Global Franchise 10.2

DAVIDWEEKS Barberitos Southwestern Grille and Cantina, Dunkin’, Newk’s Eatery I’ve always had an entrepreneurial streak.When I was nine, I’d push my lawnmower up and down the street, cutting grass for the neighbors. I didn’t think of it as a business back then, but looking back, that’s where it all began. After college, I joined the corporate world. I was a banker for a while, sold pressure-treated lumber, did pharmaceutical sales and made good money, but man, zero job satisfaction. I just knew I wanted to build something that was mine. So I started looking at every brand under the sun – sporting goods, gyms, restaurants, you name it. I found myself drawn to restaurants. A buddy of mine had opened a couple of Zaxby’s, and when I asked how it was going, he said, “I’m not in the restaurant business – I’m just having friends over for lunch and dinner.” And I thought, that’s it, that’s exactly what I want . My wife and I loved entertaining, and I figured, why not make that my business? At the time, I didn’t have the money to buy into a big franchise. Then along came Barberitos. It had just opened in Athens in 2001. I knew the founder, Downing Barber – his brother and I played football together – so I went down to support them and fell in love with the food. I told Downing right there that if he ever franchised, I wanted in. Six months later, he called me. I didn’t have much money to invest, but he believed in me, and I believed in him, so it was the perfect fit. It hasn’t all been wins. Around 2009, I invested in a local pasta concept as the first franchisee.We had a couple of good years, but it didn’t work out. That failure ended up being a blessing because it led me to Dunkin’. I was working with a broker in Atlanta, who mentioned Dunkin’ wanted to expand in my area. I had lunch and dinner covered and nothing to do in the morning. I thought it would be smart to round things out with a breakfast concept, and I knew it would be exciting to learn from a global company. I’m only successful because of the people around me. My company isn’t about one person – it’s about the team. Most of my senior managers have been with me for more than 10 years and we have a saying that iron sharpens iron.We debate ideas because that’s howwe make the best decisions for our guests and our crews. I love the people I work with, and that’s what keeps it fun. Our whole model is built around being the best in our community, not the biggest. All our stores are within a four-county area around Athens. Once we saturate a market, we only expand if we find a true home-run location, or we find another brand. That’s howwe added Newk’s Eatery – a strong brand with great food and even better people. For me, it’s all about quality. I eat Barberitos five times a week. I can tell when the guac tastes off or the chicken’s been cooked differently.We’re about to build our tenth restaurant, and we’ve got plans for more. Does it get easier as you grow? No. It just gets different. The challenges change.We’ve learned how critical our prep people are – they make the food what it is.We take care of them because they take care of the brand. Turnover’s a huge issue in this industry, but we’ve built a loyal team. Consistency is my number one rule. My team always knows what to expect from me.We have another saying: nothing’s personal, everything’s business. I hold people to high standards, but I also believe in creating a safe, respectful environment – no harassment, no nonsense. Everyone’s welcome in our stores, and everyone’s respected on our team. Georgia’s been a great place to grow. The state has everything: coast, mountains, farmland, big cities like Atlanta. The climate’s good, and people are moving here for opportunity. It’s diverse, vibrant, and full of potential. That mix of people and culture makes it a perfect place for the restaurant industry. Working withWOWorks, who acquired Barberitos in 2022, has been a great experience. They listen to franchisees and keep the brand fresh and consistent. Their culinary team is top-notch – they come up with new sauces and menu ideas, but always with strong business logic behind them. They’re genuinely invested in growing Barberitos, and I’ve seen firsthand with Dunkin’ that the more locations there are, the better everyone does. Rising tides lift all boats. Even after 20 years, I’m still learning something new every day. Some people hate change, but I love it. Change means growth. I never want to be that old guy yelling at clouds. If someone asked me for advice on becoming a MUMBO, I’d tell them this: first thing – you gotta love your brands and believe in them. Second, have the right team to execute your vision.You need people who believe in the brand as much as you do. What’s next? Honestly, I don’t know.We’ll have 25 stores open by the end of 2026. I tell my teamwe’ll grow as far as they want to take it – as long as we have the people there to support it, I’m game. “Some people hate change, but I love it. Change means growth. I never want to be that old guy yelling at clouds” DavidWeeks is an experienced multi-unit, multi-brand operator with 21 restaurants around the Athens, Georgia area, including nine Barberitos, eight Dunkin’ and four Newk’s Eatery restaurants. Seven of his Barberitos locations rank among the top 15 in the system, with his original store continuing to post 21% monthly growth. Earlier this year, Weeks signed a three-store agreement to grow his already impressive Barberitos portfolio. 68 GLOBAL FRANCHISE Issue 10.2