S9 E1: How Adam Saxton Turned McAlister’s Deli Into an Unstoppable Franchise Beast

You’ll never be able to operate 90+ franchises if your first franchise isn’t golden to begin with. Take it from Adam Saxton, operator of over 90+ McAlister’s Delis and co-CEO/Owner of the Saxton Group. With territories in Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas, Adam chats with the Wolf about his unusual philosophy for franchise expansion, including a unique organic unit model development approach entailing zero acquisitions.

With over 20 years in the fast-casual space, Adam reveals why he remains optimistic about the ROI potential in this industry and explains how his family’s background in restaurant franchising influenced his decision to join McAlister’s Deli. How has he managed to maintain slow and steady growth since his first bought unit in 1999?

Discover the importance of building a strong culture and brand within your organization, and how investing in internal development leads to long-term success. Adam discusses the growth opportunities that come with expanding your franchise and the value of promoting from within.

Plus, what are Adam’s perspectives on investment levels and the potential return on capital for first-time franchisees?

Tune in now to find out! 

 

00:00:00 – Locations in Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas

00:00:30 – Adam Joins Family Restaurant Business

00:08:17 – Organic Growth Strategy of the Saxton Group

00:11:46 – Community Outreach Boosts McAlister’s Brand

00:13:34 – Fostering Growth and Opportunity at McAlister’s

00:17:13 – Franchisees Expand with New Brands

00:18:45 – Saxton Group Acquires Jaggers

00:22:29 – Staying Optimistic in the Fast Casual Industry

00:26:49 – Investment Returns for New Franchisees

00:32:54 – Room to Grow for McAlister’s

 

Follow Adam: 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamgsaxton/

 

Follow The Wolf: 

Newsletter: https://workweek.com/brand/the-wolf-of-franchises/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thewolfoffranchises

Twitter: https://twitter.com/franchisewolf

Website: https://www.krokit.com

 

And for exclusive insider content, don’t forget to check out my YouTube channel.

 

Are you a future franchise entrepreneur? Find all of the tools you need to launch, operate, and expand your franchise empire with the platform created by The Wolf himself, Krokit.com.

 

And if you’ve enjoyed listening to Franchise Empires, I’d be so grateful if you could drop me a 5-star review on Rate My Podcast. Thank you so much!