FSC Franchise Co. taps We Sell Restaurants for succession planning across 272 units

We Sell Restaurants, the Florida-based restaurant brokerage franchise, has announced the signing of a strategic memorandum of understanding (MoU) with FSC Franchise Co., the operator of Beef ‘O’ Brady’s, Newk’s Eatery, and The Brass Tap. The July 2025 agreement designates We Sell Restaurants as FSC’s preferred franchise resale partner, enabling the franchisor’s 272-unit portfolio to access specialized exit-planning and resale services at scale. The move is designed to support a predictable ownership transition pathway across the restaurant group’s growing U.S. footprint and comes as retirement-driven resales accelerate across the sector.

As part of the agreement, We Sell Restaurants will facilitate five to seven franchise unit resales annually for FSC Franchise Co., which has plans to open an additional 20 units in 2025 and projects over 100 new locations in the next five years. The deal represents a strategic convergence between two entities focused on maintaining brand continuity and operational stability in a sector where ownership transitions are often fraught with delays, value erosion, or closure risks.

Institutional sentiment around this partnership has been broadly positive. Industry observers point to rising demand for succession-planning tools and professional resale infrastructure as restaurant ownership ages. With more than one million restaurants currently operating in the United States—nearly 20% of which are estimated to be for sale at any given time—this partnership is being viewed as both timely and potentially replicable across similar franchise systems.

What are the terms and strategic goals of the MoU between We Sell Restaurants and FSC Franchise Co.?

The memorandum of understanding outlines a success-based brokerage arrangement in which We Sell Restaurants will support all franchise resales for FSC’s three brands, providing franchisees with no-cost services until transactions are closed. The American restaurant brokerage franchise will offer a suite of structured services including valuation support, educational webinars, workshops on succession planning, resale process training, and full transaction coordination from contract to close. This proactive framework allows FSC Franchise Co. to minimize location turnover risks, safeguard brand equity, and reduce the friction often associated with unit transitions.

Robin Gagnon, co-founder and CEO of We Sell Restaurants, stated that the partnership allows both brands to reinforce long-term operational health and enable franchisees to exit with confidence. Chris Elliott, CEO of FSC Franchise Co., framed the move as a vital extension of franchisee support, crediting the broker’s valuation and marketing expertise as essential for owners preparing to retire.

How large is FSC Franchise Co.’s current footprint, and what role will this partnership play in future growth?

FSC Franchise Co. currently operates 272 franchise locations across 21 states, with 140 Beef ‘O’ Brady’s pubs, approximately 100 Newk’s Eatery outlets, and more than 50 Brass Tap venues. The group plans to open 20 new restaurants in 2025, supported by a five-year development pipeline targeting over 100 incremental units.

Each year, five to seven units typically undergo resale transitions. Under the MoU, these resales will now be systematically handled by We Sell Restaurants, which aims to reduce resale friction, shorten time-to-close, and ensure continuity of brand operations throughout ownership transitions. Analysts expect that the broker’s specialized resale model could improve franchise retention and reduce closure risk—a key metric in maintaining net system growth in the saturated U.S. dining market.

What services will franchisees receive under this restaurant resale and succession model?

The services provided through the MoU are designed to equip FSC Franchise Co.’s franchisees with the resources and confidence needed to navigate the exit process efficiently. Support offerings include pre-listing valuations, buyer screening, educational programming on succession strategy, and transparent resale timelines. Importantly, the model is built on a contingency-fee structure—meaning there are no fees until the restaurant is sold—aligning the broker’s success with that of the franchisee.

This approach directly addresses a long-standing gap in franchise operations: the lack of structured, value-preserving resale pathways for retiring owners. Analysts note that this partnership not only fills that gap but could also set a precedent for system-level succession planning in foodservice franchising.

How has We Sell Restaurants performed historically, and why is it positioned to lead franchise resales?

We Sell Restaurants brings two decades of experience in restaurant brokerage, with a cumulative transaction value exceeding $90 million in the most recent fiscal year. The franchise currently maintains an active online listing inventory of more than $420 million in available restaurant properties and has sold thousands of units since inception. In 2023, the firm reported that its franchisees earned an average of $273,251 in gross commission income, with over 40% of franchisees brokering more than $1 million in annual sales.

Recognition from multiple third-party institutions underpins the brand’s momentum. In 2025, We Sell Restaurants received Franchise Business Review’s awards for Top Franchisee Satisfaction, Top Franchises for Women, Most Innovative Franchise, and Top Low-Cost Franchise. It also earned repeat honors in the Inc. 5000 fastest-growing private companies list and Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500 ranking.

These performance benchmarks provide institutional investors with confidence in We Sell Restaurants’ capacity to manage the complex lifecycle of franchise resales—particularly in a market segment as operationally demanding as restaurants.

What broader industry trends does this partnership reflect within the U.S. restaurant resale market?

The U.S. restaurant sector is facing a convergence of structural and demographic forces reshaping ownership models. Rising interest rates, generational retirement, and increasing investor scrutiny have made ownership transitions more frequent but also more complex. Analysts estimate that over 28% of all franchise locations in the U.S. are restaurant-based, highlighting the outsized role the foodservice segment plays in franchise economics.

At the same time, restaurant brands are under pressure to maintain unit economics, preserve brand reputation, and avoid disruptions caused by abrupt or mismanaged exits. The partnership between We Sell Restaurants and FSC Franchise Co. reflects a maturing trend in the franchising sector—where structured exit solutions are becoming a critical part of the support ecosystem.

This development may also signal a larger shift toward institutionalizing resale processes across other franchise sectors such as fitness, beauty, or senior care. As succession becomes a competitive differentiator, experts anticipate more franchise systems will adopt preferred broker arrangements, educational programming, and resale support tools as part of their core franchisee value proposition.

What is the medium-term outlook for We Sell Restaurants and FSC Franchise Co. following this MoU?

Institutional sentiment remains optimistic regarding the impact of this agreement on both brands. For We Sell Restaurants, the deal could expand its national footprint and cement its reputation as the go-to resale broker for restaurant franchises. For FSC Franchise Co., the move signals a proactive approach to maintaining unit growth and mitigating closures caused by ownership fatigue.

Looking ahead, analysts expect additional franchise systems to follow suit by partnering with third-party succession experts. We Sell Restaurants may also leverage the MoU to standardize and scale its offerings across other multi-brand operators. Meanwhile, FSC’s ability to maintain net unit growth while facilitating owner exits may prove attractive to private equity firms and multi-unit developers scouting franchise systems with predictable resale pipelines.

While not publicly traded, both organizations stand to benefit from increased visibility, improved internal efficiencies, and enhanced brand trust in the eyes of prospective franchisees and buyers.