The term “dream dinners” may bring to mind a perfect date at a candlelit table, violin music in the background, with the meal capped by a wedding ring hidden in the champagne glass. Dream Dinners is also a quickly rising food franchise business. It involves prepared menus and locations where people go to receive instruction in cooking them. It’s one of those ideas that has people slapping their foreheads while exclaiming “why didn’t I think of that”?
People are very busy today. Eating well at home is besoming more and more difficult . Even the terrific pre-made food available today in stores isn’t quite the same as home cooking. But when the typical day involves so much, who has time to cook, much less time to plan a menu or learn how to make the items on it? This franchise comes to the rescue.
The program works like this. Customers select up to 14 menu meals every month. Food is then purchased by serving. Now while still at the store, they cook. Most creative cooking experts supervise in either private or public cooking sessions. It’s a little bit like a cooking show where the show gives the viewer the food then helps them prepare it along with the host.
It sounds a lot more expensive that it really is. The more people buy the more they save, so all 14 meals are about $3.50 per serving not counting sides and other items like salads. The cost per serving with the sides is about $5. Not only are the meals provided, but the family can enjoy the cooking experience in a setting where it’s ensured that they’ll prepare the meals the right way.
This is a franchise business. There has been some tension. It’s not the food or menus or preparation, but rather the franchiseesSome of the franchisees aren’t happy. Forbes magazine published a detailed account of Dream Dinners in early 2008. The company didn’t look very good in the article. The new concept quickly gained popularity and attracted would be business owners. But it seems the business plan wasn’t strong, as many of these people found themselves unable to continue the business after a short time and a lot of investment. There may have been some misrepresentations made as to potential profits.
Let the franchisees and the company worry about the controversy, for the diner Dream Dinners is just what the chef ordered.
Tags: creative cooking, dream dinners