You know you want to open a food franchise, but which one will be the most successful in your particular community? Don't just guess what locals want-go out there and find out! We've all heard the old adage about where "assuming" will get you. There is no need to guess what people in your area will want and then lie awake at night wondering if you guessed correctly. All you need to do is get out into the community and gather some information from your future patrons.

Reach community members:
You won't be able to talk to every person in your city or town, but that doesn't mean that you can't get his or her opinion. The key is to get them excited about the ability to shape their community. Compile a list of food franchise opportunities that you're considering and hit the streets to discover what your community wants.

It would take too long to chat with each person individually. Instead, have your list printed on a door hanger and leave them in the areas within the communities that you're hoping to target. Door hangers can be printed for as little as $179 for 3,000-much less than not doing any market research at all. In order to collect the results, set up a temporary 800 line that people can call in and vote for their top choices.

Talk to local area businesses:
One great place to begin is local area office buildings and businesses. A large majority of people who work outside of the home eat out for lunch 5 days a week, 50 or more weeks a year. You'll find that many business owners and HR departments are willing to assist you in gathering the information because employee lunches and break times can cause a productivity problem for employers as well-especially if there are no restaurants nearby.

Start by gathering some menus from potential franchise opportunities. Condense each menu down to its essence, make some copies, and attach a survey to the menus to find out which one most people feel they would enjoy most. You'll also want to ask questions like "how long of a break do you have for lunch" and "do you normally get your lunch to go or eat at a restaurant," and "how far are you willing to drive to pick up lunch?" Answers to these questions will likely make the choice crystal clear.

Talk to event planners:
Take a look in the events section of your community newspaper and see what types of events are taking place. Most likely, every one of these events includes food that is brought in from somewhere else. Find out which groups and organizations regularly hold events and talk to them about the kind of new food selections they would like to offer their guests that is currently lacking in the community.

Getting to know those with lots of exposure in the community and drawing them into the decision making process is a smart move from a public relations perspective. Get in good with these influential, big ticket buyers now-before your food franchise has even opened. Talk to them about catering events and perhaps offer a discount for the ability to display your food franchise's name next to the selections.

Talking to prospective patrons beforehand gives you a unique opportunity to advertise your new restaurant after it's up and running. Once your food franchise is open for business, you can return to those that you talked with to thank them for their participation in shaping the community. Make sure to bring lots of money saving coupons that not only thank those who helped by giving their opinions, but also encourage traffic.