The French Workshop is a gourmet French bakery known for its French cakes and pastries that first opened in 2015 in Bayside, N.Y.. The company has since expanded to three other locations on Long Island and began franchising this quarter, with plans to sell five franchise units over the next year.

The French Workshop is owned by Nick Pantelatos and Demetris Zorbas, the latter of whom is with the Zorbas Group, which operates a chain of bakeries and foodservice establishments in Cyprus.

Over the next five years, Pantelatos and Zorbas hope to reach 45 locations nationally, with eyes on the New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Virginia, Maryland, the District of Columbia, and Florida markets through both franchising and corporate expansion.

“Our kitchens – or workshops as we call them – are exposed, allowing guests to see the pastry chefs at work,” a representative from The French Workshop said. “Every detail, from product quality to the atmosphere, is carefully considered, creating a refined and transparent artisan bakery experience.”

The average check is $18 and average unit size is 3,800-5,000 square feet.

Gouldsburger’s brings a little bit of Philadelphia to South Jersey with its menu of Philly cheesesteaks made with USDA Prime brisket, as well as burgers and hot dogs. The concept first opened its doors a year and a half ago in Haddonfield, N.J., and has since expanded to three corporate locations (with the fourth opening this fall at the Unversity of Pennsylvania).

This summer, Gouldsburger’s announced franchising with The Stanwood Group and hopes to expand solely through franchisees moving forward, with a goal of reaching 10 locations over the next few years, starting with other markets in South Jersey. 

“We use a proprietary blend of fresh ground USDA Prime Beef for our burgers and house-sliced USDA Prime Brisket for our cheesesteaks; we serve our cheesesteaks on a signature everything-seeded roll; we also are one of the only places we are aware of that use yellow cooper sharp cheese,” a representative for the brand said.

The average check is $21 and average unit size is 700 square feet.

While healthy fast-casual foodservice concepts have been trending for a long time, the owners behind the Spokane Valley, Idaho-based concept Konala claim that it is one of the first true quick-service health food concepts. 

Konala currently has two locations open (with a third on the way) and just recently announced franchising with Fransmart. The brand has a goal of signing 20 development agreements over the next year and a long-term goal of opening more than 100 restaurants in the next five years, exploring markets like Washington, Arizona, Utah, and Colorado, as well as more in Idaho.

“Konala breaks the mold by defining healthy fast food, a category that many believe doesn’t exist,” a representative for Konala said. “Unlike typical fast-casual concepts like Cava or Flower Child, Konala is truly quick service, offering drive-thru convenience with high-protein, flavor-packed meals. Our bowls deliver genuine nutrition without compromising on taste, filling a unique gap in the market for high-protein, macro-friendly fast food.”

The simple menu is bowls-based with pre-made menu items like burrito, poke, and teriyaki chicken bowls. Customers can also choose to customize their creation with a greens or rice base. 

Konala’s stores are an average size of 1,000 square feet for new construction

Protein Bar & Kitchen is a 17-unit, Chicago-based fast-casual chain that promises at least 15 grams of protein per meal and is known for its high-protein bowls and smoothies. The company first announced franchising last October, and since then, has five locations in the pipeline, including its first-ever signed franchisee, which opened in Crown Point, Ind. this summer.

“As consumer demand continues to rise for protein-packed, healthy meal options, we are excited to welcome our very first franchisee to Protein Bar & Kitchen,” CEO Jeff Drake said in a statement. “The all-day power of protein is growing in popularity, and as we grow our footprint across the nation, we look forward to bringing PBK to Crown Point.”

Protein Bar and Kitchen said it is currently the top trending restaurant in its category for better-for-you fast-casual concepts, and plans to open 100 locations over the next five years. The next franchised locations will be in the Chicago area, as well as Colorado, Texas, Florida, Indiana, Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin markets.

The average check is $14 and average location size is 1,200-1,800 square feet.

Wolfnights is a New York City-based, gourmet wrap concept with four locations located in the five boroughs. The menu includes a mix of carnivore-friendly and vegetarian/vegan creations that can be made into a wrap or bowl, as well as mini “unwraps” wrapped in unique dough creations like chestnut and chili dough.

The fast-casual concept first announced franchising in August and has a goal of adding 10-15 franchisees over the next year, primarily in the Northeast region.

“We create the perfect sandwich, the ideal bite,” a Wolfnights representative said in a statement. “We press and bake the dough in front of the customer per order, which brings a theatrical experience and a show for each wrap preparation.  Then the proteins and vegetables are marinated with proprietary Mediterranean recipes, and the sauce is paired to the ingredients of the wrap. The result is a dynamic contrast of flavors: sweet, spicy, crunchy, savory, earthy–all together in one bite.”

The average check is $23 and average location size is 600 square feet.