An article published in Business Times (1997) stated that franchising, once an avenue for budding entrepreneurs long on ambition but short on start-up capital, has evolved to become big business. This emerging international phenomenon has seen the introduction of new potential restaurateurs that have made their mark with more popular food-service franchise concepts including full-service, pub and specifically themed venues.

One such 'themed' pub that has made its mark in the franchising industry is the McGinty's group, one of the most popular traditional Irish pub and restaurants in South Africa. The first McGinty's was launched in 1992 at the Holiday Inn Garden Court in Newlands, Cape Town and was later acquired by King Consolidated Holdings Ltd - a listed company on the JSE - in April1997. This acquisition provided King Consolidated Holdings Ltd with a powerful foothold in the growing pub franchise market.

McGinty's has grown over many years into a successful Irish brasserie and now boasts a number of franchises across South Africa. Each pub is unique in that it contains one essential ingredient that sets it apart from any other and that ingredient is CRAIC - an ancient Celtic word that means an atmosphere of good cheer and sense of belonging. This warm and inviting ambience is evident the minute you walk through the door from friendly hospitable service and of course great Irish fare!

The location of every McGinty's has been carefully selected, placing emphasis on secure off-road parking and providing most of the establishments with a relaxed outside section that contributes to the traditional Irish ambience. The décor of McGinty's also lends itself to the traditional Irish ambience, with the green, gold and black of traditional watering holes emphasising the "CRAIC" atmosphere. Classic wooden tables and chairs finish off the environment you would expect to be in if you were in Ireland itself.

A well-planned menu ensures that there is plenty of variety to satisfy a wide array of tastes, including a selection of dishes for vegetarians, and the gourmet specialities of the house come in various portion sizes to suit your appetite. McGinty's specialities include traditional Irish potato pancakes, delectable Irish coffee and of course the perfect pint of Irelands favourite draft beer, Guinness. Equally popular is the Lansdowne loaf, salad bowls and the delicious desserts.

McGinty's takes pride in being genuinely Irish and strives to authentically uphold all the customs of this fun-loving nation. The success of the McGinty's brand is ensured through the provision of ongoing training, support and the hands-on commitment from the franchisor. A complete support package and backup with the word's most effective operations, financial and marketing programmes are on tap for all franchisees. In addition, franchisees also receive continuous advice on site selection, information on training staff, extensive training and guidelines for the preparation of food and systems to make management and stock control efficient and easier.

Fully trained and experienced operation managers are directly involved for continuous and individual attention and support. They are also available to assist franchisees in maximising their operating profits and ultimately the return on their investment. Operating in a highly competitive environment, McGinty's also has a dedicated marketing team that regularly monitors industry trends and consistently strives to establish points of differentiation to keep McGinty's ahead of its competitors.

Maintaining high standards and quality is the core focus of the management team that drives the McGinty's group. All members are well qualified and dedicated to building and maintaining a top quality brand: McGinty's. The group's stringent franchisee recruitment process and selection standard forms a critical part of the success of the brand's image, thereby also ensuring that the high quality and good value that the customers have become accustomed to remains intact.

The set-up costs to start a McGinty's franchise is approximately R1 420 000. However, the new McGinty's franchisee invariably requires less capital that if they were to open an independent business because of the assistance they receive from the holding company, King Consolidated Food Services (KingCo), when negotiating favourable leases, fair prices on equipment, fixtures, and fittings, good prices because of group bulk purchases. KingCo also operates a central distribution centre with storage and refrigeration facilities which ensure the group's product and price uniformity.

McGinty's highly values the opinions, feedback and ideas from all its franchisees, managers and staff. Consequently maximum allowance is made for open lines of communication to and from franchisees. As with all businesses, customer feedback is crucial, which is why the management team constantly survey the customer feedback questionnaires posted on the websites and regulate all calls received from its customer care line.

McGinty's has established itself as the 'the keeper of the Irish Flame' and as a business opportunity for franchisees and developers, it is a warm and extremely rewarding proposition. As for its dedicated Irish patrons, the McGinty's warmth is best summed up by an old Irish proverb: "A stranger is a friend you have yet to meet!"