Saddles Steak Ranch has proven itself to be a powerful brand that continues to be leaps and bounds ahead of the rest. It continues to flourish as an extremely popular family restaurant, always delivering hearty meals in a great atmosphere. The Saddles restaurants are open seven days a week, everyday of the year except Christmas day and cater for all tastes and ages. The menu is innovative and offers not only the traditional steakhouse fare but also Pizza and Pasta cooked in a wood-burning oven. The menu is both thorough and diverse and includes steaks, burgers, chicken, fish, and vegetarian dishes.

Saddles Steak Ranch believes in the personal pride of its franchisees and in a hands-on management approach. The successful management of Saddles is attributed to the fact that the franchises are owner-run and the overall relationships that the owner and its staff have with the clients. The important relationship includes a greeting at the door on arrival and a farewell at the end of the meal by the management team. The working relationship of all the people involved in the operating of Saddles is of extreme importance as it creates a warm atmosphere and vibe that Saddles Steak house is known for.

A valuable, profitable and fulfilling opportunity for franchisees and property developers, Saddles is a highly regarded name in the steak house industry that in itself draws the crowds. The right site and the group's no-compromise policy guarantee the very best location for optimum success. The management team that drives the Saddle's group is strong and uncompromising when it comes to maintaining high standards and quality and all members are well qualified and dedicated to building and maintaining a top quality brand.

The success of Saddle's operational and brand image is ensured through the provision of ongoing training, support and the hands-on commitment from the franchisor. These include operations, financial and marketing systems and programmes which are used to assist the franchisees in maximising operating profits and ultimately the return on investment. 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 uncomplicated.

The set-up costs for a Saddle's franchise are approximately R1.3 million. However, the new Saddle's franchisee invariably requires less capital than if they were to open an independent business. This is owing to the assistance they receive from the holding company when negotiating favourable leases, fair prices on equipment, fixtures, fittings and good prices because of group bulk purchases. Saddle's also operates a central distribution centre with storage and refrigeration facilities which ensures product and price uniformity.

Saddles has a dedicated marketing team that regularly monitors industry trends and consistently strives to establish points of differentiation to keep the Saddles brand ahead of its competitors. To aid in promoting new and current franchises, a national marketing fund is managed by a marketing manager, who is responsible for national and local marketing and advertising campaigns.

The franchisor values the opinions, feedback and ideas from all its Saddles franchisees, managers and staff which are facilitated by the open lines of communication to and from the franchisees. Customer care is central to the Saddles branding initiative, 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.

With a long legacy that stretches all the way back to 1980, Saddles Steak Ranch is one of the most popular family restaurants in South Africa today. As a business opportunity for franchisees and developers, it is a warm and extremely rewarding proposition.