Symposium Cafe concept has been awarded the Canadian Franchise Associations 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 Award of Excellence in regards to our Franchisee support- one of only two full service restaurants in Canada to win this prestigious award.
Symposium Cafe concept has won numerous awards over the past years including Best Restaurant Atmosphere, Best Bistro, Best Business Lunch, Best Desserts, and Best Breakfast and Best Overall Restaurant..
Our interiors pay tribute to the Renaissance period and offer our guests a refined, yet casual atmosphere that adds high end detail to affordable dining. Extremely well received by guests, our visual enhancements differentiate Symposium Cafe Restaurant & Lounge from other contemporary casual establishments, and keep us at the forefront of that specific niche of the Canadian restaurant experience..
The uniqueness of our decor is recognized by Trademarks Canada which has awarded Symposium Cafe Restaurant & Lounge Trade dress protection throughout Canada-- one of only a handful of restaurants to ever achieve this.
Our franchise system guides each franchisee through every facet of the restaurant operation. Once familiar with our systems, each franchisee will be able to train and develop each of their associates in all areas of the restaurant business. Our systems revolve around the philosophy of "Continued Training" to guarantee our team meets and exceeds our dining patrons’ expectations. All positional training techniques are clearly outlined in our restaurant manuals with easy to implement instructions. Our restaurant cost management system, indexed in our operations manual, is designed to provide the necessary tools to completely analyze and understand the restaurant franchise business both from a sale and cost perspective. Informative and educational restaurant symposiums are held with the main focus and discussion revolving around driving and developing our restaurant and patio sales while controlling costs using our proven cafe systems.
The extensive and comprehensive training program offered to franchisees allows one to learn our policies and procedures. Each franchisee apprentices at a restaurant location with each step of the training monitored and evaluated to ensure successful graduation of the Symposium Cafe restaurant program. Upon completion of the training program you will be well equipped with an in-depth knowledge and strong operating command of our proven systems.
The Symposium restaurant franchise opportunity launches with the assistance of a restaurant opening team. This team is comprised of a group of high energy, dedicated, knowledgeable restaurant managers and staff. They will lead and guide you through the opportunities that can arise during a restaurant opening.
Upon successful completion of Symposium Cafe training program and assuming the responsibility of your restaurant franchise, a transition tutor is assigned to directly assist you on a regular basis in your restaurant franchise for a period of 10 weeks. This tutor works closely with you through the opening stages of your cafe, the day-to-day operating systems and procedures to ensure a successful start-up of your restaurant. This program is designed to strengthen and build the Franchise operators commitment to our proven systems. Our unique 10 weeks in-store program is crucial to building your team, establishing a strong customer base, growing restaurant sales and operating a successful Symposium Cafe franchise.
Symposium Cafe brand identity does not rely on a typical "box" to succeed. Our adaptive development strategy and flexible design allow stores to be constructed in many different types of sites, including prototype buildings, conversions/retro-fits, strip center end-cap locations, and non-traditional sites. Because of this flexibility, tremendous opportunities become more available from Landlords at high profile unique locations, and many times giving Symposium Cafe the edge with Landlords.
Our brand has over two decades of proven success and a loyal customer base in existing markets. Symposium Cafe is a timeless concept that has that rare ability to appeal to a variety of consumers. Many casual dining concepts seem to copy each other in their menus and restaurant "feel". Symposium Cafe concept is uniquely different and is truly the most unique dining establishment in the Canadian marketplace.
Symposium Cafe continually adapts its concept to bring the relationship between our company vision, the "art", the interior restaurant decor and our extensive restaurant menu into complete cohesion. The strength of our restaurant concept and our franchisee, together with our solid marketing strategy and a well-developed transition plan, ensures that we will continue to grow our customer base, our sales volume and the number of restaurants in the Ontario food service marketplace.
Products and service levels are "Second to None"™. The extensive and well balanced restaurant menu of European coffees, specialty beverages, exotic desserts, and classic gourmet meals including our Everyday Gourmet Breakfast are under constant consideration and evaluation. Attention to consumer trends, innovative signature products, and product quality and consistency ensure that the Symposium is a destination restaurant location for consumers.
A set of comprehensive manuals are provided to the Symposium Cafe Franchisee upon the signing of the Franchise Agreement. These manuals are designed for easy reference and serve as an authoritative source of information about Symposium Cafe standard operating policies and procedures. These manuals are frequently updated to reflect Symposium Cafe’s response to the changing needs of today's guests.
Symposium Cafe restaurants rely primarily on local and online marketing programs; these programs serve to provide each location with the marketing programs and promotions that match the needs of the individual store’s market. Advertising and promotional materials are available at a reasonable cost to Franchisees and we employ our own graphic designer to assist our franchisees with marketing needs.
The purchasing department of Symposium Cafe negotiates services and price agreements with approved suppliers and distributors for all restaurant purchases. The volume of these purchases allows us to reduce costs for all restaurants in the system. Unlike many Franchisors, we do not derive any income from a commissary kitchen.