Eiffel Waffle, a gourmet dessert brand founded by childhood friends Omar Falaneh and Barra Abousalem, has quickly transformed from a side hustle into a thriving franchise opportunity, driven by its viral success and social media appeal.
When Eiffel Waffle first opened its doors in Downers Grove, Illinois, the response was overwhelming. The store quickly became a hit, with lines of customers waiting to try the brand’s innovative offerings. According to Abousalem, the buzz was so strong that, within the first month, the founders were already receiving inquiries about licensing the brand. But rather than rushing into franchising, they took a more measured approach to ensure the foundation was solid.
“We wanted to establish our operations first,” said Abousalem. “We needed to build a strong foundation before pursuing franchise growth.”
Rather than jumping directly into franchising, the duo focused on expanding organically, opening six corporate locations before moving forward with franchising. This allowed them to refine operations, improve systems, and automate critical processes.
“We wanted to go through all the mistakes ourselves so our franchisees wouldn’t have to,” Abousalem explained. “Once we were ready to sell franchises, we already had 600 inquiries.”
This early interest confirmed what the founders had long suspected — Eiffel Waffle’s streamlined operations and low barrier to entry would appeal to aspiring entrepreneurs. “A lot of people want to start a business but don’t know how,” said Falaneh. “They’re looking for something affordable and easy to run. We knew Eiffel Waffle was perfect for that.”
The team focused on creating a simple, easy-to-operate model while never compromising on quality. Initially, the brand sourced its ice cream from a third-party supplier, but as the idea of franchising became more real, they realized they needed greater control over cost and quality.
“We didn’t control the cost or the quality,” said Abousalem. “So we decided to stop using the supplier and create our own ice cream.”
Despite having no prior experience in ice cream production, the founders spent six months developing their own proprietary recipe. “We had zero experience making ice cream,” Falaneh said. “We invested a lot of money in machines, supplies, and ingredients. We were in the kitchen for 16 to 18 hours a day, testing flavors and techniques.”
The result was a high-quality product that offered full flavor flexibility. “If something’s trending — like the Dubai chocolate bar — we can turn it into an ice cream flavor in a day or two,” said Falaneh. This flexibility has proven to be an asset to franchisees, who benefit from pre-formulated mixes that ensure consistency and quality.
Supporting franchisees has been a key priority for the founders. “We want to make sure our franchisees know they’ve got the support they need,” Falaneh said. “That’s our number one priority.”
To help ensure legal compliance and create a strong foundation for the franchise, Eiffel Waffle partnered with franchise law firm Spadea Lignana. According to Falaneh, the firm’s advanced system makes the process smoother for both the company and prospective franchisees.
“They’re very familiar with the filings for all the states. They’re very structured, and they’re experts at it,” said Abousalem. “We thought it would take four months for Illinois to approve us, but they got it done in a week or two, which was huge for us.”
As the brand expands into new markets, the founders are focused on attracting passionate, hands-on franchise owners. “We weren’t interested in big investors opening 10-15 units right away,” said Abousalem. “We want people who are passionate and involved in their businesses.”
With a strong brand identity, a high-quality product, and a supportive franchise system, Eiffel Waffle is poised to continue its upward trajectory — one photogenic dessert at a time.
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