When Dog Haus launched in 2010, its concept made a lot of sense...for the year 2010. Its mission was to elevate stadium food into culinary masterwork, and it did so by selling hot dogs and sausages decorated with ingredients such as bacon, pastrami, caramelized onions, and arugula. The three founders, Hagop Giragossian, Quasim Riaz, and André Vener, dubbed their concept "craft casual," and they built fun, large, airy venues to serve customers. It has grown to 50-plus locations since franchising.
But in the decade since, much has changed about how Americans eat. People increasingly order food through Grubhub or Uber Eats. Dog Haus responded by expanding its reach through ghost kitchens-delivery-only facilities with no seating, parking, or signs. Then, when the pandemic hit, foot traffic dropped even more and the ghost kitchens presented an intriguing opportunity. If Dog Haus could sell food without a dine-in location, why did its founders have to stick to just selling Dog Haus-branded food? Couldn't they sell, well, anything?
In March 2020, the three Dog Haus founders put that question to the test by announcing an ambitious roster of brands: The Absolute Brands, consisting of seven new quick-service restaurant concepts that had no physical stores and operated out of existing Dog Haus locations. (After all, Dog Haus kitchens suddenly had excess capacity.) Today, six brands are still standing-Plant B, The Impossible Shop, Big Belly Burger, Bad Mutha Clucka, Bad-Ass Breakfast Burritos and Jailbird-and more than 20% of the company's sales are coming from The Absolute Brands. Same-store sales are up 34% compared to pre-pandemic 2019.
The three founders sat down with Entrepreneur to explain how The Absolute Brands work, and why the future is looking a lot more flexible.
It sounds exhausting to launch multiple restaurants during a pandemic. How were you able to do it so quickly?
This story is from the Startups Summer 2022 edition of Entrepreneur US.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the Startups Summer 2022 edition of Entrepreneur US.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Doing Good Is Good for Business
Want to grow your franchise? Invest heavily in your community.
You're Never Out of Options
An entrepreneur's path is never simple or easy-but you have more opportunities than you think.
YOUR NEXT RECRUIT COULD BE A ROBOT
Across the franchise industry, brands are putting AI to use in all kinds of novel ways. From customer service to better marketing and quality control, here's how brands are taking the leap into automation.
'MY JOB IS TO KEEP THIS BRAND HOT'
Taco Bell's new CEO is, in his words, \"not the dictionary definition of a CEO.\" But he has a vision for how to keep their winning streak going.
These Franchise Trends Are Hot!
If you're looking to buy a franchise, start with this list. We break down 10 of the industry's hottest trends, and more than 400 brands to choose from.
How He Opened 10 Franchises in 10 Years
After being laid off twice in two years, Josh Grinstead became a GYMGUYZ franchisee and now makes more than $1 million in annual revenue. Here's his playbook.
Busting 3 Major Franchising Myths
Is franchising really just for the affluent looking for a turnkey, \"easy\" path to success? No, no, and no!
Which Franchise Model Is Right for You?
There are two big ones: You're either a location-based business, or you're service-based. Here's how to decide between them.
Ready to Own Your Own Business?
This magazine is designed to help you. Here's how.
Charities Are Getting Down to Business
Nonprofits are struggling. That's why more charitable leaders are taking a page from their for-profit peers-and learning how to make money.
