Ron Marble moved to Oregon in August and, in the seven months since, he and his brother, Bill, opened two restaurants.
One of their Five Guys Burgers & Fries franchises, a well-known chain back East, quickly became a hit, breaking the Arlington, Va.-based parent company’s sales records for new and existing restaurants — all in a recession.
Apparently, a burger, some fries and a swig of pop makes a recession just a little easier to swallow.
Franchised quick-service restaurants, a category that includes fast food and speedy, yet more sit-down — like Five Guys — eateries are expected to see slight gains in sales and new stores in the coming year, though both rates are slower than usual. The only other franchise area expected to grow this year, by a slightly smaller rate, is full-service chains, such as Darden Restaurants Inc.‘s Olive Garden chain. Read more.
Photo: Torsten Kjellstrand / The Oregonian.