By David Chilton Saggers
One way to build a system’s success is to keep its product or service up to date. These three Canadian-founded franchises realize this, and know that by staying current they stay in the game.
The Iron Skillet
Doris and Tony Sensenberger started the Iron Skillet restaurant in 1991. They believe in fresh, healthy food at a fair price—and portions so generous that Doris Sensenberger says few customers can finish Iron Skillet’s Chicken Parmesan. This is no surprise; it weighs five pounds, letting customers take leftovers home with them.
The husband and wife duo had a background in the food industry—him as a chef and her in management—before opening the Iron Skillet in Collingwood, Ontario. That corporate store is still theirs, and since taking to the franchise model in 2012, they have added franchises in Barrie and Wasaga Beach, a 40-minute drive away. Two other stores are under consideration, says Doris Sensenberger, and she thinks that they’ll be corporate at first, and not more than an hour’s drive from head office. “We visit our franchisees at least once a week,” Sensenberger shares. “When we have five [franchises] open then we’ll venture further away to places like Sault Ste. Marie and Sudbury, and if someone wanted a Toronto [location] we would look at it.”
The Iron Skillet attracts all ages, and customers are nothing if not loyal. The 34-year-old restaurant now sees the kids of kids who once dined there with their families when they were children, says Sensenberger. Alongside that loyal local customer base, she says her system gets recommendations from nearby hotels and lots of customers celebrating birthdays and other significant dates. Dinner costs about $20 to $30 per person—that huge Chicken Parmesan is $27—and lunch is a bit less. Breakfast is served on Saturdays and Sundays only, and costs $10 to $20.
To serve those customers and to keep them coming back, Sensenberger wants commitment. “We want [franchisees] who really want to be in the restaurant business,” she says. “We want staff who work for us to have some share in the business, then at some point even owning a franchise themselves.” A franchise costs between $300,000 and $500,000. Training in Collingwood takes six weeks with another two weeks in-store. The sweet spot for a location is 3,000 square feet and could be a new build or a conversion.
As for the benefits of investing with Iron Skillet, Sensenberger says among them are the flexible working hours. With a 3,000 square foot restaurant there are always staff on hand to cover an absence. And, she concludes, her system is nearly recession-proof, and once signed up, investors will earn more than they will elsewhere.
Good Sorts Property Services
Kristian de Pont, founder and CEO of Good Sorts Property Services, knows what he wants from his franchisees: owner-operators who will dive right into their local community and feel comfortable having direct conversations about janitorial services and building maintenance with any and all potential clients. Beyond that, de Pont says he’s looking for entrepreneurs who will work within his system, and that any prior franchising experience would be useful, as would a customer service background. But, de Pont cautions from head office in Kelowna, British Columbia, “We’re not interested in people buying a job.”
De Pont already had a background in franchising and in janitorial services when he began Good Sorts in 2020 and has recently employed the franchise model. At first, de Pont wants to stay close to home and is looking at places in Western Canada with populations of 250,000 or more. Good Sorts only services commercial customers, with about 70 per cent of their business coming from multi-family buildings and about 30 per cent from professional offices and the like.
The cost of a franchise, including equipment, is $47,000. Franchisees will also need a reliable vehicle that’ll be wrapped in Good Sorts livery. Although for now Good Sorts can be home office based, investors will eventually need an office and somewhere to store their gear. “Training,” says de Pont, “is very robust.” Franchisees are enrolled in the Good Sorts Academy right away and follow up with one week in Kelowna. By the third week they are out in the market, and that, de Pont emphasizes, “is where the rubber hits the road.” However, they won’t be left to do all the driving by themselves, because Good Sorts has coaches available to help investors in different ways at different stages of their franchises’ development.
As for the benefits of investing with him, de Pont says his is an emerging brand, there is a low cost of entry, investors can take breaks when they need them, and local jobs are created. Alongside those benefits, de Pont continues, Good Sorts is ambitious: “We’re two years into our five-year plan,” he says, “and by year five we have a corporate-franchise revenue goal of $25 million.”
Teriyaki Experience
Teriyaki Experience is entering its largest evolution yet as it approaches its 40th anniversary. Acquired by QuickBite Collective in 2025, the brand is expanding with five new locations slated from January to February 2026, across Ontario and British Columbia.
Teriyaki Experience has been around since the 1980s, and had built a strong brand but needed some modernizing. Historically a mall-based concept founded in 1986 in Toronto, Teriyaki Experience is now shifting toward larger 1,000 to 1,500 sq. ft. storefronts designed for a more modern, energetic guest experience. “This season marks the beginning of the new Teriyaki Experience,” says President Hadi Chahin. “Bold flavours, exciting dishes, and a whole new vibe.” That includes a refreshed Asian-fusion menu with unique additions such as Takoyaki bites, karaage chicken, and spicy beef bowls, as well as a strong commitment to sustainability, like incorporating recycled chopsticks into store furniture and finishes.
Franchise investment ranges from $250,000 to $400,000 depending on market and unit size, with a focus on owner-operators and experienced restaurateurs. Extensive training, pre-opening support, grand-opening events, and ongoing guidance from a dedicated operations team ensure a seamless launch.
Favoured sites for a new store are strip malls, major malls, and drive-thrus. Once the right location is found—1,500 square feet is ideal—it could be a new build, a conversion or a renovation, and some investors may even bring their own real estate to the table.
As for the benefits of a Teriyaki Experience investment, the brand’s size and longevity means it has its own supply chain management agreements as the brand negotiates on behalf of its franchisees to keep food costs down and prices reasonable. The brand’s new anime-driven identity, led by custom characters Ms. Suki and her golden doodle, Miso, anchors this transformation. “Ms. Suki and Miso embody everything our brand stands for: loyal, adventurous, reliable, and full of energy,” says Chahin. As their presence comes to life through in-store murals, storytelling, and the menu, Teriyaki Experience enters a vibrant new era built on adventure, flavour, and franchisee-first support.
