Little Caesars has launched a modular unit program that’s eco-friendly and enticing to potential franchisees. The inaugural POD location in Keokuk, Iowa, opened final December.
Little Caesars has launched its POD Program, which options cutting-edge modular models with recycled partitions constructed off website and transported to its vacation spot by truck. The pods are eco-friendly options which will qualify for a full tax-write off, making them reasonably priced and enticing to franchise house owners.
The inaugural POD location opened final December in Keokuk, Iowa. Every pod solely requires two to 3 staff wanted to effectively function your entire facility.
Pizza Market talked to Bryan Ketelhut, nationwide director of non-traditional and growth companies at Little Caesars, in an e-mail interview to learn the way the POD Program works, the way it appeals to potential franchisees and what it means for the way forward for Little Caesars.
Q:How did the thought for the POD Program come about, and what have been the important thing motivations behind introducing this revolutionary method to opening new places?
A:At Little Caesars we’re at all times trying to present our franchise house owners with restaurant prototypes which can be designed to maximise profitability it doesn’t matter what a part of the nation they’re in. The brand new PODs have a easy, environment friendly working mannequin that requires an optimum variety of staff and takeaway service in addition to a smaller footprint, which assist hold working prices low and margins excessive.
Moreover, the QSR business is evolving and extra aggressive than ever earlier than. To proceed to be high of thoughts with shoppers and potential franchisees, it is necessary that we spend money on new restaurant designs and know-how to advance present practices and streamline operations.
The brand new PODs are the proper addition to the record of Little Caesars restaurant fashions, serving to us additional differentiate our idea from others within the QSR and pizza segments.
Q: Are you able to present extra particulars concerning the particular eco-friendly options of the modular models used within the POD Program, and the way they contribute to sustainability?
A: The cutting-edge design options recycled partitions which can be manufactured off-site. Then, they’re seamlessly transported to their vacation spot on a semitruck. The technique behind the construct of the PODs minimizes on-site building waste and power consumption, contributing considerably to our sustainability efforts.
Q: In what methods does the modular design of the PODs contribute to the swift acceleration of operations, and the way does it influence the timeline from the preliminary blueprint to the grand opening?
A: The off-site building of Little Caesars PODS permits for a parallel course of the place our franchisees can provoke website work concurrently whereas building of the POD is underway, successfully decreasing the general timeline. This streamlines your entire constructing course of and permits for a extra environment friendly use of time and sources. On common, we anticipate a 90-day building timeline on all PODs from begin to the grand opening date.
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| Photograph: Little Caesars |
Q:May you elaborate on the method of setting up the PODs off-site and transporting them to their locations? How does this technique improve effectivity and cut back the environmental influence?
A: Little Caesars PODs are manufactured off-site and seamlessly transported by way of a semitruck to the concrete basis on location.
As soon as on the location, the assembling is accomplished. The POD is lifted on a crane to the concrete platform, adopted by set up of signage and gear. This method to constructing a POD minimizes the influence on the encircling neighborhood and atmosphere.
Q:What standards make franchise house owners eligible for the complete tax write-off related to the POD Program, and the way is that this anticipated to profit them financially?
A:Franchise house owners turn out to be eligible for the complete tax write-off based mostly on the POD being labeled as a chunk of kit. Nonetheless, we want to emphasize that eligibility might differ, and particular person circumstances must be thought-about. We additionally suggest franchise house owners seek the advice of with their accountants to navigate the particular nuances of tax rules and make sure that they maximize the monetary benefits out there by the POD Program.
Q:Are you able to share insights into the efficiency and reception of the inaugural POD location in Keokuk, Iowa, since its opening in December 2023?
A:Since opening our inaugural POD location in Keokuk, Iowa, on the finish of December 2023, we have been extremely happy with the response from the neighborhood. The reception has been overwhelmingly optimistic, with clients expressing admiration for the distinctive POD type and the comfort provided by our drive-thru and walk-up choices. We have seen incredible indicators of transactions, engagement and satisfaction, indicating a powerful reference to the area people.
Q:How has the implementation of the POD Program affected the general operational panorama of Little Caesars and the QSR business as a complete?
A: Whereas sustaining a totally conventional retailer setup, Little Caesar PODs function a smaller footprint that ship an incredible ordering and eating expertise to company with out compromising on menu choices or operational capabilities.
Our program’s success to this point additionally highlights a paradigm shift within the QSR business, showcasing how a extra environment friendly and convenience-driven enterprise mannequin can result in elevated profitability and visitor satisfaction.
Presently, we’re actively pursuing bold working companions to assist propel growth efforts in goal markets nationwide, and we’re assured that PODs will play an necessary position in fueling this enlargement.
Q:With the declare that solely two to 3 staff are wanted to function your entire facility, how does Little Caesars make sure that service high quality shouldn’t be compromised, and what measures are in place to take care of buyer satisfaction?
A:Shoppers demand velocity, high quality, and accessibility greater than ever earlier than. Little Caesars designed PODs with these fundamentals on the forefront of each resolution to make sure the brand new restaurant mannequin aligned with visitor preferences.
We tailor the variety of employees members we now have working based mostly on the time of day and spatial configuration of the POD. The extra company we anticipate coming by, the extra employees we’ll have on service to make sure we’re delivering seamless processes from product creation to ordering, pickup, and extra.
Mandy Wolf Detwiler is the managing editor at Networld Media Group and the location editor for PizzaMarketplace.com and QSRweb.com. She has greater than 20 years’ expertise protecting meals, folks and locations.
An award-winning print journalist, Mandy brings greater than 20 years’ expertise to Networld Media Group. She has spent practically twenty years protecting the pizza business, from impartial pizzerias to multi-unit chains and each dimension enterprise in between. Mandy has been featured on the Meals Community and has received quite a few awards for her protection of the restaurant business. She has an insatiable urge for food for studying, and may let you know the place to search out the very best slices within the nation after spending 15 years touring and consuming pizza for a residing.
