CHANNEL MARKERS - for the long run
Many Locations, One Core Philosophy
BrIan Burchhill assisting with the Famous Toastery remodel in Davidson.
Famous Toastery’s Brian Burchill
by Allison Futterman | photography by Jon Beyerle
Brian Burchill learned the restaurant industry from the ground up. After waiting tables as a teenager, he went on to a variety of positions—including opening and managing restaurants and working with his mentor, famed New York food entrepreneur, Eli Zabar. Along the way, he took a break to pursue acting in Los Angeles. But the idea of owning his own restaurant was always in the back of his mind. In 2005, he made that dream a reality. Recognizing the need (and opportunity) for a great breakfast/ lunch place in the area, he and business partner Rob Maynard opened Toast in Huntersville in 2005. Burchill and Maynard have been close friends since they were eight years old. When Burchill got serious about opening a restaurant, he thought of Maynard, who made his mark in the banking and real estate industries. Although Maynard didn’t have restaurant experience, Burchill knew their different strengths would create a strong partnership. And “the trust was already there.” After the enormous success of the first Toast, they opened several more locations. In 2013, they began franchising and eventually rebranded as Famous Toastery. “It’s not always sunshine and rainbows,” Burchill says about the business. It’s about hard work. “I treat the service as theater— there are many aspects to directing a show and you have to be on point every day.” Standards are high, which means no fryers and no processed food. Everything is made fresh for each day, and you’ll only find real ingredients—like genuine maple syrup 22
LAKE NORMAN CURRENTS | AUGUST 2022
and fresh squeezed orange juice. Some customer favorites include strawberry cream cheese stuffed French toast, avocado benedict, and left coast BLT (including fresh avocado, brie and pesto mayo). With more than 25 franchise locations across several states, maintaining consistency in the customer experience is a priority. A popular breakfast restaurant does more than feed people. It becomes a local community meeting place, which is something Burchill takes seriously. That’s why every time a new franchise opens, they donate the first two days of proceeds to a charity of the franchisee’s choice. “I’m so energized about our path going forward,” Burchill says. “We have incredible people on board and we’re ready to start expanding a lot more.” Famous Toastery is also starting their catering initiative. Teamwork is an integral part of their success. And that means that despite being CBO, Burchill is not above jumping in and helping. If he’s at a location and they get in the weeds, he’ll start bussing tables or running food. That’s just who he is. “I live and breathe our culture and standards.”
Two of the most important things Burchill has learned along the way: Don’t engage in bad habits and thrive to be the best—but be humble. It really comes down to “common sense and doing the right thing.”
