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Wienerschnitzel announces new restaurant design

Wienerschnitzel's new "Heritage" store pays tribute to its signature 1960s A-Frame, recognizable for its red roof, design and the drive-thru built in the center of the building.

September 29, 2015

Wienerschnitzel has announced that its smaller-footprint "heritage" restaurant design, currently operating in El Paso, Texas, is now available for franchising. The new prototype has been engineered to lower investment and operational costs, while boosting profitability potential and expansion opportunities, according to a company press release.  

"As times change, we understand that the demand for good real estate does not," said Ted Milburn, director of U.S. franchise development for Wienerschnitzel. "We’ve designed the ‘Heritage’ to allow for increased flexibility without hindering key business functions or customer service, while removing some of the investment barriers that exist in today’s competitive real estate landscape."

The "heritage" model ranges from 730 square feet to 1,400 square feet, depending on desire to add indoor seating, the release stated. The layout, which features a walk-up window and drive-thru, can be built on as little as 15,000 square feet. The model pays tribute to Wienerschnitzel’s signature 1960s A-Frame, recognizable for its red roof, design and the drive-thru built in the center of the building, the release stated. The new restaurants will feature retro design accents with a modern twist, and will serve the same food as traditional locations.

The El Paso location, which opened in October 2014, has performed well and has prompted Galardi Group, Wienerschnitzel’s parent company, to move forward with nine additional locations, four of which are currently under lease, the release stated. The freestanding El Paso restaurant is 744 square feet on a 20,000-square-foot pad and features a patio with outdoor seating. The prior generation model had a typical layout of 1,500 square feet, while unit growth throughout the 80s occurred with larger restaurants that were closer to 2,500 square feet.

Investment levels for the "Heritage" restaurant vary from $482,000 to $1.3 million. However, the Wienerschnitzel team is aiming to narrow costs between $600k and $800k all-in, from ground-up construction through grand opening on a 20-year lease, the release stated. In addition to free-standing locations, Wienerschnitzel is aggressively exploring in-line, end-cap and urban street properties where square footage might range from 400 to 1,200 square feet, and build-out could be up to 50 percent less.