The Australian:
Affordable dining is shaping as the new growth area of franchising as companies worry about the impact of the financial downturn on consumers’ willingness to eat out.
A quarterly review by website topfranchise.com.au reveals growing concern over the slowing economy. Covering 1000 franchisees from 65 franchises across Australia, the results show average ratings by franchisees for most franchise systems are down compared with the previous quarter.
Fast food emporium Souvlakihut, which has trialled a kids-eat-free offer in Victoria and is planning to extend it to other states, kept its top spot in the survey.
Website founder Ian Krawitz also pointed to Souvlakihut’s commitment to high levels of franchisee support as key to maintaining its lead.
The survey comes as Domino’s Pizza adds products to its menu, with tighter household budgets prompting a switch to cheaperfood outlets.
The menu includes new pizzas, desserts, dips and, for the first time, a pasta dish. Rival Pizza Hut made a similar move last month.