McAlister's Deli vs Browns Socialhouse Franchise Comparison

Founder Don Newcomb's goal when he launched McAlister's Deli in 1989 was to create a 'gourmet deli with Southern charm.' The restaurants serve more than 90 different menu items, including sandwiches, salads, super-stuffed baked potatoes, appetizers, desserts and kid's meals. Customers make their selections at the counter, receive their appetizers and drinks and then sit wherever they choose, while roving servers bring their food and drink refills. McAlister's has grown to more than 350 franchised units.

The total investment necessary to begin operation of a franchised McAlister’s Deli Restaurant (“Traditional Restaurant”) ranges from $927,900 to $2,094,200. This includes $35,000 to $35,400 that must be paid to the franchisor or their affiliates.

The total investment necessary to begin operation of a franchised McAlister’s Express Restaurant (“Express Restaurant”) is $398,000 to $607,850. This includes $15,000 to $15,400 that must be paid to the franchisor or their affiliates.

#72 in Franchise 500 for 2020.

#47 in Franchise 500 for 2021.

Browns Restaurant Group offers a variety of partnership opportunities. We are uniquely social.

Browns Socialhouse is designed to be highly competitive in smaller urban and suburban markets. We're big and aspirational enough to appeal to dedicated urbanites, yet small and "familiar" enough to ensure everyone feels welcome. We have a "secret formula" and below you'll get a sneak peek. Our main competitive advantages include: 1. Site Placement: because of our smaller footprint, Browns Socialhouses can pop up in places where many other brands simply won't fit. Being smaller, we can target "A" locations without the burden of a huge rental factor. For Guests, Browns' smaller footprint provides for a much warmer overall experience. How many people would rather see a band play in a stadium than a club? Exactly. At Browns, our Guests and team members come together and are all part of the action. This makes for a truly social eating, drinking and working experience! 2. Efficiency: building and up-keep costs stay relatively low because of Browns' smaller footprint, and Socialhouses are efficiently designed to require less staff (which lowers labour costs). 3. Kitchen + Menu: Regular menu updates keep our offerings fresh while ensuring solid margins for franchisees and excellent perceived value for Guests. Our Culinary Mission is to produce great-looking menu items with delicious, approachable flavour profiles that can be prepared consistently and cost-effectively across the system. Our Chefs embrace the role of "part menu developer" and "part quality controller," and they're constantly tasting, testing and re-evaluating current menu items for quality, consistency and Guest acceptance. 4. Bar + Lounge: Central to the Socialhouse concept is a signature bar that brings life and energy to the entire operation. Our great selection of drinks delivers great value to Guests. As with our Menu Program, drink pricing is set aggressively to enable financial targets. 5. Owner-Operator Focus: We ensure every Socialhouse we open is owned and operated by someone dedicated to the community it serves. We are able to deliver excellent product and service required to provide a "WOW Experience" to our Guests. Each and every time. Using sophisticated systems and partnering with savvy Franchisees, Browns Restaurant Group successfully competes with independent restaurants and larger chains in local markets.