We have to wonder whether it’s a cruel joke or if anyone at Quiznos actually read McDonald’s: Behind The Arches, a book they include in their Quiznos University Training Kit.

We stumbled over this passage on page 43 (emphasis added):

In all other food franchising schemes, franchisers made their profits before their franchisees did, either by selling franchise territories to investors for huge up-front fees or by supplying franchisees with food, paper, and equipment—typically at markups that were higher than they would pay on the open market…. Kroc instinctively knew that making an easy killing at the expense of his franchisees would not produce anything that would last…as a veteran salesman Kroc knew he was also in business to serve his franchisees and build loyalty with them. They were his customers, too, and if they failed, he failed.

Letting franchises prosper? Not forcing franchises to purchase food from the company at a high markup? Maybe Quiznos should steal a page from its own training kit. — BEN POPKEN

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