Perkins combines a family restaurant with an in-store bakery. For a prospective franchise owner, the central questions concern the restaurant format, local demand, staffing, opening costs and the support available for running the business.
History and the food concept
The official company history dates Perkins’ beginnings to a pancake house in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1958. It describes the later expansion into lunch and dinner and the introduction of the in-store bakery in 1986.
The company’s current description includes all-day breakfast, American comfort-food dishes, pies, cookies and Mammoth Muffins. This combination gives the restaurant several types of customer occasions to plan around. It does not establish sales levels or profitability for a proposed location.
Confirm the format before comparing costs
The franchise opportunity website presents the Restaurant & Bakery concept and separately links to Griddle & Go. Identify the exact offer being proposed before comparing menus, site requirements, staffing or investment estimates.
A restaurant budget should account for premises, construction, kitchen and bakery equipment, seating, inventory, insurance, payroll, opening marketing and working capital. Ask which costs are included in the applicable disclosure estimate and which depend on the specific property. Do not assume a franchise fee includes every training, travel or technology expense.
What the published training program describes
Perkins’ official support page advertises up to 10 weeks of preparation for owners, general managers and key personnel. Listed subjects include daily operations, menu execution, purchasing, supplier relationships and inventory. It also describes access to an operations manual.
The page describes an opening team of as many as 14 trainers available for an accumulated 30 days before, during and after opening. Those are advertised limits, not a promise of 14 trainers present together for 30 consecutive days.
Confirm the required participants, schedule, location, expenses and additional-training charges in the documents for your offer. Website descriptions do not settle conflicting or incomplete contractual training provisions.
Location, technology and ongoing support
The same support page describes demographic information and site guidance, point-of-sale and operating software, marketing materials and continuing field visits. These resources should be examined alongside the duties and expenses that remain with the owner.
Request a written division of responsibility for evaluating the site, negotiating the lease, completing construction and securing approvals. Review the proposed technology package, recurring fees and replacement requirements. Assistance with selecting a site does not guarantee sufficient customer traffic or favorable lease terms.
Plan the daily restaurant operation
Evaluate who will recruit and supervise staff, manage inventory, coordinate kitchen and dining-room work, handle complaints and maintain financial controls. Clarify the applicable operating hours and the coverage needed for managers and key employees.
Ask current and former operators about opening delays, employee retention, maintenance, food waste and working-capital needs. Compare their experience with your own market and budget rather than treating an established restaurant’s results as a forecast.
Documents to review before committing
Obtain the current FDD and agreements for the proposed format. Review initial and continuing fees, permitted services, territory provisions, training obligations and renewal terms with qualified advisers. Resolve differences between marketing descriptions and the written offer before committing funds.
See the official Perkins franchising website for current brand information. This article uses attributed official company materials reviewed October 15, 2026. Verification of the applicable current FDD amendment remains open; no investment range, earnings projection or contractual training schedule is certified here.