the Australian market.

Inside Franchise Business spoke to him about the restaurant scene, and what it takes to be a top performing hospitality brand.

White was full of praise for the casual but top quality dining experiences in Australia.

“Aussies love their food. I’ve watched the standard rise over the last 10 to 15 years, every year restaurants raise the bar, getting better and better,” he said

“What Australian are really clever about, they do middle market really well. The concept of food is very technical and serious, very understated, very casual. It’s really good food without the pretence.”

So what are the crucial ingredients to serving up a highly reputable and successful food retail business?

1. Understand your market

“Firstly it’s the right brand in the right environment. I tend to work with hotels, you have to think of the demographic within that hotel. If you’re bang smack in CBD Sydney, you would do a steakhouse there, there are a lot of corporates. You have to tailor for that market.”

2. Ensure a good infrastructure

“What’s really important is having good infrastructure,” he said. His business employs 50 non-restaurant based staff. “If you’re going into expansion you can make front line advances, but you need the supply line. You have to have partners to work with it.”

3. Invest in the business and staff

White spends 90 days a year working in the UK franchise. “Your investment of time in your establishment and staff is really important. Otherwise all you are doing is putting your name on it and a menu.”

4. Create a good experience

“I travel the world a lot, I notice we’re all the same. We got out to have fun with the people we love. We’re selling a night out, not just a plate of food. When we ask for the bill, we quietly say to ourselves, does that represent value?

“It has to be fun. The environment you sit in is most important, then service with a smile, and kindness, then very good food at a good price.”

A great environment with above-average food will beat fabulous food in a dull and boring venue.

5. Pick the right people

Above all, leadership selection is crucial.

“It’s important to choose the people at the top. Then they choose the rest of the staff, they have to build the rest of their team.”