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Gold Star Franchise Review: Meet Wafa David

After 20 years in business, multi-unit owner says ease of operation, quality product and great training have helped his restaurants become top performers

Gold Star franchise owner Wafa David has seen the brand grow and change with the times since becoming an owner in 1999. With our trendy new store designs and revamped menu in place for customers, as well as new technology for staff, he is as excited as ever about being part of the Gold Star family

“I am not just as passionate today as when I started. I am more passionate,” he says. “My stores are run well and both have increased their business and are among the top stores.”

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He is especially excited about his brand-new restaurant located just two blocks down from his original Latonia location, a neighborhood in Covington, Kentucky. It’s been a drastic change that has positively impacted store sales. “With the new rebranding and menu we have increased business by almost 40 percent.”

 Franchisees like David are seeing the benefits of strategic modernization of the Gold Star brand, while embracing the traditional Cincinnati style chili that has brought customers in the door for more than 50 years. Modernization also meant expanding the core menu to include popular items that would appeal to the entire family from fresh grilled hamburgers to chicken sandwiches and healthy, made-to-order salads.

Gold Star stands out in a crowded market by matching much-loved comfort food with friendly table service, creating a better customer experience than most QSR brands. At Gold Star, our guests can enjoy fast, friendly table service at an affordable price point for the entire family.

Quality control ensures consistently delicious chili

Gold Star prides itself on a high-quality chili product that has been perfected over the years and is known for its proprietary spice blend that differentiates itself from other Cincinnati style chili recipes. Quality control and safety standards are always top of mind at the main commissary. The chili is made fresh daily in small batches to ensure quality and consistency.  The chili is then shipped to our restaurants fresh, never frozen. This ease of operation means zero prep and cook time and a consistently high-quality product systemwide.

“Gold Star is easy to operate. Our burgers are cooked from scratch and our other foods as well but our chili is easy to prepare. And you almost have zero waste in the restaurant,” David says.

 Gold Star’s famous chili is also a product he stands by, and eats, nearly every day. “People become addicted to it. It’s amazing. I eat it every day except when I am fasting. Every single day I have got to have a Cheese Coney,” he says “My customers sometimes who come from out of state and before they go see their family they come and see me at Gold Star.  The product is so craveable it’s addictive!

Training and support are just a click or call away for Gold Star franchise owners

The restaurant industry has no doubt changed significantly since GoldStar opened more than 50 years ago and even in the last 20 years David has been in business. He’s seen training and support improve greatly with the introduction of the PlayerLync training platform. Each restaurant has PlayerLync tablets which allow team members and managers to access a wide range of content with just a few clicks.

 “I took over a franchise in 1998 and since have reinvested by building a new building as well as purchasing my second location because this is a very sound and successful business. I am particularly impressed by how we have engaged in technology, from online ordering to our social media presence. Gold Star is always trying to make our experience as business owners better and more successful. What we have is great, and we are all working on making it better.”

 Nothing can replace hands-on training, however. Franchisees complete a combination of in-store and classroom training. Basically, you’re never alone no matter what phase of ownership you’re in – pre-launch, grand opening or ongoing operations. And with a 24-hour response policy, help from the corporate team is just an email or phone call away.

 “Corporate is with you from the beginning. They plan, they implement the project and they don’t stop. They help you with everything from market analysis, construction all the way to grand opening. They offer quarterly calibration reports to ensure you are performing at the highest level” he says. For the franchisee, it gives them the comfort of someone checking in and a feeling that we are not alone.” 

Learn more about a Gold Star franchise

Gold Star is a tremendous opportunity in the $256 billion QSR industry. For the last 50+ years, Gold Star has won an enormous following in the Cincinnati, Ohio metropolitan area, where we excel at serving up delicious comfort food with the kind of old-fashioned, family-style hospitality that is sorely lacking in the rest of the industry.

For in-depth details about the Gold Star franchise opportunity, request our free franchise report. You also can learn more by visiting our research pages.