He Built a Dunkin' Empire (100+ locations)

Raj Patel is one of the most prolific franchise operators in the country.

His family started with one Dunkin’ in the late 1980s — today, Raj oversees a 100+ unit portfolio across Dunkin’, Dave’s Hot Chicken, and several other brands.

In this episode, we go deep into:

• How Raj decides which brands to bet on
  
  


• Why leadership matters more than food
  
  


• What it’s really like to scale from 1 store to 100+
  
  


• How he evaluates new builds vs acquisitions
  
  


• Why Dave’s Hot Chicken felt like a “lottery ticket” — and actually paid off
  
  

This is a rare look into how elite multi-unit operators think about growth, risk, and long-term portfolio strategy.

If you’re serious about franchising, scaling restaurants, or building a durable operating business — this episode is for you.

⏱️ KEY TOPICS / CHAPTER THEMES (for platforms that surface these)

• Growing from 1 Dunkin to 100+ stores
  
  


• How Raj evaluates franchise brands
  
  


• Dunkin as a portfolio “engine”
  
  


• Betting early on Dave’s Hot Chicken
  
  


• Why leadership beats product
  
  


• Development vs acquisition strategy
  
  


• Real estate, construction costs, and ROI
  
  


• The future of QSR and drive-thru brands
  
  

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit empirespod.substack.com