Imagine this: it’s a normal Tuesday, and your restaurant is busy. There are lots of people laughing and clinking plates, and customers are booking reservations for next week before they even pay their tab. Someone says, “You should franchise my restaurant!” It feels amazing, doesn’t it? But making that shiny vision come true is a whole different story. From getting the idea to running the business, franchising your restaurant is more like a treasure hunt than a route plan.

The first thing you should ask yourself is, “Is my restaurant easy to copy?” It’s not simply pretty; can you break it down into steps that someone else could follow without your daily care? If every sandwich needs your special touch, you might have to put off franchising. But if you can write down your recipes, repeat your training, and make money with your meal, you’re on the right track.

Next, let’s talk about what the law says. There is some documentation. A lot of it. You’ll have to deal with UFOCs, state filings, and disclosure documents—an alphabet soup. Hire a franchise lawyer who knows what they’re doing. Stay away from inexpensive copies unless you want to spend a lot of money to learn. Without strong contracts, franchisees might act like rogue cowboys and take your recipes, logos, and reputation with them.

Your operations handbook needs to be so clear that even your forgetful uncle could handle things while you’re on vacation. Think of recipes, but also lists of things to do to clean, how to hire someone, how to regulate portions, and even “what to do if the fridge dies on payday.” The restaurant’s DNA is in a bottle with a label on it.

Branding comes next. Your logo, colors, and customer service peculiarities all need to pop off the page and into other people’s hands without losing their spark. Think about putting that small-town charm in a bottle. You want every franchise to serve that flavor to their customers, no matter where they are. Don’t ruin the fun, but consistency is key. Even though they’re everywhere, the best franchises seem like they’re from your area.

Set the royalties and upfront fees, but don’t let greed guide you. If you set the price too high, you’ll scare away eager owners. If it’s too low, you’ll have to fix leaks using a bucket that leaks. Offer your partners things like marketing help, supply chain deals, and bulk buying to help them do well.

Choose your first franchisees carefully. These early adopters will have a big impact on how people see your business. Don’t simply look at their money; look for fortitude, hospitality, and a knack for getting along with people. A partner who is angry or low on money might make growth happen very quickly.

Money is important. You will need a good amount of money for legal fees, branding, paperwork, training, and travel. Don’t use your last dollar to build a new store three states away. Save enough for when you need it. There is always a little rain.

It looks like hitting CTRL+C and CTRL+V on success when you franchise a restaurant. What is real? Pasta. Sometimes messy, sometimes tangled, and sometimes unbelievably good. Get ready for strange requests and unexpected problems. You will learn more about people, pancakes, and patience than you ever thought you could. And who knows? If you put your heart into every step, people might one day line up at your door, no matter where it is.