FBR Picks Lennys as Top Franchise Opportunity for Veterans

Accolade comes as rejuvenated brand expands its footprint across new and existing markets with aggressive growth strategy

When veterans begin looking at civilian careers, they want to take the skills they learned in the U.S. military into the next chapter of their lives. For many, that means exploring entrepreneurship and applying their leadership talents and work ethic to owning a successful small business — such as a Lennys Grill & Subs sandwich franchise.

That’s not by accident. Lennys has sound business practices, including a relentless focus on high-quality food and unmatched guest satisfaction, which have helped franchise owners succeed for 20 years. Those core values also are why the Lennys Grill & Subs sandwich franchise opportunity was named to Franchise Business Review’s list of Top Franchise Opportunities for Veterans in 2018.

“We are thrilled to receive this kind of recognition, especially when it focuses on helping the men and women who have served our country so honorably,” says Jennifer Benjamin, Vice President of Franchise & Market Development. “When FBR gives a brand its seal of approval, it’s no small thing. For Lennys, it means that our goals of offering great food and a welcoming guest experience, as well as creating a business model that helps entrepreneurs succeed and realize their dreams of business ownership and financial independence, are being met. Those are the goals that drive us every day.”

Franchise owners provide core data

When Franchise Business Review begins work on a list, it goes to the source: franchise owners themselves. So when they talk about the pluses of owning a Lennys Grill & Subs sandwich franchise, they are doing so based entirely on franchise owner satisfaction.

For the 2018 veterans list, each participant was asked 33 benchmark questions about the franchisor that focused on leadership, training and core values alongside 16 more personal questions pertaining to their business lifestyle and the overall enjoyment of running their franchise, according to FBR.

Multiple franchising elements are covered

FBR then takes that information and ties it into the numbers any would-be business owner needs to crunch, such as capitalization requirements and other requirements, so that a veteran who’s looking into the Lennys sandwich franchise opportunity can have a lot of data right up front — and then can follow up with the Lennys team to dive deeper into the steps of becoming a franchise owner.

“Veterans are rightfully known for their attention to detail and their desire to follow proven system and processes,” Benjamin says. “The FBR list gives them a great place to start because it offers a basic framework for looking at what Lennys has to offer, and then we can answer additional questions about back-office operations, training and other important fundamentals that veterans want to learn.”

Since 1998, when Lennys first restaurant opened in Memphis, Tennessee, its mission has remained unchanged: to make and serve great food alongside an unmatched customer experience. Known for its signature “World Class Philly Cheesesteaks” as well as unique grilled sandwiches, deli sandwiches and salads, Lennys Grill & Subs offers breads baked fresh daily, premium meats sliced to order and toppings that are freshly prepared. Lennys is aggressively recruiting new franchisees for single-unit, multi-unit and area development opportunities.

Ready to open a Lennys franchise in your community?

For in-depth details about the Lennys franchise opportunity, download the free franchise report. You also can learn more by visiting the Lennys franchise research pages.