The world’s largest full-service family restaurant chain Denny’s is looking for franchisee to expand to Vietnam.
The chain, which traditionally trades 24 hours, wants to bring all of its restaurant formats – full-size, small and travel centres – to Vietnam, with full-size restaurants the immediate priority.
“Denny’s is the largest casual dining chain in the world, with nearly 2200 units worldwide. In Japan, they have nearly 400 units. They also have Denny’s in the Philippines now, and we are looking at Vietnam and a few other markets in Southeast Asia,” Sean T. Ngo, CEO of VF Franchise Consulting, told Inside Retail Asia. VF represents Denny’s in Vietnam.
“Denny’s has always wanted to step into Vietnam, the challenge has been to find a suitable franchisee,” said Stefan Grbovac, Denny’s international representative.

The successful franchisee should be a strong, marketing-oriented company involved in a food-related business, with access to appropriate real estate, experience as a major-brand restaurant developer with Western-grade food safety and quality-assurance systems, as well as access to supply-chain resources both locally and internationally.
In order to establish five-unit license of full-size Denny’s restaurant, potential franchisees should have at least US$5 million to invest.
“We are not looking for any individual, but a group of experienced businessmen,” Grbovac said.
Potential franchisees could be multi-brand licensing groups experienced with Western brands, developers and operators of shopping malls and retail centres or F&B distribution businessmen.
“Franchisee in Vietnam can develop from seven to 10 units anywhere in Vietnam in the timeframe of 10 years,” Ngo said.
Denny’s stores have a reported gross annual unit turnover of $2 million.
By Inside Retail Asia