Tony Roma’s

About Tony Roma’s

US casual dining restaurant chain focused on BBQ ribs and steaks with more than 100 locations across five continents, Tony Roma’s was founded in 1972, and four years later, Clint Murchison Jr bought most of the US franchise rights and founded Roma Corporation. The 1990s saw expansion into South America and Asia. The company plans to open 200 Tony Roma’s locations over the next decade, primarily focusing on markets in the Middle East, Asia and the US, but also elsewhere. It initially launched in the UK in 2004 with a restaurant in Kingston, Surrey, but that site is now closed.

Why franchise with Tony Roma’s

• ✓The company is split into two concepts – Tony Roma’s Ribs, Steaks & Seafood and Tony Roma’s Bones & Burgers. The first offer a more cost-effective and smaller footprint (starting at 3,000 square feet), so that the owner’s initial investment is significantly smaller, and new locations will be in the region of 3,000 to 4,000 square feet. The company is shifting focus from free-standing restaurants to in-line, end cap and mall locations. The compact design is more flexible to locate and allows franchisees to open in closer proximity to its customers. It is also a much faster concept to build, allowing restaurants to open in about half the time it takes for a free-standing build. The total investment for launching a Tony Roma’s restaurant is in the $1.2m to $2m range, depending on the location, size and type of restaurant. The company is looking for operators with a minimum $2m net worth, of which $1m should be liquid, with equity group-buying affiliation and previous restaurant and/or hospitality experience. Personal financial management knowledge and marketing and business development expertise is also welcomed. The franchise fee is $30,000, with a royalty fee of 4% of net sales paid monthly. Tony Roma’s Bones & Burgers, meanwhile, is a new premium bowls concept catering to the QSR environment, targeting Millennials and families on the go. Its fast-casual design is around 1,500 square feet with reduced labour cost, limited menu, drive-thru option and optimised for delivery. Preferred locations are free standing, universities and colleges, tourist locations, lifestyle centres and end cap locations. Its quick service design is around 700 square feet, also with reduced labour cost and limited menu. Opening day at a new Tony Roma’s location begins with support six months previously, with an intense focus on management training to ensure that every aspect of the restaurant is as efficient as possible.