Mass Replicating Franchise Delivery Stores: A Business Model That Generates 20 Million Annually
If you’ve ever clicked on something cheap but not actually delicious,
The business model is simple:
After running delivery food operation teams for a while, integrate and refine a fast-food process standard to ensure no bottlenecks during peak hours (a quick meal prep guide), achieving 8–60 seconds per order. Then use low prices plus paid ads to dominate the food delivery traffic rankings, wait for orders to roll in, and finally open franchising deals.
Franchisees pay an annual 29,800 yuan franchise fee, plus a 3% monthly commission on gross sales as an operation management fee. They also must purchase 1,500–3,000 yuan worth of seasonings each month (enough for 3,000–10,000 delivery orders). Only the seasonings are required—other ingredients can be sourced freely. Many restaurants struggle to find the right seasoning formulas, especially ones that pass national safety inspections.
Then there are add-ons: referral bonuses for existing franchisees bringing in new ones, packaging procurement from HQ (normally costing under 0.1 yuan per set, but sold to franchisees at around 1 yuan each). A single team typically generates over 20 million yuan in net profit annually.
Do franchisees make money? Yes—you don’t need a large physical storefront; even a 15-square-meter prep area suffices. Average monthly sales range from 5,000 to 30,000 orders, at 15 yuan per order, with nearly 10 yuan gross profit per order. After deducting utilities, ingredient costs, and other overhead, net monthly profit sits between 20,000 and 50,000 yuan.
However, product life cycles are short. Due to mediocre taste and poor-quality packaging, sales typically decline within six months to a year. New customers dry up, and existing ones aren’t retained either—so the store needs to shut down and reopen.
These shops usually adopt trendy “internet celebrity” names and a Chinese-national-style aesthetic, offering free drinks and grilled sausages to attract young office workers.