What Ford's Garage does

Ford's Garage is a 1920s garage-themed American burger and craft beer restaurant franchise, founded in 2012 in Fort Myers, Florida by Steve Israel. The company operates as the sole official licensee of Ford Motor Company, which permits use of Ford trademarks, logos, vintage Ford vehicles, and period-correct memorabilia within an immersive service-station-themed dining environment. The corporate parent is Vintage Hospitality Group, Inc., incorporated in Florida and headquartered at 501 N Reo Street, Suite 102, Tampa.

The core product is a full-service casual dining experience centered on Black Angus beef burgers (including a proprietary "Burgers of Fame" line named after Ford vehicles and racing legends), craft beer, and American comfort food, paired with ancillary offerings that include catering (delivered direct and via ezCater), branded merchandise through fordsgaragegear.com, gift cards (managed through Paytronix, Clutch, NCR, and PromoSmarter), and online ordering via Aloha, DoorDash, and Uber Eats. The MotorClub loyalty program rewards guests with 1 point per dollar on food and beverage and 2 points per dollar on merchandise, with a mobile app integration.

Ford's Garage operates almost exclusively through franchising, with 34 locations across eight U.S. states (Florida, Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky, Virginia, Ohio, Texas, and New York) as of early 2026. Reported average unit volume is $5,775,772 per location, with unit-level food cost at 28.7% and labor cost at 30.6%. Major franchisee groups include 23 Restaurant Services (23 Florida locations), Tin Lizzie Restaurant Group (5+ locations across Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky), and Michigan-based franchisee Billy Downs, who also serves as the company's President. Go-to-market combines multi-unit franchise development agreements targeting experienced restaurant operators with direct-to-consumer marketing through social media, MotorClub email, event marketing (e.g., Kentucky Derby watch parties), and delivery aggregators. Leadership includes President Billy Downs, CMO Kathleen Bush (appointed April 2026, prior experience at Red Robin, Torby's Tacos, California Pizza Kitchen), and CDO David Ragosa (promoted April 2026, previously led franchising at Inspire Brands for Arby's and Sonic).

Name

Ford's Garage

Legal name

Vintage Hospitality Group, Inc.

Website

https://fordsgarageusa.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Ford's Garage is a 1920s garage-themed burger and craft beer restaurant franchise and the sole official Ford Motor Company licensee. The Tampa-based company operates 34 locations across eight U.S. states via franchising, serving families and automotive enthusiasts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Casual Dining Restaurants

akta.pro primary industry

Farm-to-Table & Contemporary American Restaurants (THAFACAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Brewpubs & Taprooms (On-site Beer Service) (THAFALAA)

Keywords

• Themed restaurant franchise
• Craft burger dining
• Craft beer restaurant
• Casual dining chain
• American comfort food

Headquarters

HQ city

Tampa

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Franchise Fees and Development Fees: Initial franchise fees and ongoing royalty payments from franchise operators. Franchise Disclosure Document references multi-unit development agreements and franchise fees for new location openings.
2. Food and Beverage Sales: Revenue from direct restaurant operations including Black Angus burgers, craft beers, and signature menu items. Average unit volume of $5,775,772 per location indicates strong per-location revenue generation.
3. Merchandise Sales: Branded merchandise including apparel and collectibles sold through fordsgaragegear.com e-commerce platform.
4. Catering Services: Private event catering services and party room rentals for corporate events, birthday parties, and special occasions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Ford's Garage operates a 1920s garage-themed full-service restaurant franchise serving Black Angus beef burgers (including its proprietary "Burgers of Fame" menu), craft beer, and American comfort food inside an immersive atmosphere of vintage Ford vehicles and Ford Motor Company memorabilia. Beyond dine-in, the company sells branded merchandise, runs catering and private event services, and licenses franchisees to develop new locations across the U.S.

Product overview

Ford's Garage is a 1920s garage-themed burger and craft beer restaurant franchise with 34 locations across eight states. The core offering centers on Black Angus beef burgers (including signature Burgers of Fame), craft beer, and American comfort food served in a nostalgic service station atmosphere with vintage vehicles and Ford Motor Company memorabilia. The company operates as the only official licensee of Ford Motor Company. The product portfolio includes the core restaurant experience, MotorClub loyalty program, catering services (through ezCater), online ordering (via Aloha platform), gift cards (through Paytronix/Clutch/NCR/PromoSmarter), merchandise (Ford's Garage Gear), and franchise opportunities. The company is owned by Vintage Hospitality Group, headquartered in Tampa, Florida, and was founded in 2012.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MotorClub: Loyalty rewards program offering points for every dollar spent on food and beverages, with bonus points for merchandise purchases.
• Ford's Garage Gear

Products and services

• Ford's Garage Restaurant (Burgers of Fame) Full-service themed casual-dining restaurant concept serving Black Angus beef burgers (including the proprietary Burgers of Fame menu named after famous Ford vehicles and racing legends), craft beer, and American comfort food in a 1920s-era garage atmosphere with vintage vehicles and Ford Motor Company memorabilia. Targets general consumers, families, and car enthusiasts.
• MotorClub Loyalty Program Points-based customer rewards program offering 1 point per $1 spent on food and beverages and 2 points per $1 on merchandise purchases, with a birthday free appetizer for members and mobile app integration for earning and redeeming rewards. Targets repeat diners.
• Catering Services Full-service catering offering including Ford's Burger Bar, The Assembly Line packages, beverage tiers, and private event packages priced at $21.99 per person with beverage packages from $11–$19 per person hourly. Distributed via ezCater and direct restaurant ordering for corporate and private events.
• Ford's Garage Gear Merchandise E-commerce merchandise store at fordsgaragegear.com selling branded apparel and collectibles including shirts, hoodies, and hats priced from $24.99 to $35.99. Targets fans of the Ford's Garage brand and car enthusiasts.
• Ford's Garage Gift Cards Physical and digital gift cards available for purchase with no service fees, redeemable at participating Ford's Garage U.S. locations. Operated through Paytronix, Clutch, NCR, and PromoSmarter partner platforms.
• Great American Cookout Limited-Time Menu Limited-time summer menu featuring BBQ-inspired items including Ford's BBQ Trio, Highway 101 Burger, Strawberry Shortcake & Shortshake, and Strawberry Basil Lemonade, plus weekday value meals starting at $10.99. Launched June 2026 at participating locations nationwide.
• Franchise Opportunity Program Franchise development program backed by 200+ years of combined restaurant and franchise experience, with multi-unit development agreements available. Franchisee qualification requires net worth of at least $5M and liquid assets of at least $1.75M. Targets experienced multi-unit restaurant operators.
• Online Ordering and Delivery Digital ordering platform for carryout and delivery integrated with DoorDash and Uber Eats for third-party delivery and with the Aloha (alohaorderonline.com) online ordering system for direct carryout. Available via website and mobile ordering.
• Private Event Hosting In-restaurant private event spaces available for booking for celebrations and corporate events, with per-person catering pricing and hourly beverage packages.

Quantifiable outcome

• Average unit volume of $5,775,772 per location indicates strong revenue generation
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Ford Motor CompanyflagshipOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing Partner · 1 January 2011Official licensing relationship established in 2011 allowing Ford's Garage to use Ford Motor Company trademarks, logos, and branding. The restaurant features authentic Ford memorabilia, vintage Ford vehicles, and operates under the Ford brand identity. This is the foundational partnership upon which the entire restaurant concept is built.
• Bozard FordcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Bozard Ford dealership to bring Ford's Garage concept to new markets. The partnership leverages automotive dealership relationships and community connections for franchise development.
• First Responders Children's FoundationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCharitable partnership supporting first responder communities. Ford's Garage participates in community events and fundraising initiatives for the foundation.
• 23 Restaurant ServicesflagshipChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor franchisee operator managing 23 Ford's Garage locations throughout Florida. Represents the largest multi-unit franchisee operator in the system, responsible for significant portion of brand footprint.
• Tin Lizzie Restaurant GroupcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMulti-unit franchisee operator managing 5 Ford's Garage locations. Experienced restaurant group operating locations in their territory.
• Carson's Garage, LLCcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFranchise development agreement signed for new Ford's Garage location. Part of expansion strategy targeting new markets.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves14 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Smashburger: Better-burger franchise chain focused on premium smashed burgers with craft beer pairings. Directly comparable in premium burger positioning, craft beer program, and franchise-led expansion model.
• Twin Peaks Restaurant: Themed casual dining chain with strong sports lodge atmosphere, craft beer focus, and franchise-driven unit growth. Closely comparable in concept (themed experience, burgers/beer/american fare), AUV tier, and franchise expansion model.
• BJ's Restaurant Brewhouse: Casual dining chain specializing in burgers, craft beer (in-house brewery), and American comfort food with a distinctive in-restaurant experience. Directly comparable on menu, beverage program, and full-service casual dining positioning.
• Hooters: Themed casual dining chain with strong brand identity, merchandise program, and franchise model. Comparable in using a distinctive themed experience and merchandise to drive repeat visits and brand loyalty.
• Red Robin Gourmet Burgers: Gourmet burger-focused casual dining chain. Directly comparable on core menu (premium burgers, American fare) and family casual dining positioning; Ford's Garage recently hired Red Robin's former marketing leadership.

Broad incumbents

• Dave & Buster's: Entertainment-anchored casual dining chain combining food, beverage, and immersive experience. Comparable in monetizing a distinctive in-restaurant experience beyond just food, and in private events/group bookings revenue model.
• TGI Fridays: Established themed casual dining bar-and-grill chain with American comfort food and bar program. Comparable in full-service casual dining, themed décor, and craft cocktail/beer focus.
• Hard Rock Cafe: Iconic themed restaurant chain built around music memorabilia and brand licensing, similar to how Ford's Garage is built around automotive brand licensing. Both concepts monetize a non-food brand association through immersive dining experiences and merchandise.
• Planet Hollywood: Themed casual dining chain featuring memorabilia and entertainment-driven atmosphere. Comparable in leveraging pop-culture/brand IP into a differentiated dine-in experience, with merchandise and licensing revenue streams.

Regional players

• Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. Themed restaurant chain built around a licensed IP (Forrest Gump) with memorabilia-driven dining experience and merchandise. Comparable in leveraging licensed brand IP and themed memorabilia as core differentiation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/fordsgarage
• Facebookfacebook.com/FordsGarageUSA
• Instagraminstagram.com/fordsgarageusa
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fords-garage

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ford's Garage