Starting a business from scratch is hard. A franchise gives you the opportunity to own your own business with an established brand, proven model and systems already behind you.

Not every SpudBAR has been a success over our 25+ years, but we have a long track record of delivering exceptional results when we get the two big things right: the right location and the right franchise partner.

SpudBAR has been around for over 25 years - and you don’t last that long without doing a few things right.

We’ve built an incredibly loyal customer base and spent decades refining a model that’s refreshingly simple to operate. Minimal cooking equipment, straightforward systems, proven processes and an experienced Support Office team behind you every step of the way.

The result? A business that’s easier to learn, simpler to run and more affordable to open than many traditional QSRs.

Hospitality or franchising experience is great, but it’s certainly not essential.

We’ve spent 25+ years refining the SpudBAR system. What matters most to us is your attitude, alignment with our values and willingness to work both in and on your business. Bring that and we can teach you the rest.

In short, yes.

We’ve seen plenty of approaches to franchise ownership over the years, and one thing is clear: our strongest stores tend to have highly engaged owners working in the business.

That’s why we require new franchise partners to work full-time in their store for at least the first six months. Nobody will drive your business quite like you do - especially at launch.

Before opening, you’ll complete a comprehensive three-week training program covering the practical skills and business knowledge you need to run your SpudBAR.

You’ll also have access to our ongoing learning and development platform, giving you the tools and content to train your own team to the same standard.

There’s a reason franchising is often described as being in business for yourself, not by yourself.

We’ll support you through site selection, lease negotiations, store design, fit-out and training before managing the marketing campaign for your launch.

Once you’re open, that support continues through operational coaching, local and national marketing, centralised supply chain management and ongoing Support Office guidance.

We estimate that opening a new SpudBAR will typically require an investment of approximately $185k–$300k + GST, depending on the site.

This includes the store design and fit-out, required equipment, opening stock, training and upfront SpudBAR fees.

Every site is different, so this should be treated as an indicative guide only. Size, accessibility, building requirements, labour, materials and council requirements can all affect the final investment.

There are a few costs that sit outside the estimated initial investment, including the lease bank guarantee and initial rent, independent legal/accounting/finance advice, insurance and applicable council fees or registrations.

We’ll walk you through these during the application and site approval process so you can build a complete picture of the investment required.

As a guide, the franchise application process generally takes around 4 weeks.

Once we’ve secured the right site, allow approximately 12-16 weeks for design, approvals, construction, fit-out, training and opening.

Timelines can vary - particularly when property negotiations and external approvals are involved.

Absolutely. We encourage our franchise partners to build great businesses - whether the goal is to hold onto them for the long haul or eventually sell and realise the value they’ve created.

In fact, a number of SpudBAR franchise partners have successfully bought, built and sold multiple stores over the years.

The sale price of an existing store is set by the current owner and will vary depending on the individual business. You’ll also need to allow for costs such as the lease bond or bank guarantee, legal costs and applicable SpudBAR transfer fees.

Some older stores may also require refurbishment as part of the transfer process, which we assess on a case-by-case basis.

Outside of standard business operating costs like rent, wages, utilities etc, the ongoing charges payable to SpudBAR are as follows:

• Royalty fee (7% of total revenue), paid to SpudBAR weekly

• Marketing Levy (3% of total revenue, excluding 3rd party delivery revenue), paid to SpudBAR weekly

• Monthly Tech Stack fee of $355 + GST

There’s no magic number here. Every store is different and there are too many variables for us to predict the sales or profitability of an individual SpudBAR.

Location, owner involvement, operating standards, staffing, service, local market conditions and costs can all have a significant impact on performance.

During the application process, we’ll provide information to help you assess the opportunity and prepare your own business plan. We strongly encourage every prospective franchise partner to seek independent legal, accounting and financial advice before investing.

Absolutely. We love a Spud empire.

More than 25% of our franchise partners already own multiple stores, and we’d love to see that number grow.

Do a great job with your first SpudBAR and, if you’ve got the appetite for more, we’ll happily explore the next opportunity with you. Second and subsequent stores are generally considered once you’ve operated your first store for at least six months.