This article is part of “Where Are They Now?”—an ongoing series in which Franchise Times managing editor Emilee Wentland and reporter Alyssa Huglen catch up with emerging brands.
A physical and digital brand refresh is underway at Famous Toastery, as the casual breakfast concept looks to resume franchise development efforts.
Childhood friends Brian Burchill and Robert Maynard formed the North Carolina-based brand in 2005. Franchising began in 2013 and restaurants opened across North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia.
The brand’s unit count decreased 11.1 percent last year to 24 units but systemwide sales were up 6.2 percent to nearly $33 million. When Franchise Times spoke with Famous Toastery in 2022, the brand had not sold a single franchise since 2018. Maynard, the company’s CEO, called this decision purposeful.
The development outlook is set to change as the company enters 2025, with a comprehensive brand refresh paving the way for franchise growth.
“We felt that we were ready, that now is the time to go ahead and get things moving for franchise development,” said Lorna Martinez, Famous Toastery’s vice president of marketing. “I think beforehand, we weren’t necessarily at that point.”
Martinez estimated three to five franchises will open next year, one being a location in San Antonio, the brand’s first in Texas. More growth is planned in North Carolina after the brand signed a five-unit agreement with franchisees Anuj, Hina and Nisang Patel to develop units in Raleigh.
“They feel and have that experience, and they want to bring it back to their turf and bring it back to their communities,” Martinez said about franchisees. “With that in mind, we’re planning on going national in all the states we can in an appropriate manner and in a way that makes sense for us.”
Famous Toastery’s new logo (below) is at the forefront of the brand’s refresh, displaying a lighter, modernized look compared to the previous logo (above).
The refresh targeted all aspects of Famous Toastery, starting with brand design. A modernized logo emphasizes the brand’s unique “Toastery” phrase and comprises oranges and teals meant to associate the breakfast concept with sunrise and daylight. Its secondary logo incorporates the long-standing toast design, paying homage to the brand’s history.
“I think we can all agree that a sunflower yellow and a dark maroon don’t necessarily scream breakfast, lunch and brunch,” Martinez said in reference to the previous logo’s color scheme.
Heading the refresh, Martinez met with managers, servers and kitchen staff for feedback on updated uniforms that cater to their needs while presenting an elevated look. The team reevaluated menu options and pricing based on guest and staff feedback.
Lorna Martinez
Aesthetic changes to the restaurants are in the works, with new interior and exterior design concepts being implemented. Newer units are being built with a refreshed design, and existing restaurants will be flipped with the updated look in phases over the next year.
Famous Toastery’s refresh had to extend its focus to digital efforts, Martinez said, as to-go and third-party orders are popular with the brand’s consumer base. The brand launched its first loyalty program and simplified digital orders with easier access to ordering options and the menu upon visiting the website. Design updates have been reflected on the site, and the company replaced outdated photography and verbiage.
Martinez and her team developed location pages for each unit, individualizing the franchise experience and making its restaurants pillars in their respective communities.
“While the brand is great, we’re still a franchise,” Martinez said. “We still want to feel one of one in our communities, and I wasn’t able to do that by just having one brand website … so it was super important for us to have that layer of personalization for each one of our locations still living within our brand.”
Martinez said franchisees’ initial feedback on the refresh has so far been positive and encouraging.
Prior to the refresh, Famous Toastery focused in recent years on brand visibility in lieu of opening units. The company began partnering with NASCAR Cup Series driver and 2021 Daytona 500 Champion Michael McDowell in 2023, presenting the brand to a large fanbase in the racing world.
McDowell later introduced the brand to ESPN, which was on the lookout for a bowl game sponsor after stadium renovations canceled the 2023 Bahamas Bowl. Famous Toastery filled the vacancy and sponsored the 2023 Famous Toastery Bowl in Charlotte last December, with the game airing on ESPN to a national audience.
A company news release stated in the same month, Famous Toastery saw a 10 percent increase in social media impressions and a 5 percent increase in sales compared to November.
“It allowed us to be on the national stage without being on the national stage … and it allowed us to diversify our following and who we’re speaking to,” Martinez said.
Prospective franchisees have shown interest as a result, she added, noting how increased visibility led them to hear about Famous Toastery and desire getting involved. With a fresh look and a growing national spotlight, Martinez is optimistic advancing into the refresh’s next phases.
“We did all of this to create this new evolution that wasn’t a rebrand but a refresh,” she said. “This is something that really shows the evolution of how far we’ve come.”