Little Caesar, A&W Vet Takes N.Y. Eatery Nationwide

Mlive:

Johnny’s Lunch LLC franchises may become as ubiquitous as McDonald’s and Burger King if a local man with 22 years of franchise experience has his way.
George Goulson, a former executive of Little Caesar Enterprises, A&W Restaurants and Long John Silver Restaurants, has an ambitious goal of a 75-franchise expansion in the nine-county region of Oakland, Wayne, Washtenaw, Livingston, Monroe, Lapeer, St. Clair and Sanilac.

His ultimate plan is just as ambitious: 500-1,000 franchises nationwide in five to seven years.

Johnny’s Lunch, an eatery in southwestern New York, on Jan. 30 inked a deal with franchise operator Michigan Group JBV LLC of Franklin for the 75-unit expansion. As the chief business development manager for Johnny’s Lunch, Goulson, a Bloomfield Hills resident, will head up the expansion.

The first store will open this spring on Dixie Highway in Waterford Township, and the company expects to have five to eight stores up and running by the end of the year. When all is said and done, Oakland County will be home to at least 12 Johnny’s Lunch restaurants.

The menu is short and simple – hotdogs, called “hots” at Johnny’s – hamburgers, fries and onion rings. The hook: Each is for less than $1.

Other items include rice pudding and shakes.

“We have a concept that not only tastes good, it’s extremely cost efficient from the standpoint of pricing,” Goulson said. “Even though we’re on hard times, I think there’s a tremendous opportunity for growth, especially in the food category where you have an excellent product, where prices are Wal-Martish.”Johnny’s Lunch plans to build its second restaurant this year in Toledo, and then stake out territory in New York, North Carolina, Florida and Texas.

“We think that’s conservative,” Goulson said. “Approximately five years, it could be faster – you never know – once you click, you move quicker, there’s no question about that.”

The plan for Michigan is aggressive but doable with proper infrastructure and support, said Mark Cory, a franchising consultant based in Grosse Pointe.

Johnny’s Lunch is licensed to sell franchises in most states – the ultimate goal is to have franchises in all 50, Goulson said.